4th axis question and help

[Quickmike]

We have the stock haas posts that come with Mastercam. Will one of these and a 4th axis allow us to put the groove in hte part I have put up on the FTP. It is called 1.5 bending die.

 

I would like to do this with surfacing programs. We have a Haas VF-6 vertical spindle machine with a 4th axis. I would to get the 4th axis turning and have 1"ball rough and finish the grove. It definitly is really a lathe job but we don't have a cnc lathe large enough and we have a little time to learn so I was hoping to teach myself with some help how to do this. I'm open to any and all comments.

[crazy^millman]

Many different ways to approach a part like this. 1st yes the stock HAAS post supports 4th axis so good there. You could use axis substitution. You could use the roll die chook. You could use the 4th axis tool path. You could use many of the 5 axis toolpaths in a 4 axis output. What version of Mastercam do you currently have? Thad's Sticky applies here. What Level of Mastercam do you have? Do you have the 5 axis Module?

[gcode]

a 5 axis swarf toolpath will do what you want...

if you have the multiaxis module

[Quickmike]

We are using Mill X2 MR2 SP1 Mill level 3. We are grandfathered in on 5 axis module as we have kept up on our maintainance.

[Guest]

How about creating curves of the walls, unrolling them flat, creating the radius and using a swept 2D wireframe path and then using axis substitution to roll the cut back up.

[gcode]

take the edge curves from intesection of the groove wall and OD

offset/copy them out an inch

use them as chains to drive your swarf cut

use the spherical surface for tip control

set the toolpath to rotate about X

and your done

[crazy^millman]

I did a file for you in the time I did my 1st response to now. It is called CRAZY 1.5 BENDING DIE.MCX I hope this gives you some ideas. I separated out just the die surface. You can merge your file into this one and see it all together if you like. sorry for not zipping we are to cheap to buy winzip here.

 

HTH

[Guest]

Ron,

 

If you are running XP Pro,

 

right click on the file and click on "send to" and use compressed folder.

 

You don't "need" winzip

[cadcam]

I would lay it down on the table and use a key cutter with full radii and surface it in.

I did some pipe benders this way.

[Quickmike]

Ron, I looked for it on the FTP under the MCX2 but with no luck. Thanks for all your help. I'm pretty good with 3d surfacing programs but have no experience with multi axis stuff. I've always wanted to be able to do it though. Is this a good project to try and learn it on? Just curious if I'm headed in the right direction.

[crazy^millman]

Well Mike I just checked and it is there. Maybe you need to refresh the session you had open when looking at the FTP. some FTP software will not update but every hour or so.

 

HTH

[Flycut]

quote:

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Ron, I looked for it on the FTP under the MCX2 but with no luck.

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I have had this problem a few times.

I usually have to re-enter the username and password to the ftp site in order to get the latest files.

[MultiAxGod]

Put your part with the rotary in "X". Move your WCS to wherever you want the zeroes to be. Use Advanced Multiaxis, 5 Axis Multi Surface. Machine it in lanes and climb mill in one direction. Go thru the screens carefully, like most features, it has a tendency to bomb, but when it works like it's supposed to you don;t have to worry about a million work arounds and creating a bunch of geometry to do a simple cut. Play with the lead in and lead out, it's not quite what it seems in verbage.

If your flat ends up in front, just change your plane to front and cut it normally with no extra work to do, the code will be right. Use simple roughing and contouring and all will work easily.

[Quickmike]

Thanks to everyone for all of your input.

[John Summers]

For this kind of groove, I prefer to use flowline surface with about 45 deg. lead/lag.

[ToolMan184]

WOW. Those look like some bend roll dies I do. They look identical.

[Quickmike]

They are for an Eaton Leonard tube bender.