locking rpm's and feeds

[Sbarner]

Hey Gang,

 

One thing that I would like to see change in new versions of Mastercam is that spindle speeds and feeds could optionally be "locked" so that they don't change when you mess around with the parameters. I can usually avoid this problem in the mill, but it seems like it always happens in the lathe. It makes me UBER upset when I get to the machine, and the boring bar that was supposed to be going 800 CSS and .012"/rev is going 1200 CSS and .005"/rev. What's everyone think?

[RobertELee]

They won't change if you save the tool in the tool library.

[Sbarner]

This is true, but I would have to have a ton of different (but the same except for RPM's and feeds) tools and libraries. I have a library set up for both mill and lathe. For the lathe, I have speeds set for aluminum and for finishing passes. But when I change Feeds/Speeds, accept the operation, go back to double check or change something, I sometimes find (at the machine as I mentioned in my previous post) that the changes have reverted to what the default was. So the solution I guess is to make a "Rouging" library and a "Finish" library, or have duplicate tools with different feeds/speeds in the same library.

[ToolMan184]

I have libraries for different materials. Its the fastest way Ive found. Add as you go and before long you have a complete library. M2C

[crazy^millman]

Some of us have libraries we have been building for years. I have Alum, Steel, Heat treat, Roughing, Finishing, and others. I have made then for parts. I have made them for job numbers. Agreed this is the best way I have found to do it.

[RobertELee]

You can also adjust the tools speed and feeds by clicking on the tool parameters in the toolpath and changing them in there. That will "lock" it just for that program, but it won't save it permanently.

[Mike Whitten CAD/CAM Contractors]

Hello Steve,

 

Mill has a "user defined" option for the feed calcs. I am not sure about Lathe. The only issue is that you must start with it selected. It does seem to work well once you get used to it.

[Bryan Johnson]

The ability to Lock some of the settings.

I like that idea.

 

I tend to use "From Material", and "Use tools Step, Peck.." settings. These are great for starting guidelines, but then each operation may have adjustments for depth of cut or stock to leave. Now if later you need to change something in your tool definition, even something as simple as the description, you must be concerned with all your previous operation changing back to default settings.

 

I run into this all the time.

[calnet42]

Thank you Steve!

+1000000000000000000000000000

I have wanted this for a long time now.

 

My biggest problem with this is the need to use different feed/speed within the SAME tool.

 

We cut assemblies sometimes inconel stators with riveted aluminum inner rings and plasma coated outers so, I cut 3 different materials with one tool.

 

I don't want to define 3 lathe tools exactly the same except for feed/speeds.

 

Please let me lock feeds/speeds in each operation.

[Colin Gilchrist]

Calvin,

 

"User defined" works great in Mill. Not so much in Lathe.

 

Michael, I've had some good luck with switching to the user defined option, you just have to re-load the machine definition, re-start Mastercam, then run RAMsaver...

 

I guess "just" doesn't really fit that last sentence...

[Sbarner]

Calvin,

 

quote:

---

I don't want to define 3 lathe tools exactly the same except for feed/speeds.

 

Please let me lock feeds/speeds in each operation.

---

You've described a problem very similar to what I'm dealing with. Would love to see a little "check" box in the blank space between feeds/speeds and home position in lathe that would lock the settings.

 

I suppose I could try doing a user defined setting. I've never messed around with the material library.

 

What do most do? Do you prefer to use the material library for feeds/speeds, or make your own tool library?

[calnet42]

I have tried "user defined" but it still won't let me change f+s per operation unless I have a different tool defined for each operation and that gets too messy.

 

I just leave feed calc on "per tool" and I am VERY careful whenever I change the tool def.

 

I don't use material libraries. Maybe I should but, I know what f+s to use on most of the mat'ls we get, and some aren't on any charts anyway.

 

I have a small tool library mostly for special shape inserts and quick-change tooling.

 

Other than that, I use the Kennametal lib. and modify the geom to suit.

[Andy]

I have a tool library for most every material I cut in lathe and mill. About 6 libraries in each. Yes, same tools in all libraries. Drills are the most numerous entries to make. It is alot of work, however, I now can concentrate on the job and not worry about feed speed coolant etc. I only occasionally have to save a new tool to these libraries. I made the decision to do this 7 years ago and hoped I was right. I had doutbs but it turned out to be the right decision. (got lucky)

[Sbarner]

Thanks for your candor Andy. Looks as though that is what I'm going to have to do. I guess I was just being whiny. Our lathe has the turret in the front, so whenever we make a new tool, it's not as easy as simply modifying speeds and feeds...we have to do setup tool, bottom turret, etc. It makes me go . I digress...

 

Cheers.

[Bryan Johnson]

If options for From Tool or From Material are selected, the values at the toolpath parameter page could be grayed out by default. Then if you selected to modify a single operation, those settings would not update if you later made a change to the tool settings.