creating a 3d chain

[Bill Mellander]

I am trying to draw a chain which I can use as a tool path to cut a form thread tool. As you know a form thread tap isn't round, but has sort of a squared off profile. I have the profile drawn from 4 indidual arc sections creating a closed chain, but cannot come up with a way in which to create a helix that will follow it. Does anyone have any experience creating this sort of geometry? Is there a way to drag the end point so it begins and ends on the same x and y coordinate but changes z height in regards to the pitch so I could just copy the geometry? Maybe I'm not approaching this from the right angle, any insight would be appreciated.

 

-Bill

 

[ 11-20-2006, 12:52 AM: Message edited by: Bill Mellander ]

[Flycut]

Try toolpaths/next menu/circ tlphts/thread mill for version 9.

 

Might be a different path fo X

[Teh Bear without Brains kinda idiot]

cREATE->NEXT MENU->SPIRAL/HELIX

[Span]

Contour - ramp - compensation off

Backplot - save as geometry

[Mcam Nut]

Thanks Span, I never even thought of making a helex like that, thats a great idea

[Span]

Your welcome

 

Now can someone tell me how to cut it I can only get it to make one revolution.

[deckerc]

turn off infinite look ahead in your toolpath

 

you may also run into trouble with gouge check inside the lead in/lead out box

[Müřlıń®]

For earlier versions of Mastercam, use the Thelix.DLL.

[Span]

That worked great. Thanks.

[Bill Mellander]

I way overthought this, I've always used toolpaths/next menu/circ tlphts/thread mill for cutting internal threads in round geometry, but never knew you could apply that to any closed chain and cut threads externally. As this circle is sort of elliptical I am having trouble understanding how I can create a helix that follows it's path (as the helix/spiral function just creates round geometry).

 

 

"Contour - ramp - compensation off

Backplot - save as geometry"

 

I'll look at this too, thanks span.

 

I was almost thinking I would have to creat a solid of the contour, create the helical geometry inside the solid and then draft them, although it was just an idea, I'm not sure if it would have worked.

 

Thanks for all the help, I'll get back to it.

[88Matt]

if your tolerance is real tight, check the code if u use the backplotted geo. I have found in the past that it wasn't as accurate as I needed compared to drawn geo. HTH

[Bill Mellander]

Span your the man! That got me where I needed to be. 88Matt, you're on point as well. The geometry wasn't nearly as accurate as I needed, so I created everything in 100 scale and then rescaled everything when the geometry was created. Thank you all.

[Span]

Changing the linearization tolerance of the contour helps greatly with the accuracy also.