Suggestions Auto Inlat Tolerances

[Chuck B]

Hi everyone....I'm needing to do a cnc carved urethane sign. Because of the design, I'd like to do an auto inlay so that I can drop the letters in separately after everything is painted. I'll be using latex paints...at least 3 coats on both the panel and the separate letters. It's been a good while since I've used the auto inlay feature and was wondering what you guys suggests in the way of the amount of tolerance I should program in so that the letters fit well into the pockets after everything is painted.---thanks.

 

[Ian Stewart-Koster]

what software are you using?

 

[Chuck B]

what software are you using?

I'm using Gerber Art Path.

 

[Gino]

Are you gonna be painting the backsides and edges of the letters and the bottoms and sides of the panel ?? In my time doing this, paint to paint isn't a very strong bond. It might be better to leave these areas unpainted and do a little touch up when all the glue is dried. This way, your tolerance only needs to be a slight fraction.

 

[Ian Stewart-Koster]

We use Enroute, and the inlay figure you put in, is in mm, and is how much each part is offset away from the drawn line.
So 0.5mm setting can give a gap of 1 mm.

 

[Chuck B]

Are you gonna be painting the backsides and edges of the letters and the bottoms and sides of the panel ?? In my time doing this, paint to paint isn't a very strong bond. It might be better to leave these areas unpainted and do a little touch up when all the glue is dried. This way, your tolerance only needs to be a slight fraction.

Thanks Gino...usually I would paint the tops and edges of the letters before hand, but not the bottoms of the letters. So I'd rout the sign panel and spray the entire thing (several coats) to finish it off in the color that the deepest area needs to be, and then hand paint my way up to the most top area. In doing this, the pockets that will accept the letters will be painted. In the few times I've done an auto inlay, I feel like I had programmed in a .015" tolerance, but it has been so long since I've done it, I wasn't sure---so I thought I'd reach out to get other suggestions. I realize that this is a tough thing to nail down exactly...rather have it a little loose (but not big gaps) as opposed to having to shave the return of the letters upon assembly because of them being to tight.

What do you think of the .015" tolerance...am I close?---thanks again.

 

[Chuck B]

We use Enroute, and the inlay figure you put in, is in mm, and is how much each part is offset away from the drawn line.
So 0.5mm setting can give a gap of 1 mm.

Thanks Ian---I think Art Path tolerance setting only affect one component...either the pocket or the piece to be dropped in. It's been a long time since I've used that function of the software, but thanks for bringing this up as I will check to make sure both paths aren't adjusted...or if both are. It will make a difference for sure...haha.