cutter's compensation

[apprentice]

Hello, everybody,

 

Could any of you please tell me which command do you use under Contour Parameter:

 

(4 choices)Compensation: Computer, Wear, Control, Reverse. I use Wear but I was told that was wrong. I was told the correct way is "computer". Please help.

 

Another question: Let's say I pick "Wear Compensation" and I would like to make my pocket .010" wider. Under which command on the control should I use? Tool Radius Wear???

 

Please help. This question really bugs me. Tahnks in advance.

[cadcam]

well who ever told you that waer was wrong does not know the system.

if you use wear this will comp the tool to the geo and give you a G41 or G42 cutter comp code out put.

 

 

So now you need to comp for the pocket and need to make it wider you can use that option to comp for .005 in the control to make the pocket that much bigger.

[apprentice]

Hello, Cadcam,

 

Yes, I noticed that person is wrong because when I post with "computer" there is no G41.

 

Question: where on the control do I make the change of .010" wider? Under Offset -- Tool radious -- wear??

 

Please advice. Thanks much

[Brendan P]

If you use computer,this means that your endmill has to be the exact size that you picked in mastercam.

You will have no control for endmill wear issues.

 

If you use wear,mastercam will still compute the compensation but will also give you the G41/G42 in your posted code.

 

If you use control,then you will have to input the whole value of your cutter dia.

 

In a Fanuc style control,I usuall use the higher offset numbers: G41 D50

[apprentice]

Question: where on the control do I make the change of .010" wider? Under Offset -- Tool radious -- wear??

 

I really need to know this. Thanks, Brendan. Your explaination is very clear. It helps a lot!

[Jayson Kramer]

WEAR I would say being as the tool wears to comp for it.

[apprentice]

Thank you Jay. I look forward to try it out as soon as I have an opportunity. Thanks again

[TheePres]

quote:

---

Question: where on the control do I make the change of .010" wider? Under Offset -- Tool radious -- wear??

---

Look at "D" statement after G41, i like to add 40 to all tools, some controls this not needed...

so say T1=D41, add your .005 to same page as your tool length offsets..register #41

 

 

Wait, i didnt read your question very well, ignore this post.

[Tom Szelag]

I just have always left it on Computer, measure my tools before I load them, and run my test piece.

 

Then depending if the dimensions come out a little over or under from cutter deflection I might fudge the cutter dia in Mastercam to make things come out right.

[crazy^millman]

Well the problem with that is that if you are not there and they need to run a different tool then they are at the mercy of you. I always use wear and like it for the ability to use cutter comp in tight areas wth predictable results most times. Problem I have seen on a Fanuc is when people start adjusting waer like .02 and greater. If you run control on most machines theyneed the legnth thatis greater than half the radius to turn on cutter comp. Without this they will alarm or do stuip things. Well on a Fanuc seems to have the same effect if the wear is .02 and the lead in and out are .015 it will not alarm but will do some weird things. The Fanucs have an offset page to go to. Mazak's have a button for them and so does the HAAS. Okuma have the offset page but Fadals you need to type a command in there to go to it. If you were using MPMASTER post it would tell you the D for that tool in the Header and you would be done.

 

HTH

HTH

[CAM-mando]

Me too

 

If you are not using cutter comp it is costing you money.

[Brendan P]

We have a pretty well stocked toolroom.

Depending on the tolorence,I may or my not program a feature with cutter comp.

 

We have sometimes +/-.020 on a feature,in this case I wouldnd bother.

JMO

[MACHINEMASTERG]

we use im computer for most features and wear comp for the stuff thats tight +-.002

[Tom Szelag]

And what exactly does wear comp do?

[Brendan P]

quote:

---

And what exactly does wear comp do?

---

It allows you to offset the cutter rad. at the machine to allow for tool wear or undersize tool.

 

by using it,there is no need to change your original geometry to make up for it as you had said you do.

[Tom Szelag]

Hmm, thats kinda cool. Might have to try that.

[robk]

I always use "wear". Nothing wrong with being able to have more control in your program. We have a lot of "fit the part" tolerances.

FYI, most solid carbide end mills are undersize to begin with.

[Travis_Buchanan]

+1000 on wear comp.

[RDub]

Crazy Millman points out the most important issue between the different methods of cutter comp. When I teach cutter comp, I instruct my students to ask themselves whether they want to put zero's in the tool table in the control for every tool or whether they want it to reflect the actual cutter size. Regardless, I always tel them to use computer for all rough passes and either wear or control (depending on which method they want) on only the finish passes. This way it removes a lot of confusion when manually editing if necessary. This way if you see a G41 or G42 you know that it is a finsh pass.

 

Both wear and control work great. I would probably say that wear is a little more reliable if you don't want your machine to make unexpected moves. But most of them are avoidable if you use the rule of making your lead in/out arc greater than 50% of your cutter. I use 60 percent all the time!

 

Keep in mind that if your cutter is .25 and you arc in with a .15 arc, the control will subtract half your cutter from what you enter in mcam. so... .150 radius-.125 tool radius = .025 actual radius moved on machine.

 

One other thing you want to avoid is mixing wear and control. Although you can do it if you add seperate d#'s I would suggest you stay away from it if you are unfamiliar with all the differences.

 

 

Robert Winters

Mastercam Instructor

NTMA Training Center

Ontario, CA

[P_Scott]

RobertWinters@UF,

 

I usually ask this of my students but suggest looking at it from another perspective. People make mistakes. Computers will only do what you input (G.I.G.O.). Using Wear, I see it as a way to simplify the original setup of a new job. Every time the setup person begins a new job, when using Wear compensation, just replace all previous tool diameter values in the control with a "0.0" value. This starts the job with a "clean slate" of values. Less chance for human error of transposing numbers or misplacement of the decimal.

 

Then, if the cutter isn't the same size as what was programmed for, you can adjust it by the difference for that tool at the machine. This will most likely only be done for Finish operations as the software (Mcam) has already adjusted for the size of the roughing tools. It's far easier to adjust one or two finish tools, than searching for an error in the entire list of tool values.

 

The operator must be aware of what this means however. The coordinates in the code will not match the size of the part on the print. That's because the program has already been offset by the radius of the tool. Many operators who are used to "viewing" the code feel this is taking some control out of their hands. I would say to them "easier, faster setups with less responsibility for the same amount of pay". What's not to like?

 

I believe a simple note at the top of the program, to inform the operator/setup person that the program is using a particular compensation type, will help to eliminate human error. Communication is the key. Keep notes and write down all pertinent info. in the same place as the setup info. That way, if you're not around, there shouldn't be any question in setting up the job. HTH

[Travis_Buchanan]

The reason I like wear com is that mastercam will compute a toolpath where your cutter's radius is larger than an inside radius in the path. All the controllers I have used bomb at this point.

[Brendan P]

Peter,

You make a lot of good points.

I say try to keep it as easy for the operators as you can.

The one thing that I can say about what I seen in the operators around me is that they aren't getting any smarter.....

[cadcam]

I can't bleave how this post has grown.

 

Now apprentice do you feel you have a better understanding after all this?

 

You have alott of info to help you instruct your instructor.

[MetalMarvels]

Don't forget that you CAN'T use WEAR comp if you choose to use the Highfeed option - it will do wierd things to you (you need to use computer comp).

[spade117]

any endmill application works better with wear and as for where you should change the dimension by .010 is either in your offset page or in the heading of your program depending on which style you use.