WCS and 5 axis

[Bruce Caulley]

Can a wcs be used together with 5 axis machining using defined views?

 

To save time and allow checking between op1 and op2 I have started programming a job from both sides.

Let me clarify.

 

WCS top: machine part from top face and front and back using single datum set at top and centre of bounding box

 

WCS #: wcs set as top and centre of bounding box as seen if part was flipped over. I have then had to create 3 different views to allow machining on angled faces. When I select the origin for these views as the origin of the "bottom" wcs, I get a different x,y,z value for each one. I would have thought that they would be the same.

 

Will this effect anything when I post the programmes?

 

Bruce

 

I know i could just post it and check but I don't have the machine time available. MC is a deckel dmu50

 

[ 09-24-2004, 03:53 AM: Message edited by: BC10146 ]

[Tinny]

Bruce,

unless you are actually locating the part on a already machined face and you need to use a different datum, I would leave the origin button well alone. If you have turned the part over, create a new wcs for that view, and use the same datum if you can. Do you have a file you can upload onto the FTP?

 

Tinny

[Bruce Caulley]

I do have a file but I would end up in front of a firing squad if I showed it.

What I usually do with a part that has 2 5 axis ops is have an mc9 file for one side and another for the back. This is a pain sometimes because I need to verify, save as stl, xform stl use as stock model for the 2nd op file, get a watertight stl problem blah blah blah.......

 

What i am doing now is both 5 axis ops in 1 file. That way when I verify I end up with the completed part and I can see if any of the first op processes have interfered with the second op. Our 5 axis post uses a single datum so when I create a view I must set the origin for that view as 0,0,0. If i am in a wcs other than #1 top and I set a new view I select the origin on the screen as the view origin the x,y,z values are different for each new view. If I create views while in wcs#1 and select the origin on the screen I get 0,0,0 no matter what.

 

I have been ploding away on this for a couple of hours and it all looks good. I was just wondering if anybody else had used a combination of wcs and custom views in the same file before.

 

I have posted some of the toolpaths and they look alright. I will continue this and see if it is successful as it will be a big help on complex 5 axis parts that we currently do in multiple mc9 files.

 

Bruce

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Hey Bruce.

 

What works for me is to create the initial Top View using the WCS, then as I need to I create T/C Planes ALWAYS keeping the created top view WCS active when creating toolpaths. I never create multiple MC9 files for parts. I may on occasion create a new one for fixtures if the MC9 file is getting excessively large, other than that, one file so I can Verify the whole part.

 

HTH

[Tinny]

Bruce,

if you are using the same datum, then there is no need to touch the origin button at all. I am in the same boat as you, if I get a problem I cannot post it onto the FTP because of the sensitive nature of the parts I am making. :-(

 

Rob

[germ]

"What works for me is to create the initial Top View using the WCS, then as I need to I create T/C Planes ALWAYS keeping the created top view WCS active when creating toolpaths....one file so I can Verify the whole part."

 

I use this same process and it works great for me too.

[Bruce Caulley]

James

 

If you have the top wcs active won't the paths on the bottom post wrong?

 

I might do a dummy file and post it so I can better explain what I am doing.

 

Bruce

[Tinny]

Bruce,

as long as you set the tool plane to bottom, then all will be well. The problem I find with all this is I have to attack the part from multiple sides, so keeping track of all the tool plane numbers is a nightmare. I always set a new WCS for every toolplane and name the view.

 

Rob

[Bruce Caulley]

I have put a file called wcs5axis on the ftp under mc9 files.

 

From wcs top I have machined the red and blue faces

 

From wcs op2 I have machined the yellow and purple face.

 

Bruce