Creating Lathe Tools for Mill Turn

[Bwank1124]

I am trying to create custom lathe tools for a multus. I have a face and turn tool that is mounted on the b axis at a 45° angle. I need to rotate the A around 180 to get my post to come out with position 4. Does anyone have experience with this? I attached a picture of how i got the tool drawn which works fine for position 3.

 

 

 

 

[Craig-B]

In Mill-Turn Try the Tool angle properties 

 

[Bwank1124]

I got that part. Its creating the tool geometry as far as where the center point of the nose radius needs to be. In my picture of the tool I have drawn I got the B axis at 45 and the A axis at 180 and it posts out the right code. But lets say I want to use that same tool at B45 and A0 do I need completely different geometry of my tool? Like for example mirror it over the X axis?

[Mick]

I never had much success with this sort of thing with our Multus and Mastercam, using the Tool Angle function, especially using Sandvik Twin tools.

 

I just tailored the post, utilising the tool station to define M602/M603 and input the tool angle/y axis offset via Misc numbers. I then define each tool index as a separate tool definition in the library, and let the post take care of the null toolchanges. Seems to work really well.

[crazy^millman]

All tools need to be setup in the standard lathe position. Then adjust them to where they need to be using the tool angle shown there. I always tell anyone making custom tools using Mastercam lathe to use a standard tool and save it to a level. Now modify that to what you need and go from there. Remember all tools in Mastercam are stick not real tools. No Solid Body tools or Neutral tools are fully supported. Can see a Stick Drawing of them, but they are not the real thing you are using on the machine.

 

HTH

[Mick]

I programmed Mori Seiki MT's, NT's and Okuma Multus's. We had nothing but trouble with trying to get the tool angle function to work, and tech support could never solve it properly either.

 

In the end, we used the method I mentioned above, and it worked out perfectly.

[crazy^millman]

Mick, I used the method I talked about with no problems either. Really came down to understanding how Mastercam controls the tools. They are start from a base position when used with these adjustments. Anywhere else creates all types of havoc. Sorry, but your tech support is a little different than the tech support state side and I say that with the utmost respect.

[Mick]

Mick, I used the method I talked about with no problems either. Really came down to understanding how Mastercam controls the tools. They are start from a base position when used with these adjustments. Anywhere else creates all types of havoc. Sorry, but your tech support is a little different than the tech support state side and I say that with the utmost respect.

 

Actually, it was stateside tech support (a few years ago of course)... LOL

 

It is the base positions that causes the problems. I understand (and indeed respect what you say). As in most CAM applications, there is typically more than one solution. Of course, you and I both know that

[crazy^millman]

Actually, it was stateside tech support (a few years ago of course)... LOL

 

It is the base positions that causes the problems. I understand (and indeed respect what you say). As in most CAM applications, there is typically more than one solution. Of course, you and I both know that

 

 

Well Mick I have seen people go down the road you are talking about and then once they get into problems with the post they get really stuck. Getting the tool definitions process down then all good no reason to have to have the psot trick it out for you IMHO. I see a lot of trapping with what you went over and want to steer people back to defining the tools that way you need to and then life should be good from there.

 

Without a sample file we are both just guessing.

[Mick]

Actually, I remembered now that the OP is using the Mill Turn addon, so my comments re: modifying the post are moot.

 

Different ball game

[Colin Gilchrist]

Hi Mike,

 

Since you last dealt with the Tool Angle issue a while ago, I do believe they have fixed the definition in the standard "base" position, at least in X8 I'm pretty sure it is fixed. I believe you can rotate B and flip A 180 degrees to address the other spindle. I'm not sure (someone please correct me if I'm wrong) that tools with multiple inserts are supported. I've seen some pretty cool tools that mount in the B-Axis spindle that actually have 4 separate Lathe tools mounted at the 90 degree positions. You could probably set the A value to 90 or 270 (-90?), and get the code output you need, but Mastercam won't properly show a tool like Ron mentioned, as it won't support a Solid tool definition.

[Mick]

Hi Mike,

 

Since you last dealt with the Tool Angle issue a while ago, I do believe they have fixed the definition in the standard "base" position, at least in X8 I'm pretty sure it is fixed. I believe you can rotate B and flip A 180 degrees to address the other spindle. I'm not sure (someone please correct me if I'm wrong) that tools with multiple inserts are supported. I've seen some pretty cool tools that mount in the B-Axis spindle that actually have 4 separate Lathe tools mounted at the 90 degree positions. You could probably set the A value to 90 or 270 (-90?), and get the code output you need, but Mastercam won't properly show a tool like Ron mentioned, as it won't support a Solid tool definition.

 

Yes, I ran one of those mini turrets you describe, on a Multus. It had three screwcutting tools, and one grooving tool on it. It worked really well, and back then, yes, it was a pain to programme it in Mastercam. Using twin tools was a pain as well.

 

It may very well have been fixed, but I don't recall reading anything about it. We modified our post, and it got it all working in a relatively clean manner, so it is all good.

 

As I said though, the original poster is using the Mill Turn addon. That is a different set up, and something I don't have, nor will more than likely never have, access to.