Surface Deviation

[mpo]

If I Read a parasolid file into MasterCAM and then create a surface using MasterCAM is there a way to check the deviation of a surface from the parasolid to the surface I created using MasterCAM? I would like to check to see how accurately the MasterCAM surface follows my parasolid model.

Thanks, MPO.

[cadcam]

When it comes to surface & solids the best way I find then trying to make surfaces off existing solid is to bring it once in as surface from the solid, then bring & merge the solid that way I know the surfaces are right to the solid.

This just a thought.

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jay/ aka cadcam

Precision Programming

cnc programming &

Predator reseller

email: [email protected]

web: www.ppcadcam.com

Mastercam forum FTP free file support

ftp://www.ppcadcam.com

User: mastercam

Pass: forum

[Mike Freimann]

Make sure that you set the surface tolerance tight.

I use .0002 this can be changed in the configuration under tolerances.

Then I shade files to see how tight the surface is to the solid.

Check edges and sharp corners.

Remember that the shaded image is faceted be sure that tolerance is tight

Both the surface and the solid are faceted to the same tolerance.

Things should be close and this should give you some confidence.

Keep in mind that these tolerances are going to be out put to a CNC that only holds at best 4 decimal places.

You are looking for is problems not perfection.

Hope this helps

Mike

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Getting a model in Parasolid Format (or ACIS for that matter) is great. You can pretty much expect "water-tight" surfaces. They are as tight as if you had created them from scratch.

Remember when shading, you'll need to adjust the shading tolerance too otherwise you'll see faceted surfaces when in fact they are not.

Something else you can do is to create the surfaces from the solid, then do analyze dynamic on it. Create some geometry on the solid and the surface then compare. I'd be willing to bet that the difference would only be the maximum surface deviation in your system settings.

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James M.

[kathy]

I'm thinking that the problem I'm having with my mold tools are imported iges from ProE.

Does anyone have any experiance with the ProE to Mastercam translators?

I have the Catia translator and it works just great!

Kathy

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

The Pro/E Converter works great. I've used it with excellent results every time.

JMO

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James M.

[kathy]

James,

What converter specificaly? There are a couple out there...

Kathy

[cadcam]

I think he is talking about the one for mastercam.

By Camiax.

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jay/ aka cadcam

Precision Programming

cnc programming &

Predator reseller

email: [email protected]

web: www.ppcadcam.com

Mastercam forum FTP free file support

ftp://www.ppcadcam.com

User: mastercam

Pass: forum

[This message has been edited by cadcam (edited 06-15-2001).]

[kathy]

James,

There is a ProE translator from Cimsoftek. There is also one from CadCam-e.

InterCAM SA makes the Catia translator we have. I don't see a Pro/e translator on the Camix page!

I guess I was asking for specifics!

Kathy

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Sorry,

I'm talking about the CimSofTek one, it's called ProRead.

CimSofTek makesa UG to MC Converter as well but as outlined here in another thread months ago, SolidEdge Origin (which is free for the asking BTW)will take a native UG file and save it as a Parasolid or Native SolidEdge file and voila you get the native stuff in. With Origin, you get a decent Solid Modeler too, but for the advanced features you need to upgrade it, but it serves it's purpose well.

MoldPlus makes the CATRead/Write utilities.

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James M.

[kathy]

Hello All!

I just used CimSoTek translator on a ProE model, and it made all the difference in the world!

I have a mold part that we machined back in summer where Mastercam left in excess of .020 material on a top face. (Shows up really well in Vericut!). I tried tightening up the parameters in the operation, without any luck. So I brought in the native ProE file, and re-did my toolpath. Came out beautiful! (still varifing in Vericut)

Kathy

ps: cadcam-e is the commercial site for the CimSoTek ProE translator. There is only one translator - proread.

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

quote:

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There is only one translator - proread.

---

Ummmm, that's not entirely accurate. Granite is the other competing translator.

[kathy]

James,

My intent was to clarify that CimSoTek and CadCam-e are the same company that provides the ProE proread translator. If you read my previous post, I implied that they were two seperate companies.

So there is another translator? Could you post some information about Granite?

Thanks, Kathy

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Granite.

[cadcam]

james that is the same software that solid concepts were i use to work are using with Solid Veiw.

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

I'm not sure.

[cadcam]

James go to the link that you gave and on the PTC.com site they even talk about it.

[JCLM]

I was wondering if your surface deviation tolerance settings will affect a surface that I brought in from another software. For example, if I brought a surface in with my tolerance set to .010 and then changed my tolerance to .0002 and brought in the exact same surface would my 2 surfaces be identical or different?

 

Thanks,

Jeromey

[JCLM]

I suppose I could just try it and see if there's a difference.

[Pete Rimkus from CNC Software Inc.]

Mastercam's own Pro/E importer uses PTC's Granite software to import Pro/E parts (up to and including Wildfire 3) into Mastercam.

Yes, it's an add-on, but that's because we have to pay royalties to PTC for the benefit of using their software to open their parts.

 

and regarding "surface deviation"...

 

The number in the Config/Tolerances page is used to

1) define the linearity of the boundaries of trimmed surfaces

2) define the accuracy of creating NURB/Parametric surfaces in Create/Loft, Ruled, Swept, Coons, Fillet surfaces

3) defined the accuracy when importing any surface types that we don't support directly. That's a very short list.

Pro/E and Parasolid, for instance, undergo no approximation when importing surfaces or solids.

[JCLM]

Thanks Pete! I tried bringing in the same surface with different surface deviation tolerances and they are actually different.