text engraving on OD radius

[yessir]

I am new to this forum and mastercam( just hired 2 weeks ago) so I hope everyone can understand my problem. Problems getting text on OD of cyclindrical surface. Dont want to use 4th axis( exchange y moves for rotary) because its lare part and not all round.Must be a way of projecting text on to OD of cycl. ? I dont care that the letters will be cut only in one Z plane as the arc large and the depth needs only to be .010. Thanks

[BernieT]

Welcome to the Forum!!

 

2 ways to do what you want. Make a toolpath for your lettering on a flat plane. Now you can 'project' that toolpath onto a cylinder(toolpaths-next menu-project-onto cylinder) or you can make a surface that represents the cylinder and project the toolpath onto the surface. (toolpaths-surface-finish-project) The help file (alt-H) will give more info.

 

HTH BerTau

[yessir]

The responce from Bertau got me closer than I was but it appears that the tool dosn't retract off the curved surface in the "project, finish " toolpath. Gouges surface between each letter dosn't do it in the flat toolpath that Im projecting to the surface. I have changed "parameters" all over the place cant get the tool to retract up high enough to not gouge.Any ideas before I start editing by hand with z+ retract moves between each letter.

[cadcam]

yessir create a surface for the round surface face. Then create the letter and project them on to the surface and to contour and use Rotory Axis axis sub or 3axis if need or write out the words in the flate as the would be on the dia and program contour and turn on Rotory axis and tell it to roll and give in the Dia.

 

[ 11-10-2002, 06:31 PM: Message edited by: cadcam ]

[Fig sign]

Hi.

There is one more way .

Xform -> roll .

Works only with wireframe but it is great.

I used it a couple of times .

1.Make your letters.

Xform->scale XYZ change scale in needed axes to needed proportion

Xform-> roll and you can use 3d contour for an

engaving.

And it will be far more accurate than project a

toolpath.

[Mariana Lendel]

To retract the tool between letters, go in Finish project, Gap settings and set the gap size smaller than the distance between the letters. Hope it helps.

[BernieT]

yessir, I should have mentioned the 'add depths' box on the last parameters page. Select 'NCI' projection type and put a check mark in that box. Now the toolpath will have Z moves similar to the flat plane moves. This requires that in the flat plane toolpath the Z depth is set to the depth you want to cut into the cylinder. ( -.010)

Mariana's reply applies also.

 

BerTau

 

[ 08-13-2002, 09:18 AM: Message edited by: BerTau ]