Workflow Overview; Create The Design And Toolpath(S) - Next Wave Automation CNC PIRANHA XL Owner's Manual

Workflow Overview

It is important to recognize that unlike other wood working and machining tools, you just don't
walk up to the CNC Piranha FX/XL with your material, hit the power button, and start carving or
engraving your project. It is easiest to think of the workflow in two distinct components:
1. Create the design and toolpath (also called TAP file) - using VCarve.
2. Machining the part - using the Piranha FX/XL Control Panel, you will set your "Home
Location" then load the toolpath file and run the project (create your carving).

Create the Design and Toolpath(s)

VCarve is used to create the design of the part you want. It is a powerful user friendly program,
if you haven't yet gone to
designing you must do this first.
The VCarve projects are saved with the file extension '.crv'. This is not however the file you will
load onto the Piranha FX/XL to carve your design as VCarve does not directly control or operate
the Piranha FX/XL. This is commonly referred to as your 'project file' and can be opened and
edited at any time by using the VCarve software.
Once your design is ready, you will use VCarve to generate one or multiple toolpaths depending
on what you are trying to do to your project, profiles, drilling, carving etc. All require separate
toolpaths. (Complete directions on this are available at www.vectric.com) You select the design
component, the cutting tool you want to use and then generate the toolpath. A great feature is
that you can preview the outcome of that toolpath in VCarve and make changes before ever
cutting or wasting your material. Then using VCarve to save that toolpath, and selecting the
correct post processor (CNC Piranha post processor in post processor area of VCarve) it
automatically creates the g-code needed by converting into a .TAP file. Next save it onto a usb
thumb drive and directly load this into the Piranha FX/XL via the usb slot on the right side of the
pendant. The tap file contains the G-code instructions that will tell the Piranha FX/XL where to
move in X, Y, Z to make the appropriate cuts using the cutter tool selected. (G-code is the
common name for the computer numerical control (CNC) language used by the Piranha FX/XL.)
As we stated before the Piranha FX/XL can also run directly from your computer using the
Piranha Control Panel, for complete instructions on that visit the downloads tab on our
webpage www.nextwaveautomation.com. Under CNC Piranha
April 2018
www.vectric.com and watched their instructional tutorials on
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