5 axis positioning

[gtimg]

A quick question here from a prospective MC purchaser: When doing 5 axis position milling and drilling, will MC automatically recognize the vector of holes and pockets. We are looking to avoid having to create geometry or feature specific axis systems prior to creating the toolpath. All models will be from solidworks.

 

Thanks.

[John Summers]

Yes. 5-axis pockets are associated with toolplanes, which, in turn set up the angles. Similarly, each drill hole has its own direction vector, which is enough to position a 5-axis machine.

[crazy^millman]

If you have a 3d model with vector and planes( not meanign anything extra on the model just the 3d place in space talk for the pockets) for each of the faces for the pockes you want ot machine and it is a solid you could create all the toolpaths for pockets wthout every having to make one entity more on the screen if you are comforable doing it that way. I however choose to make levels with different stuff on sometimes when doing 5 axis work just to keep it all straight when doing 100's operation helps ot have way to go back and see what yu were thinking and things along that lines. There are many ways in which ti apporach 5 axis work in Mastercam but what most people forget or do not use is all the 3 axis stuff that can be used as 5 axis toolpaths. People call this type of 5 axis work 3+2 which n my mind would be the perfect way in which to do the work you are refering too. I would go to the place I want to do the pocket lets say if doing with a true 5 axis b would be at 37 deg and c is 27 deg relative to the pockets you are creating. I choose C-plane for that pocket know mastercam will assgin that a cplane to allow you to work from. I then selcet my poscet toolpath and done. Only thing to think about here is Clearence planes for tools, Retract planes, Feed planes, depths and things you would even if you wrote the code by hand. Know you do this for say 20 pockets on this part all at different angles. Now hers is where Mastercam with the right post kicks but. I post it load it in thwe machine hit the green button and if I did my job right done. I have made programs that run for 120 plus hours on the different 5 axis machines I have run. I hope I have given you a users insight into Mastercam.

 

Good Luck.

[connormac]

Ron,

 

Is there anything you don't know.

[crazy^millman]

Yeah there is alot.

 

You know what is funny I still have not figured out how to read people minds, Freaking VB, Get 48 hours out of one day, put square corners in pockets on parts with an endmill, hold a .001 flatness tolerance on a welded part over 40'long on a 30" travel machine, bore a .05 hole 13" deep and hole a +/- .00005 tolerance on the bore, and keep the true postion to .00001 while keeping it perpendiclaur to .00001 the A,B,C,D,E datum, etc...........

 

hope you get my sense of humor my attmept to be funny oh sorry for the highjack

[CR]

Millman looks like you have a 5x killer post!!!

who wrote/mod. your 5 axis post?

[CR]

By the way your share of knowledge is priceless

 

Thank you!!!

[crazy^millman]

Well me and alot of help from different people. I appericate your comments but just try to return to this profession and place that has given me so much.

[gtimg]

Thanks for the help. So if I understand correctly, when you bring in a model as a solid MC will automatically identify the vectors of holes,pockets, etc. that are not on a 0,0,1 tool axis and create a C view for each. Is that right? That is what we're are use to in the system we are currently using but my reseller was unsure if it worked in the same way.