Hi @Tyler5883 and peers,
The LightBurn gcode is clean defined by smaller size or less lines when compared to the WAM gcode. However, there are a few serious concerns when using this post and running this gcode on a WAZER:
- No corner compensation. This will result in sharp points and imperfections on the bottom side of the part. ie the tail cutting characteristics of the water-jet. This will be particularly worse with thicker materials and can even lead to uncut paths. (On thin or soft materials this will be less prevalent.)
- To correct the flaw in #1 the cut speed will have to be reduced for all of the lines of code resulting in longer cut times and more abrasive consumption. For example, thicker materials can require a progressive decrease in speed up to 40% at 90 degree angles. These figures will vary drastically depending on the radius or sharp angle of the cut-path. WAM transitions the speed around all curves automatically and speeds up when possible for the most efficient cutting.
- Be mindful to not over-compensate the slow down in point #2. Too slow of a cut-rate will put more than average wear on the cut bed, cutting head, and tank bottom for the same cut results.
- Pausing the cut using this gcode will result in a number of unintended uncut portions and lost features at each pause/resume along the path. This is due to the clean gcode structure and how the WAZER controller processes it. At the end of the day, the CAM software and controller firmware needs to work in tandem.
We would be happy to work with LightBurn on getting the concerns above mitigated however this likely requires fundamental coding re-write and cannot be done in just modifying the post-processor.
On the bright side, the current post has some small workflow hiccups that could be improved for the operator workflow right now. All of these can likely be corrected within the LightBurn post-processor:
- There is no tab along the cut-path. This could be operator’s choice but running without a tab is still a risk. (Maybe tab creation can be enabled within LightBurn)
- The file prep menu after selecting the gcode is missing the material, thickness, and cut time. This information is important for abrasive and cost estimates during the set-up workflow. (Corrections to gcode file header will solve this)
- The “Check Cut Extents” feature at the end of the prep menu currently does not work. (Again, corrections to the header will solve this)
All of these considerations are taken into account and are automatically handled within WAM, along with dozens of other requirements built into the software. In order to accomplish all of these features more lines of gcode are needed. These additional lines have no functional downside, a slightly larger file size (80KB), and more steps have no impact on the controller.
In the example below, if you study the code line by line you will notice the considerations discussed above.
;-------------------------------Cut file parameters------------------------
; Input file name : 62x42mm-rect.svg
; File rotation : 0 File scale : 1
; Material name : Brass
; Material thickness : 0.125 in
; Cut path : Outside
; Cut quality : mediumRate
; Raw Material width : 66.47mm
; Raw Material height : 44.42mm
;-------------------------------Do Not modify the Gcode file---------------
G90
G21
M1403
M1405 X38.94 Y-37.20
M1406 X105.41 Y-81.62
M1407 S35.0
M1410 1.6; Generated on Wam
M1411 Brass
M1412 0.125 in
G0 X40.29 Y-37.20
M3
M8
G4 S35.
G1 X40.31 Y-37.45 F20.32
G1 X40.38 Y-37.70 F17.27
G1 X40.48 Y-37.93 F14.22
G1 X40.63 Y-38.14
G1 X40.81 Y-38.32 F15.24
G1 X41.02 Y-38.46 F14.22
G1 X41.25 Y-38.57
G1 X41.49 Y-38.63
G1 X41.74 Y-38.66
G1 X42.58 Y-38.66
G1 X43.42 Y-38.66
G1 X44.26 Y-38.66
G1 X45.10 Y-38.66
G1 X45.94 Y-38.66
G1 X46.78 Y-38.66
G1 X47.62 Y-38.66
G1 X48.46 Y-38.66
G1 X49.30 Y-38.66
G1 X50.13 Y-38.66
G1 X50.97 Y-38.66
G1 X51.81 Y-38.66
G1 X52.65 Y-38.66
G1 X53.49 Y-38.66
G1 X54.33 Y-38.66
G1 X55.17 Y-38.66
G1 X56.01 Y-38.66
G1 X56.85 Y-38.66
G1 X57.68 Y-38.66
G1 X58.52 Y-38.66
G1 X59.36 Y-38.66
G1 X60.20 Y-38.66
G1 X61.04 Y-38.66
G1 X61.88 Y-38.66
G1 X62.72 Y-38.66
G1 X63.56 Y-38.66
G1 X64.40 Y-38.66
G1 X65.23 Y-38.66
G1 X66.07 Y-38.66
G1 X66.91 Y-38.66
G1 X67.75 Y-38.66
G1 X68.59 Y-38.66
G1 X69.43 Y-38.66
G1 X70.27 Y-38.66
G1 X71.11 Y-38.66
G1 X71.88 Y-38.66
G1 X76.88 Y-38.66 F16.26
G1 X81.88 Y-38.66 F18.29
G1 X86.88 Y-38.66 F20.32
G1 X91.88 Y-38.66
G1 X96.88 Y-38.66 F17.27
G1 X101.88 Y-38.66 F14.22
G1 X103.07 Y-38.66
G1 X103.22 Y-38.80
G1 X103.36 Y-38.94
G1 X103.36 Y-60.14 F17.27
G1 X103.36 Y-65.14 F20.32
G1 X103.36 Y-70.14
G1 X103.36 Y-75.14 F17.27
G1 X103.36 Y-80.14 F14.22
G1 X103.36 Y-81.34
G1 X103.22 Y-81.48
G1 X103.07 Y-81.62
G1 X98.07 Y-81.62 F17.27
G1 X93.07 Y-81.62 F20.32
G1 X88.07 Y-81.62
G1 X83.07 Y-81.62
G1 X78.07 Y-81.62
G1 X73.07 Y-81.62
G1 X71.88 Y-81.62 F19.30
G1 X66.88 Y-81.62 F20.32
G1 X61.88 Y-81.62
G1 X56.88 Y-81.62
G1 X51.88 Y-81.62
G1 X46.88 Y-81.62 F17.27
G1 X41.88 Y-81.62 F14.22
G1 X40.68 Y-81.62
G1 X40.54 Y-81.48
G1 X40.40 Y-81.34
G1 X40.40 Y-76.34 F17.27
G1 X40.40 Y-71.34 F20.32
G1 X40.40 Y-66.34
G1 X40.40 Y-61.34 F15.24
G1 X40.40 Y-60.14 F10.16
G1 X40.40 Y-40.34
G4 S5.
M9
G4 S1.
M5
G4 S1.
M1413 00:13:38
M1404