WCS / named views on a Horizontal mill

[Mike Whitten CAD/CAM Contractors]

Hello,

 

I have always ran horizontal mills going from System / Front direction. I generally use named views and it has always worked very good for me. The post outputs the B axis angle according to the Tool Plane.

 

We always use the "WCS" on all of our vertical mills so that we do not have to move the part. It always works just fine. We love it.

 

I question here is: Can I get the WCS to work in conjuntion with named views on a horizontal mill, at least just for "Tool Plane" work. I do not want to have to move the part? I have tried this many times but I can not get the results I am looking for. I can end up with good output but I sometimes have to go into my T/C plane box and select the WCS and T/C stuff again? I am used to using named view where it is all automatic? IOW, once your named view is selected, just program it.

 

Am I doing it wrong? or is this not a good application for WCS? I have read the docs sevaral times but can not get the the multi-axis / named views to work correctly.

 

Thanks for the help

 

Mike

[mayday]

yes it works and you have ran into the things that are iritating about it. one thing you cant do is run a toolpathgroup based on a wcs system and then another toolpathgroup based on a second opp with the part fliped to another wcs. it will work but you get the single axis rotation error all the time. I allways import my named planes and just use them

[Mike Whitten CAD/CAM Contractors]

So, you are not using the WCS on Horizontal mills. Right? This is how I understand what you said.

 

Thanks MayDay

[mayday]

I have used the wcs just to see it work,but I have a lot more reliability just using named planes. I rarly run a job that only requires 1 operation to complete it so I wind up moving the geometry to where I want it anyway and saving each as opp1,opp2,opp3,ect

[Hardmill]

You can eliminate the single axis error by

going into your t/c plane box and switching your

tplane and cplane to your intial WCS.

 

PEACE

[Mike Whitten CAD/CAM Contractors]

Thanks Mayday! This is just what I do.

 

Hardmill, this is my problem. If you have to keep going back to the T/C box then it is easier to just move the part in the begining as I see it.

 

THanks

[Hardmill]

Preference I guess. I just make sure to set these

any time I create an op. And rotating a part

is as simple as rotating your wcs.

Never had an issue before.

 

PEACE

[Mike Whitten CAD/CAM Contractors]

I understand. So..you just plan to have to set your T/C stuff.

 

I wish they fix this kind of stuff.

 

Thanks Hardmill,

 

Mike

[Hardmill]

PEACE

[cadcam]

I will use the WCS to set for part home on a horz then I use named views to program around that WCS.

[Mike Whitten CAD/CAM Contractors]

Jay,

quote:

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I can end up with good output but I sometimes have to go into my T/C plane box and select the WCS and T/C stuff again? I am used to using named view where it is all automatic? IOW, once your named view is selected, just program

---

Are you having to reselect the WCS on each op? Are use also using separate origins on the named views?

 

Thanks for the help!

 

Mike

[cadcam]

I am using not using diffrent origins on named views but on the WCS for each op and named views to program around the part or should I say to get it to index.

But I have done both ways.

 

Hey were is livermore man? any where near me?

[Mike Whitten CAD/CAM Contractors]

Jay,

 

? I am confused at this point. I will play with it some more. It is not urgent as we will just move the part as always. It just seems stupid to move the part if it is not needed. If you don't mind I would like you to see an attempt of mine. Maybe after while (a few hours or days) I will post on the FTP and this thread. I would appreciate if you can comment if you have time.

quote:

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Hey were is livermore man? any where near me?

---

Jay, Livermore is a small place about 45min out of San Jose on 280/680N > 580E. This is the route that takes us to I5. It is about 40min out. BTW, I live in Aptos which is by the beach about 15min from Santa Cruz. I am just working there because I have friends there and I took the job when everything around here was DEAD! about 1-1/2 years ago. The issue is that it is 88 miles away from my home! Who knows what will happen?

 

Thanks for the help Jay,

 

Mike

[cadcam]

Thanks for the reply mike and I will look for your file.

I was asking how far ,if it was not to far I would say come out and we could go over this some.

 

Is jerry your dealer Serria cadcam?

 

Later jay.

Need to go home I am tired and all the students have gone home.Now my turn

[Mike Whitten CAD/CAM Contractors]

Jay,

quote:

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Thanks for the reply mike and I will look for your file.

I was asking how far ,if it was not to far I would say come out and we could go over this some.

---

Thanks Jay

Craig Madsen is my dealer. He is the best and always there when I need him. I just like to try to handle most stuff on my own. I have already bugged him about 90,046 times..yeh I think that's about right.

 

Thanks,

Mike

[cadcam]

Sponds great mike ,Let me know when you have file for me to review.

 

Good night

[jackn]

Micheal...I found with programming an Okuma Horizontal that i ended up Modeling up the Tombstone and placeing the part on it ....even parts on fixtures or vices is good...now you have a choice.... you can choose one work coordinate that is in the center of your table with the part on it and program around it using your views ...keep in mind retract heights... and as you change your views ....rename your toolpath groups accordingly...ie right side view tool#1 etc...or you can program to individual WC but you will have to rename these as you go and keep track of them ...ie toolpath groups ....WCS 9 view #9 etc this will allow you to work with your default retracts safely and move work coordinates on the machine if you need to

[Mike Whitten CAD/CAM Contractors]

Thanks jackn,

 

I have always done it this way but I am just working on trying to use the WCS. IOW, I don't want to move the part. I am thinking that it is just to complicated and that the gains aren't worth it though. I just want to make sure I am not missing something. Like how about when you have long Vertical program and want to go to Horizontal? I am just checking it out.

 

Thanks,

 

Mike

[Hardmill]

quote:

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long Vertical program and want to go to Horizontal?

---

Thats where associating your WCS to entities

comes in. You rotate your entities and your WCS

moves with them. Just regen. your toolpath.

It takes a little setup initially, but its a small

price to pay for the flexibility.

 

PEACE

[Mike Whitten CAD/CAM Contractors]

I will try that in a little while here and post. I will also play more over the weekend.

 

Thanks Hardmill

[cadcam]

Mike, you said you would be sharing a file with that be this weekend?

[Hardmill]

Cool you can share this way too.

Good morning Jayson, how you doing Bro?

 

PEACE

[Mike Whitten CAD/CAM Contractors]

I have had succsess so far on a Vertical job that I have converted to horizontal. The job was already using WCS. so I just rotataed it and then went back to the T/C plane and selected Front. Ooh, it looks like it is a must to use "Incremental" on the depths. Now I have to get it working with different named views and origins.

quote:

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Mike, you said you would be sharing a file with that be this weekend?

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Yes I will post up a file this weekend. I just want to have the time to play with it some more. I have to get going on a hot job so I must stop playing with this today.

 

Thanks for all of the help guys!

 

Mike

[mayday]

quote:

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Like how about when you have long Vertical program and want to go to Horizontal

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not always good. remember horz rotate about Y, most verts about X. if the program is without indexes then just repost but when you throw in index moves things can go . especialy when your dealing with 2 different controls. I find the WCS to be great for straight forward no index stuff, but when it comes to 4 axis I find named planes to be the way to go,for now. Im sure ver X will have this all worked out

[Mike Whitten CAD/CAM Contractors]

Mayday,

 

I think you are correct. I just want to make sure I am not missing something.

 

Mike