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Reading angle of a plane


JB7280
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If you right-click on the plane and select Report, you can get the transformation matrix for the plane/get an idea of vector. Dynamic analyze on an entity in that plane will also give you IJK vector values. Neither of this is an actual angle, which you'd have to measure relative to another planar component. These are just the two tools I use to examine plane vector.

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4 hours ago, JB7280 said:

Am I crazy, or does it seem like there should really be an easier way?

We have asked for better ways. I think having an angle adjustment and value in the WCS manager would be a win win. Verisurf has a good way to do this, but it requires you have your measurement add-on. Make a report and then add that plane to their report manager from CAD. then you can report out the angles from the WCS or any WCS you want and done.

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6 hours ago, JParis said:

If I'm sure what I created, I will create a single drill point operation and post it

That seems like the most logical way to do it, since it ensures Mastercam yielded the correct result.

You could automate the process by calling a 5axis drill op via the api then internally checking or auto-posting out the nci or nc data then parsing the information back into mastercam and dispaying the results in the mclogr or drawing new entities/graphics into your mastercam file.

Wouldn't take more than a few seconds

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The biggest hurdle is Mastercam's lack of Kinematic awareness. The software doesn't tie the planes to any rotary angles. It is simply all Matrix and Vector math, which is performed inside the Post Processor.

It would be wonderful to have a way to tie the kinematics of the Machine Definition, to some utility which could read the plane data (matrix), and compare it back to the WCS matrix, to derive the plane angles.

The big issue is that currently there is nothing that guarantees your MD is tied to the Post Processor logic. Some builders (like Dave at Postability), tie their Posts to the MD settings.

Plus, you have to also consider Rotary Axis Limits, and also Miscellaneous Integer Values, which allows you to pick a certain angle/pair solution.

I must say this is something that is directly controlled in TopSolid, and is amazing to see. Every Toolpath has two pairs of angle solutions, only if both are valid. If one is outside the travel limits, it won't even be presented. 

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If you know your machine angles you can google "matrix math" and have a pretty decent result in excel.  Also, if it's not the resolution you want, keep in mind the complimentary angle is probably what you're looking for.

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On 6/26/2020 at 11:06 PM, #Rekd™ said:

A new Chook? 👍🏼

I worked on the idea a bit,

I made a mastercam 2018 chook that creates a drilling toolpath from

model prep -> hole axis geometry

using the level of the selected entities as the tool number,

the arc diameter as the drill diameter ,

and the line length as drill length.

Next I just have to figure out how to post it,

I know how to post nci files but I haven't succeede to make the nc file yet.

Seems that there were some changes to the

|| cut pattern -> entity type ||

section for Mastercam  2020 operation,

I have to dig into that a bit more before I can compile the 2020 - 2021 versions.

Appreciate any feedback, I haven't made a 5-Axis toolpath before.

IVectorAdd-In.dll

IVectorAdd-In.ft

LICENSE

Any Error Messages Are output to the McLogr..

Source code on : github

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On 6/27/2020 at 2:02 PM, Colin Gilchrist said:

I must say this is something that is directly controlled in :censored:, and is amazing to see. Every Toolpath has two pairs of angle solutions, only if both are valid. If one is outside the travel limits, it won't even be presented. 

Not to mention, you can just choose analyse angle and click on the plane and it will tell you. *cough*

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On 6/26/2020 at 12:25 PM, JParis said:

If I'm sure what I created, I will create a single drill point operation and post it

I do the same.

On 6/26/2020 at 9:02 PM, Colin Gilchrist said:

The biggest hurdle is Mastercam's lack of Kinematic awareness

I have said that for years. I thought I was the only one who realized it.

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