A simple question ??

[Bob W]

As some of you may remember, I am making the transition to Mastercam from another programming system. I am trying to do something that should, I believe, be pretty basic, but I haven't been able to figure out how to do it easily in Mastercam. It is very frustrating.

 

What I'm doing is cutting a dovetail lengthwise on top of a rectangular block. (Simple, right?) I have built a nice wireframe of the block with the dovetail on it and created a CONTOUR tool path by chaining one edge of the dovetail along the front side of the block and the other edge of the dovetail along back side of the block. I have a LEADIN/OUT specified to give me room to turn cutter comp on and off.

 

Everything is fine except that I want the tool to come down past the end of the block, not just move in at the exact end of the block. I also would like to cut past the other end of the block as it is cutting the dovetail down the edge of the block. This will allow for variation in length of the block as it comes off the saw.

 

I guess what I'm looking for is something similar to the APPROACH distance and EXIT distance you can specify with a FACE tool path. FACE doesn't work for this because you cannot offset the tool path or use cutter comp.

 

If I haven't explained what I'm trying to do well enough I could upload it to the FTP site so that anyone who would like to help can take a look at what I've got.

[Sem001]

If I am understanding you correctly that you want to extend your chain so it starts before your block and ends after use modify/extend/length and then click on each end of your chain than go back into operations manager click on geometry than delete the chain in there right click and click on your extended chain.

[Guest]

Use the lead in lead out function. Set it to line and have it tangent. This will effectively extend the length of the line.

[Bob W]

Thanks for the replies.

 

Marc,

 

I am already using LEADIN/OUT (perpendicular) to create a move when turning on cutter comp. What you suggest would be a handy solution if you could have 2 LEADIN/OUT moves, one tangent and one perpendicular.

 

Sem001,

 

Extending the line that makes up my chain pretty much accomplishes what I'm after. With tool path associativity, I can regen the tool path and have it cut further out from the ends of the block.

 

However, I guess what I'm after is a way to get it to output what I want from the existing wire frame, without "faking" it by modifying the wire frame.

 

In our other programming system tool path is geometry and can be modified directly as such. I know that you can use the tool path editor to move individual points in the tool path, but it is rather laborious to move 4 points at each end of the cut to move out the start and end. Also, you lose associativity by editing the tool path.

 

Am I trying to do something that Mastercam just wont do? Say it ain’t so...

[mats_asson]

I have used modify/extend a lot for this. In lathe however, there is a much more advanced lead in/lead out function. You can extend/shorten the start and end of the countour, add lines, radiuses and more... I'd love to have this possibility in mill too. Anyone knows about version 9?

 

Mats

[TheePres]

Camtech.

As a former UG user, I understand ur fustration exactly. UG has if i remember correctly an approach and the lead-in. Now in MCam I just extend my geometry drivelines to accomplish same. Newer MCam has "Cut Direction" but have yet to learn to use.

[cadcam]

camtech please put a file on the ftp.

I have a thought and need to see waht you have to see if this thought will work with your file.

 

Man do I hate it when i have a thought.

[gcode]

I've been asking for the ability to extend or

shorten a lead-in/lead-out since V7.

MC Lathe has it, why not Mill?

I was hoping to see it in V9 Mill, but no such luck. Its one of the only things I miss from

my old brand X CAM package.

Our only remedy is to extend or shorten

the chained geometry which is a primitive and non assotiative solution

[romer]

I too, would like to see this function added to Mastercam. The previous cam package I used not only has this ability but a nice little graphical interface to show you what it will look like as you change it instead of have to backplot, modify, backplot, etc..

V10 perhaps, PDG?

 

romer

[Bob W]

Cadcam,

 

I have put my file in the FTP under "/MC8 files/1860-40.MC8". Take a look at it and see if what you are thinking of will accomplish what I'm trying to do.

 

TheePres, gcode & romer,

 

Yes, more useful features is what it’s all about. From what I have seen so far, Mastercam is pretty rich in that respect. I am most impressed with Mastercam's tool path associativity. In adapting from other programming systems it is a matter of making use of the new and different tools it has and finding work-arounds for the shortcomings. And we can always ask for more...