facets, facets everywhere

[vpricky]

X4 mr1 Mill3 with solids and 5 axis

 

I used a customers .stp file to generate a pretty elaborate 3 axis program and my tool path has facets instead of G2 and G3 codes. I tried all the filters (or so I think) but I still have the facets (smaller or larger, but still facets instead of arcs). I have a profile of .014 tolerance (+/-.007)from the actual model.

 

Ay suggestions of what I can change to force G2 and G3 codes?

[Mic]

If your step-file is coming from ProE you might need a new one generated with a finer tolerance

[Guest]

Rick called in to his reseller

 

[kinglouie V]

get rid of that linearize helix crap or set the tolerance to something much lower than you have it.

[Verndog]

quote:

---

X4 mr1 Mill3 with solids and 5 axis

 

I used a customers .stp file to generate a pretty elaborate 3 axis program and my tool path has facets instead of G2 and G3 codes. I tried all the filters (or so I think) but I still have the facets (smaller or larger, but still facets instead of arcs). I have a profile of .014 tolerance (+/-.007)from the actual model.

 

Ay suggestions of what I can change to force G2 and G3 codes?

---

More then likely you are chaining through splines. Turn all splines a different color on the toolpath level and you'll see where this happens. ANY spline chained will output G1. A filter will not solve this issue, you have to create arcs from the spline manually to get G2/G3 output.

[Richard Thomas - Mastercam UK]

If you are using Surface Finish Scallop the result will probably be mostly linear moves as the resulting toolpath is often moving in three axes at once. Something like Finish Parallel (at 0, 90, 180 or 270 degrees) and/or Finsh Contour with filters should result in a lot more arcs.

[Toonz]

Under the Total Tolerance button, set your Filter Ratio at 2:1 and make sure you turn on Create Arcs in XY, XZ, & YZ (assuming your machine controller can handle the arcs)

[Colin Gilchrist]

quote:

---

More then likely you are chaining through splines. Turn all splines a different color on the toolpath level and you'll see where this happens. ANY spline chained will output G1. A filter will not solve this issue, you have to create arcs from the spline manually to get G2/G3 output.

---

Verndog,

 

This is absolutely not true. I chain splines all the time and use the toolpath filter to output arc moves. This all depends on the shape of the spline you are cutting and the tolerances you are using.

 

When cutting a spline and using the filter, two things happen: First the toolpath linerizes the spline (which by itself would give you only G1 moves), then the filter trys to fit arcs to your path based on your tolerances.

[Colin Gilchrist]

You can even see it in backplot. If you look at the details tab as you step through the toolpath, it will show you if it is doing an arc or a feed move...

 

If your tolerance is something like .0001, then no, you will not get any arc output...

[Verndog]

quote:

---

When cutting a spline and using the filter, two things happen: First the toolpath linerizes the spline (which by itself would give you only G1 moves), then the filter trys to fit arcs to your path based on your tolerances.

---

If so then there have been improvements made to the filter. I haven't played with chaining splines since prob. X2... I have always overdrawn the arcs to get better finish or be able to machine at high speed without the machine beating itself to death.

 

I'll have to open up the filter tolerances and see...mine are set to .001 by default.

 

Update...I just chained through some large 20" to 50" rads (splined) that are typical in aerospace and I got about 50% toolpath in G1 (X3). These could easilly be overdrawn into arcs well within .001 to speed up toolpath and improve finish and MC facets these areas. Unacceptable IMO and I will continue to overdraw for machine speed and wear improvement.

 

I will say there looks to have been some improvement to the filter at some point.

 

Here is the code I got at .001 filter.

 

N1 (TOOLPLANE NAME - TOP)

N2 M06 T.34 (3/4 CARB. 3FL. E/MILL .03R 2.1 OOH ROUGH)

N3 G96 (RTCP ON)

N4 G00 G17 G40 G80 G90

N5 G55 O1

N6 M155

N7 G94

N8 G00 G17 G90 X-24.2695 Y13.2681 S18000 M03

N9 G00 A0. C0.

