need help, path recommendation, general advice

[jlw™]

Hello gentlemen,

 

I have one particular area I am struggling with regarding my switch to Mastercam.  Please take a look at the attached file to see my issues.

 

The solid on layer 15 labeled stock is existing part.  I only want to machine the radius.

 

First, I can not find a path that will only machine existing stock.  Everything cuts air for miles within the material boundary or containment region.  This is killing me on second ops and so on.  First op where stock is solid is fine but for castings or follow up ops I am struggling with wasted motion.

 

Second, within the paths I use nothing seems to truly acknowledge my containments.  Maybe I'm doing it wrong but when I click "stay inside" it simply will not as shown in the attached part.

 

The tools in the file are what I want to run the part with.

 

The Opti-core path would be beautiful if it would only cut areas that have material.  Opti-rest does about the same thing and would be just as good, but again it will not stay in containment.

 

I have been creating lines and contours and trimming so much and it is time consuming.  There has to be a better way.

 

 

Thanks!

[Guest]

What is your starting stock condition?

 

Found it

[Guest]

How about this>?

 

Oh, and as far as some general advice....get some training.  

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9vz8w8jnayznbj6/forum_JP.mcx-8?dl=0

[jlw™]

Thank you very much.  I did figure that out, after I called a fellow I met at Mastercam training in Snellville, GA.  My path looks exactly like yours but with different feeds/speeds and step down/up.

 

We did "touch" that at training but not in depth.  I remember thinking how stupid it is to have to create stock so many times.  Keep in mind I'm still using Esprit and swapping back and forth to make the transition so not everything is glaringly obvious to me.  Not to mention the difference in interface/terminology.  Stock is created once in Eprit and every path that would respect it does, even after some paths have already been applied.

 

Thanks a bunch!  I'll be back for more sooner or later.

[The Cathedral]

You'll be a little bit happy to know that the toolpaths in X9 now respect the containment boundaries much better than X8 ever did.

[jlw™]

Fantastic!  The paths I get now are like "f-this, I'm going over here!"

 

So, one more question.  Do I have to create a stock model for every single opti-rest or will it calculate based off of previous ops on said stock model?  I can get on path to run good but then the next fills the containment up again.  If I need to create stock toolpath every time I can, but man that's going to be arduous.  I mean I can, but that's a significant burden for 90% of my parts as most of my parts have 100 or more ops.

 

Thanks again guys.

[BenK]

Fantastic!  The paths I get now are like "f-this, I'm going over here!"

 

So, one more question.  Do I have to create a stock model for every single opti-rest or will it calculate based off of previous ops on said stock model?  I can get on path to run good but then the next fills the containment up again.  If I need to create stock toolpath every time I can, but man that's going to be arduous.  I mean I can, but that's a significant burden for 90% of my parts as most of my parts have 100 or more ops.

 

Thanks again guys.

 

You would only need to create it for your roughing paths and its easy once you have one created. You can copy and paste the first one you create, change the settings and recalculate. 

[Müřlıń®]

Hello gentlemen,

 

I have one particular area I am struggling with regarding my switch to Mastercam. Please take a look at the attached file to see my issues.

 

The solid on layer 15 labeled stock is existing part. I only want to machine the radius.

 

First, I can not find a path that will only machine existing stock. Everything cuts air for miles within the material boundary or containment region. This is killing me on second ops and so on. First op where stock is solid is fine but for castings or follow up ops I am struggling with wasted motion.

 

Second, within the paths I use nothing seems to truly acknowledge my containments. Maybe I'm doing it wrong but when I click "stay inside" it simply will not as shown in the attached part.

 

The tools in the file are what I want to run the part with.

 

The Opti-core path would be beautiful if it would only cut areas that have material. Opti-rest does about the same thing and would be just as good, but again it will not stay in containment.

 

I have been creating lines and contours and trimming so much and it is time consuming. There has to be a better way.

 

 

Thanks!

The secret for making the opti pats respect boundaries is to use the offset.

I struggled with this until I started using an offset = to or a couple thousand > the stock I was leaving on the walls.

[jlw™]

Ahh, thanks. I haven't tried that but if you have check that is tangent to your drive it will make it behave weird too. Like its trying to stay away from the edge of the check. I noticed setting check to 0.0001 gets my surface paths to look much better. I'll mess with that some more Monday.

