Setup Sheets

[wganders]

I work for a welding and fabricating company, Angeles Steel Services in Santa Fe Springs CA, and we are starting a machining division. That being said, we've acquired X^3 and I was wondering what other people do in generating setup sheets. I've never had to document setups before because I was the programmer/operator so I knew what I wanted to accomplish. Now, once we get all the equipment in, I'll be programming for someone else.

 

Any help would be much appreciated!

 

Thanks,

Wganders

 

Mastercam X^3

Mill Level 1

Lathe Level 1

[Matt Berube at Ferron Mold]

I find the simplest way to just use the "mill.set" setup sheet included with Mastercam.

 

This gives basic text based information about each operation.

 

You could also ask your reseller about new features included with X4 which should be released soon...

 

Other than those ideas, there are a couple other options available but I don't use them personally so I'll let others elaborate on that.

 

Welcome to the forum.

[3R!< W3NG3R]

+1 Matt, buy maint.

[Dave.L]

I think MasterCAM does not do a good job with setup sheets at all, even what I've see coming out in X4. I can't figure out why this should be an issue, it's pretty simple thing to do since it's all about pulling data from a datbase.

 

X+ is an add-on (free) and it's way better than anything from MasterCAM. X+ would not have been created if the need was not there.

 

http://www.gmccs.de/

[peon]

I use X+ and the operators love it. Very simple to use and no need to learn any rocket science that may be required with other programs.

[mcpgmr]

I make a process book for each production part I program. I use MS Word. 1st page has company logo at the top with a graphic of the part followed by the part #, rev level and op number. Below would be a graphic of the setup with detailed info on where the WCS is as well as any other pertinent info using arrows and notes. The following pages will be the graphics showing the part going through it's various stages of machining captured from the MCX screen during verify using a program called Hijaak Pro. In between op1 and op2 would be the tool list for op1 printed from MCX and then op2's tool list in the back of the book. I put all this in a transparent 3 tab binder and it goes to the shop with the traveler. If the operator/cnc machinist follows my instructions correctly all he/she has to do is load the program set x,y,z and the tool lengths and go. When the job is done I get the book back and file it. Next time the job comes up the process is in place and it's pretty much smooth sailing from there. Oh BTW, I don't have to use Hijaak to capture my screen shots. I've just been using it for so long that it's just what I like. HTH!

[Dave.L]

Mcpgmr,

 

We do something similair for things that X+ does not give us. However, it's a lot of work and only done for jobs likley to repeat often, or high value parts. Keeping these documents up to date for minor changes is another challenge.

[wganders]

Sweet!! Thanks for all the good tips!! Now I can go back to work and display all "my" really good ideas:-)

[mcpgmr]

quote:

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However, it's a lot of work and only done for jobs likley to repeat often, or high value parts

---

It takes me about 10 min to do this for the average job that has 2 to 3 ops. Sounds like allot of detail but after you get used to it and have a basic template made it's a breeze.

[Dave.L]

It takes us about an hour. Due to rev's we don't make permenant hard copies. We document all job setup info, including fixture and inspection info along with digital photos of the setup. We also do AutoCAD (soon to be Solidworks) layouts of the job since we now have a method to auto load fixture offsets and not edge find these positions. In most cases we produce parts with tight flatness call outs and we often use torque wrenches for tightening our fixtures to assure consistant clamp force. For us, templates don't work well since our parts tend to be not much alike.

[Jayson Kramer]

I use the X+ user and really like it.But the issue is that is limited but what I can change and it does not support lathe. the Lathe issue is a huge one.

I am looking forward to the new one in X4 once I have it layed out the way I want it.

[Jayson Kramer]

Degmc I tried to post on the link for the Artical for more added info and I got a Page 404 error.

[Bruce Caulley]

I use X+ as well. All operator instructions are included in the MC file as manual entries. When I am done and ready to print a SUS, I just select what I want and bingo, a one page SUS with all the info I need. I have used this from simple bits and pieces to some pretty wild 5ax aerospace parts with several hundred toolpath operations.

 

Never had a problem once I had everything set up.

 

Bruce

[Scott Garrison@Weiler Engineering]

All,

 

We use a custom version of the HTML set-up sheet from In House Solutions. We customized it to output an operations list with critical data like the stock left for milling ops, Z depths and the canned cycles for drilling ops with R & Z values. I use it to check my programs. It also kicks out the length & cutter comp values for each op if the change from the 1st one for that tool (modal) I can email anyone some screenshots if interested. This works for lathe as well but without operation comments. I print out the G-code and the comments are in there. If you want to get a copy, contact your reseller and I bet they can get a trial version from IHS. Just tell IHS it is the one for Weiler Engineering & Russell Jennison would know about this.

 

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