tool feed parameters

[Bruce]

Hi all

This is a great forum, especially for someone like me who only uses MasterCam mill ver8.11 from time to time. I am in the process of setting up a tool library for the ones I use.The speeds & feeds quoted in the parameters section of the "define tool area" (default tool library) seem very odd to me. I am using the metric default library as a base to start from. Are the feeds quoted here meant to be in mm/rev or mm/min? The feed rates in my metric default library look more like inches/min.

Thanks in advance

Bruce

[Hugh.Venables]

Airgun Bruce.

Thank you for a query I can help with, instead of needing endless help. I too have been stuck in this dark tunnel but think I have just seen the light.

Speeds and feeds come from the material library. Main Menu/Toolpaths/Job Setup. At the bottom LH corner the selected material is shown. Click Select and the material list window will open up. Towards the bottom of this window is a scroll bar. Select Mill Library, if not already. Now there is a long scrollable list of materials available for selection. Scroll through them and take particular note of the fact that each material is available in three varieties: (inch), (meter) and (m.m.). Double click on a material. The material definition window will open. I don't think you can save any changes you make to this window. At the bottom RH the Output Feed Rates matches the Material Name (inch/meter/m.m.)at the top. Note that the units don't contain /rev or /min. The default is /min but I haven't been able to find a switch to change it. I would like to know if there is one and where it is. Bottom line is, first thing to do for a toolpath is fill out the setup sheet and select a material with units that match the feed units you want to end up with. The other tricky thing I have discovered is in Operations Manager/Parameters/right click tool icon/Parameters. Towards the bottom of this Define Tools window you can set:

% of matl cutting speed,

% of matl feed per tooth.

If not 100 (%) you can get some mysterious speeds and feeds.

So mate, where in Orstrylya ya from?

Hugh Venables.