N10 G00 Z3.6 M08

N11 G00 Z1.7

N12 G01 Z-1.05 F35000

N13 G41 X-24.6295 Y13.4425 F60000

N14 X-24.7547 Y13.1841

N15 G03 X-24.8719 Y12.8745 I1.633 J-.7954

N16 G03 X-24.929 Y12.3566 I1.6092 J-.4394

N17 G03 X-24.821 Y11.8189 I1.7719 J.076

N18 G03 X-24.6239 Y11.4431 I1.6097 J.6046

N19 G03 X-24.2302 Y11.0258 I1.5435 J1.062

N20 G03 X-23.8509 Y10.801 I1.1181 J1.4545

N21 G03 X-23.3005 Y10.6473 I.7953 J1.7848

N22 G03 X-22.8561 Y10.6472 I.2222 J1.8414

N23 G01 X-22.7533 Y10.662

N24 X-22.4231 Y10.7184

N25 X-21.6882 Y10.8461

N26 G02 X-20.4128 Y11.0547 I11.6064 J-66.9401

N27 G01 X-19.7342 Y11.1547

N28 X-19.0949 Y11.2409

N29 X-18.4945 Y11.3137

N30 G02 X-17.5147 Y11.4128 I4.1573 J-36.1983

N31 G01 X-17.0271 Y11.4513

N32 X-16.5576 Y11.4803

N33 X-16.1152 Y11.4996

N34 X-15.7004 Y11.5097

N35 G02 X-15.1838 Y11.5099 I.267 J-18.6663

N36 G01 X-14.8097 Y11.5006

N37 X-14.4526 Y11.4838

N38 X-14.1037 Y11.4592

N39 X-13.7671 Y11.4273

N40 X-13.4392 Y11.388

N41 X-13.1113 Y11.3403

N42 X-12.7833 Y11.2843

N43 X-12.4551 Y11.22

N44 X-12.128 Y11.1475

N45 X-11.9814 Y11.1123

N46 G02 X-11.2672 Y10.9185 I-3.7501 J-15.2363

N47 G01 X-10.9132 Y10.8094

N48 G02 X-10.3953 Y10.6353 I-5.8623 J-18.2894

N49 G01 X-10.2804 Y10.5916

N50 X-9.8814 Y10.4246

N51 G02 X-9.268 Y10.1526 I-11.8895 J-27.6436

N52 G02 X-8.2767 Y9.6854 I-21.9205 J-47.7931

N53 G01 X-7.2947 Y9.2072

N54 G02 X-6.3206 Y8.721 I-40.482 J-82.3183

N55 G01 G40 X-6.1411 Y9.0785

N56 G00 Z3.6

N57 G0 Z12.0 M9

N58 G0 A0. C0.

N59 M05

N60 G00 A0. C0.

N61 M02

 

[ 01-05-2010, 10:17 PM: Message edited by: Verndog ]

[Glenn Bouman]

I find you get better results when doing 2d contours on splines if you turn off roll cutters on corners. The arcs generated by roll corners can interfere the arc filter. Also as mentioned before set the linearization tolerance real tight and the filter tolerance a little looser. 2 to 1 ratio is good.

 

Its too bad that the defaults that come with Mastercam will give you this problem. Thats one of the reasons for the addons file that we use.

 

http://www.emastercam.com/patches/x4/

 

[ 01-06-2010, 06:45 AM: Message edited by: Glenn Bouman ]

[Guest]

I found with Rick's issue that filer settings like this gave the desired result

 

[Steve Hattori]

Glenn, is there a description somewhere of what your add-ons do?

[Verndog]

quote:

---

I found with Rick's issue that filer settings like this gave the desired result

---

Problem I see with that is you used .0067 tolerance of the +/- .007 that part has for tolerance. Tough to make good parts that way. I try to keep within 20% of tolerance if possible to assure part profile to model match.

[Glenn Bouman]

From the x4 addons info.rtf included in http://www.emastercam.com/patches/x4/x4addons.exe

 

 

X4 addons file contents

 

Added MPMASTER and MPLMASTER post

Added X+ beta setup sheet install (need to run SetupX+_X4.exe to work)

Added Arc MultiEdit, ScriptLinker, Pts2Arcs, PrmDef and MD_CD_PST Rename, zSPiral, SortCircles, PolarPointData2Geometry and Grid chooks

Added inchtaps.map to map standard inch taps

Set FBM drill retract to .1 instead of cutting air for ½ inch

Turned on coolant to all toolpaths

Added drilling/tapping operation libraries

Added Cimco Editor post processor template

Turned on Clearance Plane

Cimco edit as default editor

Turned on “Use Free mode in Dynamic Spin”

Turned off “Use MRU in drop-down menu bars”

Turned on backup file

Darker background

Turned on grid

Added dynamic planes and Multi-threading to toolbar (mastercamihs.mtb)

Removed communications from toolbar

Added back_up.bat and clean_up.bat

Added .03” stock to leave on surface roughing toolpaths

Added .031” stock to leave on check surfaces for roughing toolpaths

Removed Ref point setting from 2D Swept

Disabled Automatically restore bookmark settings and Active Level and Color in view sheet setting so Level one is not automatically turned on and active color is not black with X2 files.

Added documentationSetupSheetXML.doc

turn off immediate mode functions

add VTL tool bar to mastercamihs.mtb

clearance cut defaults in lathe part off

maximum distance curve 5 axis projection needs to be set to non 0

Turn offconstant overlap display in pocketing

Maximum Verify Quality

Added mplmaster2axis.lmd which is single spindle/turret no Y axis

[Trevor Bailey]

i highly recommend using the add-ons from IHS.