tool/material libraries

[67 Yankee]

Hey all, first post here though I have done some searches and read a ton of good info here. I have also been helped out of a few McamX jams through searches here.

 

I haven't really found what I'm looking for regarding the library setups or exactly what I can get out of them. I've been using Mastercam since version 7, but have never really set up the libraries. I've been pretty successful just picking a suitable tool diameter and shape, then specifying speed feed and depth of cut. Not too bad I guess, since we now have 4X as many employees and and machines as we had back then. Of course, with the volume of work we're doing now, I no longer do all the programming myself. Some of the programs we've been running haven't quite been up to par and I'm looking for some help for my helpers.

 

SO... the questions. What can I do with the libraries to make less choices for my people? I know about setting up tool numbers with speeds and feeds, but what about cut depths or stepovers? For finishing and for roughing cuts with the same tool? Are there available tool and or material libraries that I can get and load up for baseline info? I know if I grab a long thin tool I need to slow it down and take light cuts, but exactly how slow and light I don't know. I just wing it and usually it comes out ok. I can't tell my people to "wing it" though, or we end up with problems.

 

Thanks for any feedback.

[Guest]

Well you could create a specific library with only the tools in it that you want people to use. You can then set the parameters for your tools cutting preferences.

 

Go into your Tool Manager, pick the tool you want to edit >> Edit the parameters on the tool.

 

On mills you can set rough and finish XY stepovers and step downs, on drills you can set cycles, pecks and many other settings.

 

Then under your machine group in the OP's manager

>> Files >> Tool Settings >> ON feed calculation click on from tool >> On tool path configuration click on Use tool sstep peck and coolant.

 

This will allow a tool picked to come out of the library pre-configured to the way you want it to cut.

 

As far as different settings for tools, you can have different lengths defined for the same size tool and have different settings for each one of them. Just have to make sure you name them so you understand which length tool you are grabbing.

 

I personally think that having a defined and configured tool library is the only way to go.

 

HTH