surface offset

[tutran]

Hi All,

I need some help in offseting surface.

I creatting surface from a solid model in SW. There are 3 separate surfaces on the part. When I use the flowline tool path, one surface offset in one direction, one in another. How do I fix the the surfaces so they can offset in one direction. I have to end up do one op per surface at a time. Thanks alot.

[3R!< W3NG3R]

I think you have to change the normals.

edit>change normals.

[TK-32™]

Sorry for hijacking this thread but Eric's signature is the S#*t. I started sweeping and the moment I saw a guy cutting a thread I knew then this was my calling.

 

Once again sorry for hijacking this thread

[tutran]

Thanks Eric. One more questions if you don't mind.

Why is it when I set the normal for three surface so the arrow going one way, it doesn't work. I have to set two going same way and the middle going opposite, then it's work. Thanks

[3R!< W3NG3R]

I can't answer that one for you, sorry. Just the way it is I guess. Glad you got it to work.

 

G-code, thanks for noticing. It's good to wake up in the mornings and love the work you do isn't it?

[smokey_44]

I would check the surfaces you have offset for bad areas ,use the surface analyze options to check for bad surfs.Sounds like one surface is bad.

[Colin Gilchrist]

Tutran,

 

This has nothing to do with the surface normal direction, it has to do with the way the surfaces are "built" internally in Mastercam. Each surface has a set of U,V parameters which you can think of as the flowline "cut direction" lines that flow across a surface. Depending on how that surface was originally constructed, the UV curves may run parallel to the UV curves of another surface, and they may not. It sounds like yours do not run parallel to each other.

 

The short answer is that sometimes flowline will just not let you cut several surfaces at the same time, using the same parameters (cut direction).

 

So your choice is, use separate flowline toolpaths to individually machine each surface, or use Surface | Finish | Blend to machine the surfaces.

 

Blend is like Flowline on steroids.

 

It requires that you use two (and only two) chains to drive the toolpath across the surfaces.

 

This can be as simple as two straight lines, or two complex chains.

 

You can even chain a single point and then chain a rectangle (any closed chain), and Mastercam will spiral out from the center.

 

Blend is an incredibly powerful toolpath. Do a search on Blend and I'm sure you will get a lot of information.

 

Feel free to put a file on the FTP and I'll write a blend toolpath when I'm at home as an example.

 

HTH,

[Rosko]

quote:

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You can even chain a single point and then chain a rectangle (any closed chain), and Mastercam will spiral out from the center.

---

never realized you could do that!

[strabe]

Yeah, I just learned something too!!

 

Thanks Colin!

[Dracbus]

Also if the surfaces are all linked and your trying to make them all cut in the same direction every once in a while if you hit single row it sometimes helps the UV all go in the same direction. But it dosnt always work.

[Nils N]

Blend is a great tool path. Colin show it to me at a seminar a year ago and I've been using it ever since. Only problem with it is a long tool path generation on large surfaces. Maybe MC will help that one along.

[K10LT1]

http://www.mastercam.com/camzone/Newslette...d2003-final.pdf