Defining Right Angle Head in X2

[doyleg]

I'm trying to define a right angle head and i am confused about some of the parameters. We have "station parameters" and "block anchor point". Should the x y and z offsets be the same for both of these parameters or should they be dif. I don't see the dif between the 2. Can someone help explain it better?

Thanks in advance.

[bogusmill]

I'd like to go a little further. We have a Flex head which can be locked into position at 90 degrees (horizontal), 0 degrees (vertical), or any angle in between. How would I define that in machine or control def?

[ATG]

I would love to learn more about that my self.

[88Matt]

We were told we would have to purchase a new post for our 4x horizontal.

 

(Reseller chime in here.)

 

I thought about maybe trying to cut-up a router post and putting it into the mill post we use. I was told you could but would take some work. I just did points for the job (internal drilling) and have look at it again.

[robk]

This is one time that I'll say that I'm glad to be using UG instead of Mastercam

[Chris Bell CNC Software]

Doyleg - In short, the 'Station Parameters' XYZ offset is the distance between the spindle center and the tool center, while the Block Anchor Point is the offset distance between the block and the reference point on the machine.

 

Bogusmill - Add a Flex Aggregate component to your Tool Spindle as a child in the Machine Definition Manager. You can then define two stations for 90 and 0 degrees if you desire (just use the same Machine View Angle), or you can define just 1 station and adjust the Tilt Angle when selecting the tool in Tool Manager, depending on what you need it to be.

[doyleg]

Thanks Chris.

I would guess then that the 'block anchor' is as if it was stationary in the machine and wasn't going to be moved?

So if it is a right angle head being used in the spindle, I would leave the 'block anchor' offsets at zero and have its c/l and face set in the 'station parameters'?

[bogusmill]

I will try that Chris. I've been getting by with point to point for a drill and tap job where the part rotates around the usual horiz. A axis and 8 holes every 45 deg. go in at 30 deg. from vertical. Now I'll have another way to go.

 

Thanks

 

 

[ 08-21-2007, 06:06 PM: Message edited by: bogusmill ]

[doyleg]

Does anybody have more to add to this? It will be the first time that I've done this and wonder what else I might be missing. I did a search and picked some things up but I feel its not all that I will need to do. I'm going to try it with what I have now and see what I come up with.

 

Thanks again.

[Kelly Burns]

I had to do a workaround once for this; one of the tools I found to be of great help was Ernies hole axis c-hook. I had a part in a rotary, with 45 degree angles to drill in the x-plane. Used a standard view and was able to program point to point. I was also told I would need a custom post to"do it right", using the block definition available for the heads. If you get real creative you can find a cheap work around for the occasional need.

[doyleg]

I just pgm'd in mc and it looks like the only thing that was dif. from a regular toolpath was it changed the g17 to g19. That is the correct plane that I wanted to use so everything looks good. It has even added the g19 to the offset which is what the machine books said is needed. Will know in a week or 2 when machine that is going to be used opens up. Will let you know how it goes.

BTW. I had Jimmy Wahbeh at the mc office in Phoenix do the post for me 2-3 years ago, and it looks like he had already taken this into consideration. The guy really knows his stuff.

[ATG]

I'm trying to learn about angle heads my self. I've tried to create flex aggregate component to my Tool Spindle and that seem to work but should this now be able to show the back plot. From what I can tell my post seems ok. When programming the mill-turn ops for our haas lathe it seem to back plot correctly. Or it could be that I just don’t know what I’m talking about.

 

Is there more literature somewhere on setting up angle heads in mastercam????

 

Thanks