I am not sure if this belongs here or in the phlatscript section, but I will start it here.

The reason we have to mirror stuff is not because we cut from the bottom as I have read, but rather because our Y travels in the wrong direction. I tested this by inverting my Y direction and cut some text straight from SU. The problem is when you run in this configuration, all your cuts become conventional cutting instead of climb cutting. So for this to work nicely, we need to be able to reverse the direction of inside and outside cuts generated by phlatscript.

We also have to change the way our machines travel, so maybe its a mod/phlatscript topic?

I don't know if anyone is intrested in this, but if so maybe it could be a wishlist item?

 

By my understanding, all 3 axes on the pp are in the standard orthogonal (right-handed) orientation. The exception on the pp is that all our plunges are in the negative Z direction because we start below the zero-surface. If you'll check, when the Y-axis is in the rightmost position, and the Z-axis is retracted to the start position, below the surface of the material, your machine will be at HOME, 0,0,0. That is why standard G-code generation scripts work.
I think if you invert Y, you'll have to establish HOME at the leftmost position of Y travel.

 

Well this is how I look at it. The Z moves correctly to me, because when it moves towards the material, it moves in a negative direction. So to me, Z makes sense, just our machines are upside down.

So, If I lay on the floor and look up at the material, the back of the machine is positive X, I keep that on my right. From that prospective positive Y goes to my feet (wrong way) and positive Z goes towards me, not away.

Does this make sense? I am not too good at explaining these things.

Yes, inverting Y would establish Y0 on the left.

BTW, If you lay on the floor and look up, you will be in the same position as a top view in SU

 

Thanks Shaun, I was beginning to think I was crazy, well I prolly am, but still no proof.

But really, thank you for the reverse face tip. I think I will just setup another config for EMC to reverse the Y, then if I am doing any text stuff, I will run sdrawkcaB for that file.

When I first setup Rosie, I saw this but as you have done, just didn't worry about it cuz thats how everyone is doing it.

I agree it is nice to see the cutting as the parts look in SU, problem is we ARE seeing the bottom, not the top. So we aren't really seeing them the same. Oh well prolly just the machinist in me trying to be literial again.

I will have to point Alex to the reverse face option so he makes good code for me when we start using text and such.

 

Its actually not set up now to run programs created for a standard mill. It will run them no problem, but the Y is reversed. So you will be making mirrored parts. For the planes we cut, where all cuts are really through cuts(except for fold lines,pockets, and text/graphics) it doesn't matter. Cuz when the part is done, you just use it how you need it.

I have the ability to mirror parts on the X and the Y axis in all my machines. This is something I thouht was a really good feature until I tried it and realized I was no longer climb cutting. After I thought about it for a minuite, I said Doah! of course. And I have never tried it again.

I did reverse my Y on Rosie to prove it to myself, and yes, the text was cut as drawn and the tool paths were all conventional insetad of climb cuts. So I put it back and I don't worry about it.

Just thought I would bring it up to see if anyone was on board with me. Now that Shaun has pointed me in the direction of reverse faces, I can work around the problem.

Just goes to show, never problems, only opportunities to excel!

 

I can just see it now - a bunch of PP owners sitting around the country all doing this at the same time: