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Milling Table Setup

This guide covers the essential operations for managing milling tables in our production software.

1. Create New Milling Table​

Create a new milling table for your project.

  1. Navigate to the "Production" tab
  2. Select "New Milling Project"
  3. Click "Add Table"
  4. Configure the table settings

2. Edit Milling Table​

Modify an existing milling table's settings.

  1. Navigate to the "Production" tab
  2. Select "New Milling Project"
  3. Find the table you want to change and click "Edit"

3. Duplicate Milling Table​

Create a copy of an existing milling table.

  1. Navigate to the "Production" tab
  2. Select "New Milling Project"
  3. Locate the table to duplicate and click "Edit"
  4. Click "Duplicate"
Time-saver

Duplicating is useful when you need a similar table with minor changes. It's faster than creating a new table from scratch.

4. Delete Milling Table​

Remove a milling table from your project.

  1. Navigate to the "Production" tab
  2. Select "New Milling Project"
  3. Find the table to remove and click "Edit"
  4. Click "Delete"
  5. Confirm the deletion
attention

Deleting a table is permanent. Double-check that you've selected the correct table before confirming.

5. Export Milling Table​

Save a milling table configuration for later use or sharing.

  1. Navigate to the "Production" tab
  2. Select "New Milling Project"
  3. Locate the table and click "Edit"
  4. Click "Export"
  5. Choose a file name
  6. Click "Save"

6. Import Milling Table​

Load a previously saved milling table configuration.

  1. Navigate to the "Production" tab
  2. Select "New Milling Project"
  3. Click "Import"
  4. Browse and choose the file to import
  5. Click "Open"
Compatibility

Ensure the file you're importing is in the correct format and compatible with your current software version.

7. Settings​

7.1 Basic Settings​

  • Type of document: The product type that needs to be milled
  • Name: Name of the milling table
  • Brand: Choose the brand based on gcode language requirements
    • Default: Standard gcode
    • ISEL: Gcode specifically for ISEL machines
    • Deskproto: Let Deskproto handle the gcode generation based on a DPJ (Deskproto project file)
    • Duo CAM: Standard gcode for milling machines with 2 spindles
  • Strategy
    • Spiral: Mills in a continuous way from the inside to the outside
    • Offset: Mills from the inside to the outside and offsets the toolpath outwards
  • Dimensions
    • 2D: Determines the toolpath distance from the top view
    • 3D: Determines the toolpath distance on the surface
  • Strategy Contour
    • Layered: Contours are milled layer by layer
    • Spiral: Contours spiral down
  • Two sides: Generates gcode for the bottom (requires a milling table with a clamping system)
  • Two sides (flip axis): Flip the milling block over the center of the milling table or pocket in X or Y Axis

7.2 Milling Table​

  • Table width: The width in the X axis
  • Table length: The width in the Y axis
  • Material height:
    • Height of a milling block (if using Zero point Z: bottom or center)
    • Distance between the zero point and the milling table (if using Zero point Z: top)
  • Zero point X: Location in X axis (left, centered, right)
  • Zero point Y: Location in Y axis (front, centered, back)
  • Zero point Z: Location in Z axis
    • Top: Zero point is on top of the milling block or higher
    • Centered: Zero point is in the center of the milling block
    • Bottom: Zero point is on the milling table

7.3 Toolpath Settings​

  • Free movement height: Z value for travel movements
  • Offset top: Distance between toolpaths for the top side
  • Offset bottom: Distance between toolpaths for the bottom side
  • Create centerline:
    • Generates a center line, milled at slow speed
    • Allows for higher speed milling of the object
  • Z-offset correction:
    • Not available for two-sided milling
    • Moves all g-code up/down in Z axis to compensate for zero point
    • Useful when Zero point Z is set to bottom, compensating for distance between zero point and milling table

7.4 Contour Settings​

  • Enabled: Turn contour generation on/off
  • Extra movement: Move contours up/down in Z axis
  • Support:
    • Creates support blocks
    • Used with extra movement to cut out object while holding it
    • Value specifies support size in mm
  • Layered:
    • When enabled: Contours milled in multiple layers
    • When disabled: Contours milled in one pass
    • Value specifies layer height
  • Flat:
    • When enabled: Builds contour for one-sided milling
    • When disabled: Contours follow object shape (for 2-sided milling to cut out object)

7.5 Cutter Toolpath​

Settings for the cutter used for toolpaths:

  • Diameter: Cutter diameter in mm
  • Turning speed:
    • When enabled, adds gcode to start spindle
    • Specify desired rpm (rounds per minute)

7.6 Cutter Contour​

Settings for the cutter used for contours:

  • Diameter: Cutter diameter in mm
  • Turning speed:
    • When enabled, adds gcode to start spindle
    • Specify desired rpm (rounds per minute)

7.7 Top Milling Speed​

  • Dip: Feedrate for diving into material
  • Normal: Feedrate for toolpaths
  • Slow: Feedrate for center line and first 3 toolpaths
  • Contour: Feedrate for contour

7.8 Bottom Milling Speed​

Only available for 2-sided milling:

  • Dip: Feedrate for diving into material
  • Normal: Feedrate for toolpaths
  • Slow: Feedrate for center line and first 3 toolpaths
  • Contour: Feedrate for contour

7.9 Add Custom GCode​

Specify custom gcode for different stages. Do note that for the top and bottom seperate files are generated:

  • Toolpath start: Added at the start of the file
  • Toolpath end: Added when toolpaths are finished
  • Bottom start: Added at the start of the bottom file
  • Bottom end: Added when bottom toolpaths are finished
  • Contour start: Placed before the start of the contour (e.g., tool changer gcode)
  • Contour end: Added at the end of the file

7.10 Pocket Settings​

Add pockets to the milling table for automatic positioning if objects needs to be placed on specific locations:

  • Click "Add" button to create a new pocket
  • Location calculated from bottom left corner of milling table
  • For each pocket, specify:
    • X: X offset
    • Y: Y offset
    • Width: Width in X axis
    • Length: Width in Y axis

7.11 Pocket Automatic Positioning​

  • Horizontal: Position of object in pocket on X axis
  • Vertical: Position of object in pocket on Y axis
  • Insole horizontal:
    • If checked: Insoles positioned on X axis
    • If disabled: Insoles positioned on Y axis

8. Example Templates​

Coming Soon

We're working on adding example templates. These will help you quickly set up common milling table configurations.