Tool compensation

[Joel Witherspoon]

V9.1 with fadal

can not get cutter compensation to work right in post.

it will turn off cutter comp on the last move of a contour and gouge part.

also what is the difference between computer, control, wear, reverse wear?

Can anyone recommend a good book on this stuff?

Sorry master cam has turned me into a question monster.

[Mike Whitten CAD/CAM Contractors]

Joel,

 

Welcome to the Forum!

 

The cutter comp problem is most likely because you need lead in/out moves. A Fadal may work with arcs but I would recommend using lines or lines and arcs. You can always test your MC9 file with a "box stock" mpfan or mpmaster post(from this website) to ensure that it is not the post.

 

Look in help (alt H) > Index > compensation > about cutter compensation

 

I was going to copy it but it was long.

 

The on-line help in Mastercam is always there. When you hit alt H, it gives help that is corresponding with the area of Mastercam that you are in at that very moment.

 

When in a dialog box, just hit the ? mark in the top right of the window and select the item that you need help with.

 

I don't know if I explained it properly but I think you will understand.

 

There are many books and other material available.

 

Look at the books tab on this website. There are some good ones. I also like the book by Lin and Shiue, ISBN 1-886552-16-9. I got mine from my dealer but you can also buy it on-line.

Here

 

You may want to look at these CD's

The first one is from Mike Mattera. He is a forum member.

Mike's CD's

 

Also these:

Here

 

Post some thoughts and more people may post other links.

 

HTH ,

Mike

 

[ 03-26-2005, 12:20 AM: Message edited by: Michael Whitten ]

[Joel Witherspoon]

Thanks for your quick response, good advice and great links. I will check out the help options on monday when i get back to work.

[Mike Whitten CAD/CAM Contractors]

Your welcome Joel

[heeler]

Joel,

I got your email and replied. Did it make sense to you, or is there more that I can help you with?

 

Glenn

[Mike Mattera - TFM]

Michael nailed it. Most of the time it's because the lead in has an arc and no line. YOU MUST START COMP ON A LINE. Set the lead in Line at 40% and the arc to 30% with a 30° sweep. Should work well for most outside contour. Use Wear Comp. This will give you comp adjustment at the machine as the cutter wears down (or is re-ground).

 

Mike Mattera

[notso]

On our Fadals (and Haas for that matter) I have to select "perpendicular" for the line movement in order to get it to turn cutter comp on during the line move and not on the G3 (ramp on) move. This was advice given to me by my reseller. Hope it helps

[billystein]

notso,

the line doesn't have to be perpendicular. tangent works just fine. I think it will work with arc also but I always use a line. (an old habit)

[Thad]

quote:

---

YOU MUST START COMP ON A LINE.

---

A line is not required to turn on comp on a Fadal. You can even turn it on with a tangent move, but the results are unpredictable.

 

I would recommend using a perp line and an optional arc with it.

 

Thad

[perfecseal mankato]

I modified the post so that ccomp is initiated

before the first move and cancels after last move.

or it will gouge or mark the part, or as Thad said be unpredictable.

[RDub]

On a Fadal tangent and perpendicular will both work. The trick is making sure that the control can calculate the move. If you are using "control" compensation in Mastercam then the fadal will need to move more than 50% of the cutter diameter and that goes for perpendicular geometry in a chain as well. This rule doesn't apply in wear compensation because since the cutter is offset in mastercam the control does not make a computation resulting in a negative number. It is the same thing when dealing with corner radii. The tool radius has to be less than the corner radius.

 

I got off track...

If you want to use perpendicular entry with control compensation set the line length to a value greater than the cutter radius (for example... line length should be .251 or greater for 1/2" EM)

If you can use parallel you can make the value as low as .0001" and it will work.

 

In any case most Mastercam posts turn comp on at the first feed move whether it be a G1, G2, OR G3 so you may want to get into the habit of using a line and an arc even if the line is only .010"

[Thad]

IIRC, I even got a Fadal to turn on comp without a move at all! G41 on a line all by itself will make the tool move to the comped position, based on what the control sees in the look ahead feature.

 

Thad