Poor Man 3d

[sparty]

Just wondering if there is and way to program 3d without having the software.just what to put a radius on top of a round part to make a punch,also is ther anyway you can give me a example

 

Thanks Rich

[Matt Berube at Ferron Mold]

So this is an "April Fools" prank, right ?

[bigjohn]

LOL

[GoetzInd]

Use a lathe.

 

Or.... 3d glasses?

 

Mike

[Todd Tracey from Fastech]

With a Mill Level 1 system, you could use Swept 2D in a lot of cases.

[sparty]

Thanks guys and no its not a april fools thing.Was just wondering my boss thinks we can and i said no not without buying the right software

 

Later Rich

[sparty]

What is Swept 2d

[BenK]

It is a wireframe toolpath.

[sparty]

Does the part have to be a wire frame to use swept 2d

[Verndog]

quote:

---

Just wondering if there is and way to program 3d without having the software.

---

Yes..it is possible if you have nothing but time on your hands and aren't really interested in making $$. "Back in the day" I've seen 3-D programs generated with an excel spreadsheet (before 3-D cad cam was widely available). Expect to spend the better part of a week to do what can be done in and hour by comparison.

[Todd Tracey from Fastech]

If you were to draw a 2D rectangle and then in the front or side plane create a profile, say an arc, attached to the rectangle. Back in the top plane, maybe in ISO view, you can use the 2D swept to cteate a finish path to cut the arc around the rectangle. You can copy that down, then use thw Swept2R C-Hook to create a Z-Level rough to run first on the original toolapth. Kind of convoluted, but it works.

[GoetzInd]

I'm sure one of the contract guys on here would be happy to knock out some g code for pretty little money. It would only take a few minutes if I understand you correctly.

 

Mike

[sparty]

Whats a c-hook

[Thee Rickster ™]

I used program with the origial smartcam and make

3-d type paths in 2-d alot.

 

Once the part we were making started getting very

complex we had to get 3-d software upgrade to save

on the time wasted offsetting and transforming tool

paths trimming and avoiding perpendicular faces etc.

If You have to ask then it would take me

tool long to even get you started.

 

I would not recommend trying unless you have

someone beside you who is an expert at it.

 

And BTW it will just make you poorer if you don't

upgrade.

[dolphin1]

just creat a single 3d toolpath and use transform/translate to do the step over. shouldnt take very long to do.

[PeterM]

You know Sparty, if you are being literal about rounding over something like a punch and the radius isn't too large, just by a corner rounding tool of the right radius and knock it out with a simple contour toolpath.

[crazy^millman]

quote:

---

Yes..it is possible if you have nothing but time on your hands and aren't really interested in making $$. "Back in the day" I've seen 3-D programs generated with an excel spreadsheet (before 3-D cad cam was widely available). Expect to spend the better part of a week to do what can be done in and hour by comparison.

---

Been there done that got the t shirt and never going back to that method again. I could have 120 to 140 hours on some of my 3d programs. You were always looking for anything consistent so you could macro program it. I could have 40 or 50 sub programs on my pats easy. Make the arc move, then figure out the step over, then loop it and could keep down program size down. Bob Cad can do 3D I would use it before I would ever do Pencil and Paper again.

 

HTH

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Swept 2D does that job nicely.

[JDowe]

Or create geometry above the part and project

the geometry down on the surface and use

contour 3d toolpaths - be aware that in order for

the contours to be accurate you need to offset

the contours in Z be the ball tool radius and

program to the center of the tool

[Todd Tracey from Fastech]

Sparty - If you type in Alt-C (hold the alt key down and type C, you will see a host of applications that can be used. Try looking in Help for C-hooks and you can see a list of them and how they are used.

[chopsley]

Back in the early '80's I worked for a shop that did a lot of forging as well as machining. The programming system they had was "I-APT" or Interactive APT. It was pretty much a 2-d system but you could make macros with trig functions, counters, if and then condiditional statements and so on. we were able to machine forging dies and trim dies with this system but trust me, it was no picnic. All we had to verify was a HP hard bed plotter. I would not care to go back to that sort of programming.

[landscnc]

Try writting an old fashion macro program you know #101=30. #102=sin#101 #103=cosin#101 etc.

[Bruce Caulley]

quote:

---

Try writting an old fashion macro

---

That's what I would do. If it was only a rad on the edge of a simple shape, then it would not be too hard.

 

Bruce

[SydwazShawn]

If I remember correctly, I use hand edit a simple sub program in incremental that would do one line of the profile by changing the G17 to G18 or whatever. Then I would just make the main program step over in X or Y a bunch of times calling the sub up on every move.

 

Or make the sub have the x or y move(spacing)in the sub. Then call the m98 and loop it however many times you want.

[heavychevy2155]

James, that Swept 2d C-hook is pretty sweet. I only have Level1, so that could come in handy. I've used the Ruled toolpath alot and I think I am pretty good with it. The thing I like about the wireframe toolpaths is the shorter program's. That could really come in to play with older control's.