Working with right and left hand parts...

[?Mark]

Warning:

It's another MCX future release suggestion...

 

There is a lot of us programmers working with a set of parts compiled of "right" and "left" hand part.

Right now it's a pain switching between one and the other when it comes to offsets (G54 to G55 for ex.).

Since toolpaths are geometry associative can we also have geometry associated to work offset?

For ex. by window, level, color ...?

What I'm thinking about is if I toolpath "right" part MC recognizes it as a G54 work offset, now if I toolpath "left" part with a distinct geometry attribute MC recognizes it as a G55 work offset and so on...

 

That would mean having two or more work offsets present at the same time.

 

Hope it's not too confuzing here...

 

What are your thoughts ?

(clean thoughts only please... )

 

[Rick Henrickson The Boeing Co.]

i think you just need to t and c planes and when you go into the operation change it to the one you want under planes

[Don S at Barefoot CNC South]

How about mirror toolpaths as well as geometry, alot of our work we get a left hand part model then have to mirror it for the right hand, import toolpaths then change all the cut directions and comp.

[?Mark]

quote:

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when you go into the operation change it to the one you want under planes

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LOL.

I'm lazy, I don't want to do that every toolpath

[Mcam Nut]

quote:

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I'm lazy, I don't want to do that every toolpath

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You could just select all operations for the side you want to change, and use edit common paramaters.

[?Mark]

quote:

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to mirror it for the right hand

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No go. Too much editing, especially when working with castings and around clamps.

 

Are you guys saying you don't find this concept intriguing ?

[Don S at Barefoot CNC South]

I was saying I wish we could mirror toolpaths it would save me alot of time.

[Rick46]

u can mirror toolpaths... toolpath transform mirror option,..select toolpath;..

[ToolMan184]

Mark,

 

duno if this is what your talking about but you could add a machine group. Have machine group 1 for the left hand part and machine group 2 for the right hand part. This would keep everything tied together.

 

For me sometimes my left hand part and right hand part geometry is not always the same if you mirror it. One may be slightly longer than the other or some other difference.

[Cuda84]

Don S.

 

You can mirrow toolpaths.

[Hymen]

quote:

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How about mirror toolpaths as well as geometry, alot of our work we get a left hand part model then have to mirror it for the right hand, import toolpaths then change all the cut directions and comp.

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Seems like a lot of work I have always just transformed the toolpath by mirror and I change the work offset to 1 (g55). No geometry or toolpath/comp changes necessary. Any changes on the main are also made on the mirrored. Maybe I'm not understanding you guys?

[?Mark]

Guys, it's not that I don't know how to do it (done it for years), I'm just thinking of an easier way to do it in one mcx file with ONE nc program.

 

Bottom line, none of you likes the idea of geometry associated with work offset?

[Cuda84]

Don't use work offsets. Hardwired into posts. All 3 axis posts are G54. All 5-axis posts are G55.

[William Grizwald]

Many of the larger aerospace shops, use the appropriate mirror code at the machine and then left hand cutters.

 

Just an idea...

 

--

Bill

[TonyNanni@BNB]

is there an easy way to mirror a 3+2 program with many named views. I find this very time consuming.

[Madsen66]

Hi,

 

I have used MasterCam version 9 for five years now. I’ve experienced an error while mirroring or copying. After inserting manual data eg. G10 L12 P120 R5.00 in the master drawing, the manual input disappears in the mirror or copy.

 

Anyone gor any ideas?

 

Regards,

Palle

 

--------------------

Mill Level 1 X2/Solids

Version 0.17.1.235

 

Windows XP Sp1

[Müřlıń®]

quote:

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What I'm thinking about is if I toolpath "right" part MC recognizes it as a G54 work offset, now if I toolpath "left" part with a distinct geometry attribute MC recognizes it as a G55 work offset and so on...

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Ya I have always wanted a select all surfs, or select all color toggles in the edit common paras page.

 

That would be as close to parametric as it gets.

Mirror works pretty good but I have not had great sucess on very conplex parts because of tolerance errors in NURBS...remember NURBS is just an approximation and sometimes that is an achelles heel.

 

I have found when working with left and right hand parts, one can just delete the geometry and merge the other hand in and re pick the drive surfs and boundaries and keep all the toolpath strategies you have already done of the other side.

 

Now if OPS had a "Select all" man that would be sweet.

 

Then you could use file association to work with toolpaths and colors..Be just like parametrics without having to use the machine resources