v9.1 Surface -> chain Question

[n23x]

Hey Guys,

 

I'm running into a problem that I've never had before, and I'm sure it something you guys see every day, and know an easy fix, it just has me

 

I was given a solidworks file to part out, it's simple 2.5D stuff, So I decided to use the create-curve-all edges, delete the surfaces (it's an .IGES file) and just use the 2D geometries. Now whenever I post, I am getting horrifically large posts, and it seems as if each of the geometries have been broken into tiny arcs.

 

Any easy fixes to this?

 

Thanks in advance guys!

.jim

[sideliner]

Curves will produce splines on surface edges hence the large post file.

Can you provide a little more info?

 

Mike

[Steel Surgeon]

Did you use the filter on your toolpath??

[n23x]

No, I didn't use the filter on the toolpath, I will give it a try, but any additional recomendatiions?

 

Sideliner, what additional info?

 

Thanks Guys!

 

.jim

[n23x]

An additional note, when I generate the toolpath (should have been the first indication something was wrong) all my arcs show the tool stepping over instead of the start finish that is normally displayed. This, I believe, suggests that the arc was broken up into a series of pieces?

 

I adjusted the filter, but no luck. I also tried connecting to the FTP site to include the files, but I was unable to connect at the moment. Will try again shortly, or can email if anybody wants to take a look at it.

 

.jim

[Gary]

I'll take a look if ya want to send it.

[n23x]

Thanks Gary!

 

Email on the way.

 

.jim

[Gary]

Oh crap just checked my email and its [email protected] now. I've switched to dsl and never updated my addy. thanks

[n23x]

no problems, I just sent it to your new adress.

[Chris Rizzo]

try modify > convert to arcs , see if toolpath becomes "dirty", meaning that some of your splines in that chain got converted into arcs. Then regen and run.

[heeler]

Have you ever tried Cimco Filter. It will create arcs from small segmented line moves in your NC file. If you would like to send me the NC file I could run it thru there for ya.

 

HTH

Glenn

[Bruce Gibson]

One thing you could try, save the file as an iges file from soildworks. Convert the file in mastercam, then try screen bank, unblank, all lines, arcs and splines. You will probably get some lines, arcs, and splins instead of all splines in mastercam. You could then delete the surfaces. After you move or rotate the part, make sure you use screen next menu, combine veiws.

 

Bruce.

[n23x]

Hey guys, thanks for all the quick responses! Sorry I am slow to respond, but all the help is much appreciated.

 

Heeler, I'd like to learn how to do this in MC, though that post converter sounds pretty slick.

 

Italian Stylin', I've been having trouble with the modify>convert to arcs trick. I'm sure it's operator error on my end. Learning to use the little tricks in MC take me FOREVER, it feels like.

 

Bruce, I really like the unblank trick. I am giving that a try right now!

 

Thanks a bunch guys!

 

.jim

[n23x]

Bruce,

 

The unblank trick seems to be working. When I do the unblank from a freshly imported .IGS, and then remove the surfaces, I am left with good arcs it seems, but it generates these very long lines that run axially though the center of each known arc. Is this normal?

 

Secondly, what did you mean by the screen>next menu>combine views?

 

Thanks!

 

.jim

[HevyMetl]

Is it just one surface or multiples. If it is multiple surfaces you have just created many lines, splines, and arcs on top of each other. This can give you fit when toolpathing using window. You also have to be careful thinking deleting duplicate entities, because many of the splines look identicle but they are not and will give you a fit trying to chain. If it is multiple surfaces I generally have found it safer to create curves one edge, then modify, convert to arcs, all splines and throw a ridiculously small tolerance on it. Gradually increase the tolerance until your actuall part accuracy and machine the splines that are left.

[n23x]

John,

 

It is multiple surfaces. I have allready run into the duplicate entities issue, so individual create>curve>one edge makes sense.

 

I guess the big problem that I'm running into, and I'm not sure if I'm conveying this correctly, is:

 

I have a part which has some very simple geometries, but rather than just redraw it in MC, I'd like to learn how to come up with some 2D contours from the .IGS file. (Simple as in, if I was programing the outer contour, it'd go something like: G01, G02, G03, G02)

 

The problem that I seem to be getting with these contours is that no solution seems to be seeing all these little splines as the full sized arc, so whenever I post the toolpath it is painfully too large for my Robotool which probably has less ram than my graphing calculater.

 

Like I said, I'm sure this is all boiling down to my vast inexperience in MC, but the help is much appreciated guys. It probably is also not helping that I'm unable to connect to the FTP site here. Though if anybody wants to take a look at it, I'm more than willing to email it out.

 

.jim

[Bruce Gibson]

Jim, the method that I told you to try, will unblank all the lines,arc,splines that came with the iges file. The long lines are usually centerlines of the arcs. You may need to delete them, and any other extra unblanked geo.

The other option (if you only need to unblank a few items) is to graphicly only pick the geo that you want to unblank. The "combine views" is useful as sometimes arcs that are created in other software are "flipped" from what mastercam likes. You might notice this if you are chaining geo, and having strange results. John, I have seen what you have indicated with other files, but not if the file is from solidworks. Sometimes you will only get a whole lot of tiny slpines and you may have to create your own geo to reduce the complexity or tedious chaining. Delete duplicate may also help.

[HevyMetl]

Yeah, I only deal with ProE files that I create here inhouse. Pro e has a setting when you export the iges file to bring in the wireframe with the surfaces. Does Solidworks give you that option. Wouldn't a parasolid also give you the wireframe with the surfaces? I don't know I am asking for clarification.

 

If this is an option reexport the file, or request it from the customer that way. I am not trying to dodge the question, but sometimes there is not a clean easy way to get just the geometry you want.

[n23x]

Bruce,

 

It worked! Thank you all so much for your help.

 

.jim

[Müřlıń®]

n/m too slow

[Bruce Gibson]

Murlin, your post was good before the edit! Yes, a parasolid will give you the clean wireframe.

You will get an arc only if it lies in a standard plane xy,xz,yz. There are a few different solutions to this depending on what you are starting with.

[n23x]

Would the parasolid be the ideal file to start with?

 

Murlin, I am always up for learning something new!

 

Thanks guys!

.jim

[Gary]

Yeah a parasolid beats the sh$% out of an iges. Just as getting a solid model is way better than surfaces.