 

I'm really digging a lot of what mcam has but I do miss some of Esprit. If mcam and Esprit made sweet love and had a baby it'd be perfect.

[jlw™]

While I'm asking for path options, here's another "sample" file.  I do roughing like this very often.  Whether it is a casting, forging, 2nd op or welded build up I have to use this path or one similar to it all the time.  In this case, depending on how the bottom (bottom is the side with the hemisphere) goes I have 0.500in to 0.600in stock to take off the other side.  The solid in the layer named "stock" is an approximation of 2nd op stock.  I do not want to use parallel because it cuts air for days in lines parallel to x until it hits a surface.  I want it to be parallel to the surface like I have it set up with all the "finish" ops.

 

In the attached file, I used parallel finish in 6 different ops to get the path I want.  Does any one else do anything similar to this path?

 

Is there one path that will do this or do I have to continue the way I am with all the finish ops.  This one example isn't bad but when I have to take of an inch and a half it gets to be time consuming.

 

Thanks again.

[Müřlıń®]

I use that parallel just like that all the time....best way to do a job like that...

 

There is a time an place for every tool in Mastercam arsenal. ...sometimes it is just hard to beat a simple parallel or a simple contour ramp....

[Jayson Kramer]

I would use Flowline for finish as this will keep a even step.

[jlw™]

Jay, would you upload a sample please?  I don't get what you mean be even step.  Everything I get with flowline picks up and sets back down at the chamfer.  Or do you mean for the op titled chamfer?

 

Thanks!

[Jayson Kramer]

Here is my file. look at my roughing two then the finish using flowline.

forum-Cadcam.zip

[Jayson Kramer]

Now if you look at the two finish paths one has gaps in the middle of the motion due to the step wall were the other being flowline will not have this issue and keep to the step over size always.

 

Also notice my roughing paths a lot more efficient and less wasted motion.

[jlw™]

Jay,

I thought you meant in the parallel rough file, my bad.

 

I actually made it to the stock model before I read jparis' first post after I texted a fellow I met at CCS in Snellville. However I did go to flowline after seeing jparis' file. I guess flowline is what other softwares call scallop. I'll have to store that one in memory.

 

I'm still puzzled by stock. What's the point of setting stock in the Machine section? All I can see is it makes ugly red lines when you click the stock button. I can't find any relationship to tool paths or anything.

 

Jay, did you have any different approach to creating the path I want in the parallel rough file?

[Guest]

The stock setting there is basically just for Verification view

 

Either using an stl or Stock Model is for toolpaths to be based on

[Incogneeto]

Now if you look at the two finish paths one has gaps in the middle of the motion due to the step wall were the other being flowline will not have this issue and keep to the step over size always.

 

Also notice my roughing paths a lot more efficient and less wasted motion.

I am definetly the Poster child for "Get More Training"  looking at your MCX file is like standing in an accelerator ring with a Hammer in your hand !!

I can't even figure out how you seperated the chains between drive, check and containment ???

[Incogneeto]

And that second toolpath was sweet !!

[jlw™]

Thanks for clearing that up jparis.

 

Much appreciation for all the input.

[jlw™]

here's what I ended up going with.

 

Ran good.

 

However, I have to use "full vertical retract" or I get gouges in Verify.  Even if I set part clearance to .5 or 1. inch I still get gouges in Verify.  Does any one else notice this with paths similar?  I have used this trim to stock in 4 other parts and I get the same thing.  Gouges unless I use full vertical retract.  Am I missing something?

[Jayson Kramer]

Sorry did not review John's file. I see he did close to what I did . now you can use the ops before. but I have seen at times were it does not do the best job and may enter were there are rough steps, Where using the Stock model it seems to see all the stair steps and makes the tool start out side of the step and in some occasions rapid to this position at hit existing stock missed.

[rhettmandel]

Jay,

 

I just looked at your program forum-Cadcam.zip. What was the total time for that part program in verify? I was just curious.

[Jayson Kramer]

I will go back and look but you know I did not do feeds and speeds so that what it looks at . so it will not be right.

[Jayson Kramer]

my to ops say 6h 26 min. but I know that would not take that long. I have know idea what material you are using so the feeds and speeds are like factory default at just over F6.5.