4th axis vertical set up

[kkominiarek]

A little guidance please........

 

I want to drop down into a cylinder and machine a step/ledge with 3 locking details.

This will be a 360° operation.

 

The part will be mounted to a 4th axis rotary table and endmill will be in a right-angle head.

 

You'll see 3 ops that I've tried to rotate about Z axis. (unsuccessfully)

My thinking is...if it doesn't backplot correctly...it won't code correctly.

 

I need the part to rotate and the cutter to move up & down in Z.

 

I've put a file on the ftp site. DEL93AM-0-T1.MC9

MC9 linky

 

I have MCX so if this is easier in MCX, don't hesitate to tell me.

 

I've searched all forums but all I could find was using a rotary table with the part mounted horizontally....this is a vertical setup.

[kkominiarek]

Are there any MCAM books available that will explain 4th axis/rotary table setups???

 

I have the MCAM v9 mill tutorial and the MCAMX mill training tutorial....niether of these shows an example of what I'm trying to do.

[Jammer™]

Do you really need the right angle head for this operation? There is a good training video on 4th axis setups from Mike Mattera. www.tipsformanufacturing.com

[crazy^millman]

From X help.

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quote:

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Selecting an aggregate head

Both Mastercam Mill and Mastercam Router support aggregate or angled heads. Depending on the capabilities of the specific head, they can have several tools mounted at once, swivel or rotate to different positions, or can be fixed at different angles. In general, aggregate heads can be used for any type of operation that is supported by their individual tools.

 

Before you can select an aggregate head in an operation, you need to define it with the Machine Definition Manager and add it to a machine definition. Tell Mastercam about the geometry of the head and its tool stations, its rotary and tool change capabilities, and other properties. At this stage, you can choose to either set tools in the tool stations or leave them empty.

 

Follow these steps to use an aggregate head for a toolpath.

 

Select the machine definition and desired toolpath. In the Toolpath parameters tab, right-click in the tool selection window and choose Get aggregate (if you are using Mastercam Router) or Get angled head (if you are using Mastercam Mill).

 

The Aggregate selection dialog box appears. Use it to select a tool station from the available heads.

 

Click on a head to expand it and see the individual tool stations.

 

Tool stations which are properly oriented for the selected geometry are shown in bold.

 

Click on the desired station to select it for the operation.

 

If no tool is mounted in the tool station, right-click on the station to add one. You can either get a tool from a tool library, or create a new tool definition.

 

 

When you choose OK, you will return to the Tool parameters tab. The station name will appear in the Tool name field, and the tool itself will appear in the tool selection window.

 

If necessary, select the Axis Combo button to choose the proper axis combination that has been defined for the aggregate head.

 

Continue entering your other toolpath parameters as you normally would.

 

If you need to use the same tool and tool station again in another operation in the same toolpath group, you can just select the tool from the tool selection window. You do not need to complete all the other aggregate selection steps described above.

 

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[crazy^millman]

Only one problem I see with the help there is no opition in the MD for a right angle head for milling. There is the aggerate for routers, but not milling. So if you try the aggerate chook in X it will tell you to select the correct machine def. Well you need go pick a router spindle to use aggerate, but then you can not use a router spindle for a the generic mill. When I got to this point I just gave up.

[C. Gilson]

I took a look at your file and what you have in Op. 2 should work fine. If you change a couple settings in you backplot display the backplot should verify correctly, except the tool is shown on the outside of the part, but the rapids and feed moves are coming from the center, so you should be all set.

 

Go into Backplot>Display and check the boxes for "Simulate Axis Substitutions" and "Simulate Rotary Axis" and in "Tool Orientation" select front and for "Axis of Rotation" select Z. Hope this helps.

[C. Gilson]

Also for books go to the top of this page "Books", there is 4/5 Axis Mill Training Tutorial, I believe there is one available for version 9 also.

[kkominiarek]

jammer.....yes

crazy.....thanks for your effort

c gilson.....books are on order.....also i did your suggestions.....tool still on outside (should be inside).....i'll keep messing with parameters.

 

cheers to my local rep also......he sent me a few suggestions that I am going over.

 

thanks to all.....