Need help chaining multiple grooves (Lathe, MCX)

[WildBill9000]

I am trying to cut about 50 grooves in the od of a roll. The roll is profiled so I cant just use macros or a subprogram (without spending a month trying to figure out all of the formulas). The grooves are 3mm radiuses with 1mm radiuses on either side (edge breaks). I am using a 3mm radius groover. Mastercam X yells at me when i try to chain more than 2 grooves (it will only do 1). I dont really want to have 50 toolpaths and I cant just finish the OD with the grooving tool (its 50 rockwell overlay).

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[Zoober]

How about a transform toolpath?

[Tim Simmermon]

Are you using the quick groove toolpath or the standard?

[JNO]

Left click on geometry, then right click in Geometry and add chain.

I don't know if that is what you are looking for? Could you put it on the FTP?

[WildBill9000]

I put the drawing in the drawings folder, the filename is Profile Roll Grooves FTP.dwg (autocad file).

 

ftp://www.ppcadcam.com/Mastercam_forum/Drawings/

[Mike@Dive Lab Inc.]

chain the first groove, then transform the rest

 

I did an example for you with your part and it worked fine

 

it's in the same folder profile roll transform

[Mike@Dive Lab Inc.]

Oh yeah, transform from point to point for each groove because the diameter changes, If you do just the first groove then do 50 steps it won't follow the contour.Hope this helped

 

Mike

[WildBill9000]

I got transforming to work (THANK YOU!!!), but isnt it just copying the last groove over to the next one at the same angle? There is a radius after the first angle, then a different angle, then a flat (man who designs these things!?!?).

[Mike@Dive Lab Inc.]

You may be able to do a polar tform.

 

for each groove try the same thing but with polar from & to you may be able to select the geo in between each groove to get the angle, not 100% positive though

 

If I get a few, I'll mess with it and see I can get it