I am getting nowhere fast with Easel. I have had my 3018 Pro for 6 weeks now and I am no further forward now than I was when I took it out of the box. I initially thought it was the machine to blame but it is Easel giving me the grief. My latest headache is "simulating the toolpath. Does every carve that I plan have to have the toolpath simulated? If the answer is no then how do I disable it because regardless of me clicking “detailed or simulate” I end up watching the simulation. If the answer is YES then why after the simulation when my machine stops can I not go on to carve. I have just sat and watched a simulation for 36 minutes and all I have is 17 holes…I am wasting my life trying to get to grips with this
Perhaps you should create the g code file and download something like the Universal Gcode sender. You just load the file and send it to the machine. You can use easel for the design and gcode creation and use the sender to send the gcode to the machine.
Hey @JimDrennan,
Looking at your designs they do generate for me in reasonable time. These designs have a lot of additional points though, it seems like you imported a somewhat poor quality design that needs cleaning up.
The “17 holes” problem you mentioned is coming from the bit you are using. You have selected 3mm endmill which can’t carve the more complex parts of the design. Switching to a V-Bit will show you entire design being carved, plus will show you all the additional noise in the imported graphic that you might want to clean up.
Hi
How do I create the g code
I don’t have a V bit
Once you have your drawing and the setting selected, In Easel, you go up to “machine” and click on " advanced". The next window should say “generate gcode”.
This a text file with all the xyz coordinates. You can open it up in Notepad in windows. You have to give it a file name. Using Gcode Sender, after all the necessary software files are on your computer, you open UGS. There’s a bit of a learning curve to UGS just like any other program. Once it’s set, you load the file and hit send.
You select a bit from those given in the free version.
I don’t think I have the knowledge to do anything like that. I am not that clever hence the predicament I am in with CNC related issues
@JimDrennan - I have the SainSmart Genmitsu CNC Router 3018-PROVer Kit and had it for a few months now and I found Easel the easiest to use and to generate the Gcode. To cut the designs I use Universal Gcode sender. I knew absolutely nothing about CNC machines and I found James Dean Designs on You Tube helpful - https://youtu.be/mUO6d7MaeCA.
Thanks for the reply. I have watched James Dean on you tube today. I have downloaded the Universal G Code sender. I have it connected to the machine but the jog controls are all greyed out.If I try to jog it nothing happens apart from the machine making a noise.No idea how to sort it
I have the 2015 stable version of UGS which has fewer bells and whistles… Watching the video, I wonder if you pressed the connect button on the top left and if the Baud rate is the largest number? It appears that the buttons darkened after he his the connect button.
The engraving takes place directly out of Easel to you CNC. You need to setup your CNC on Easel and it should go strait the the machine and engrave.
I never do the preview engrave just uses up time.
Make sure your CNC is connected to your computer when you open Easley then go into machine setup and follow the set up options.
Hello Jim
I have a 3018 prover and have never got it too work with easel. I have tried everything and have no idea why so I gave up. I use easel to do all the designs and it is brilliant for that I then set up the machine and the speend of the cuts and export the g-code to Drufel which is a program the came with the machine from Saintsmart. as long as I do not try and push the speed over 600mm/min then it works fine. only problem had with the simulations is if using the nano V bit that came with the machine it sometimes will get stuck on working out the toolpaths nut I find if I quit the program and come back it works.