AutoCAD 2010/2011/2012 DWG Format

[#1]

Hello,

  I write programs for large CNC routers, and I'm trying to make a parametric program that uses an ellipse in it.  I need to know the formula or formulas used to produce the arcs that make up a pellipse so that I can get the radii, and end points of each arc.  Any help would be greatly appreciated, Thanks.

-Norm

[#2]

In the past I have used the geometry of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trammel_of_Archimedes in VBA to generate coordinates along eliptical arcs.

A

[#3]

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hayalexj wrote:

In the past I have used the geometry of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trammel_of_Archimedes in VBA to generate coordinates along eliptical arcs.

A

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Thanks, I have looked at that already - which is great, but doesn't give enough information.  I have also looked into the "five centered arch" in http://mysite.du.edu/~jcalvert/math/ellipse.htm, which is ok, but not as accurate or usable as the pellipse in AutoCAD.

For programming, the current way a pellipse is created is great.  Each quadrant is made up of 4 arcs.  The end point for each arc is in line with the center of the arcs on either side of it, which flow seamlessly into each other.

For my purposes, I need to be able to calculate the radius, and start & end point of every arc (referenced from the center of the ellipse).  Thanks.

-Norm

[#4]

I don't know why you would want to create arcs? Surely that's an inaccurate way to do it?

I just generated a series of points along the elliptical arc and fed that directly into the tool path.

What more information do you need in addition to that wikipedia page?

[#5]

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hayalexj wrote:
I don't know why you would want to create arcs? Surely that's an inaccurate way to do it?

I just generated a series of points along the elliptical arc and fed that directly into the tool path.

What more information do you need in addition to that wikipedia page?

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Unfortunately I can't create ellipses on the machines I'm programming.  The accuracy of the Pellipse isn't perfect, but good for my application, and easy to check the logic in Excel and AutoCAD.  I really like the Trammel of Archimedes, but I don't know how to apply it.  The basic parametric programming logic I do can be replicated within excel.

-Norm

[#6]

What I did would not run in Excel without modification. It used the IntersectsWith function to locate the point at which a circle moving along the x axis hit the y axis and then projected arc coordinates through that.

[#7]

This is what I've been able to figure out so far...

Based on the picture shown above:

AF is major axis

AB is minor axis

Line IHD is perpendicular to BF

Line JIC is perpendicular to BD

Line HGE is perpendicular to DF

Line GF = First Arc Radius

Line HE = Second Arc Radius

Line IC = Third Arc Radius

Line JB = Fourth Arc Radius

[#8]

I think you would have to work out the angle between JC and JA and so on depending on the dims of your arc... Sounds like a lot of effort for an inaccurate way to do it.

The trammel option just requires the ratio of long to short dimension...

[#9]

Yes the trammel option gives X and Y coordinates easily (If only it could be that easy ), but the arcs between can't be calculated which means they would not line up.  Trammel option doesn't give the radii of the arcs.

The key to making this without being able to program ellipses is to have all the arcs have the same start angle as the one that it connects to.

[#10]

So forget the arcs; they serve no purpose.