Creating a custom tool

[ruger2]

I am running MC9.

I created a tool profile to size in X+ Y+ using a centerline from X0 Y0 to Y+ 2.0". It is a 1/16" 6 deg. included tapered endmill. I saved it in the tool folder. When I call it up....it is a miniture tool....with a miniture toolpath. What am I doing wrong?

 

Thanks,

Ruger2

[Lars Christensen]

You need to scale your tool profile to 1" in your Mastercam file, then control the actually tool size in the Mastercam Tool Manager

[gcode]

or call it an undefined tool and set its size and radius as usual

[ruger2]

Thanks for your response....how do I do what you suggested?

[ruger2]

I get a message....Problems with custom tool file or data when I try to get the MC9 file which is the tool profile.

[gcode]

your custom tool chain

cannot have any overlapping entities

or duplicate entiies.

It must be drawn at Z0 on Top plane.

I think V9 requies a dotted line to define

the c/l of the tool..Its been a while so I'm

not sure about that

[ruger2]

Thanks Gcode....but I think I am doing what you suggested. If you will read my original question The only thing I forgot was to mention that I put a 3 deg. taper on the side. I used a centerline and it is in the top view in X+ and Y+. I must be missing something.

[jeff]

quote:

---

it is a miniture tool....with a miniture toolpath.

---

Did you by chance draw it in metric?

2mm instead of 2"

[ruger2]

I am pretty sure I didn't.

[iowajim62]

Did you choose undefined when you started as the tool type ? You have to use undefined iirc.

HTH

[ruger2]

I did. In the mc9 file should I be to the actual sizes of the tool as far as taper and diameter?

[iowajim62]

No your tool should be 1.000" in X like Lars 1st picture, then you put the actual size like shown above in Lars 2nd picture.

[ruger2]

Well....I actually did it both ways. When I run in verify it is either a miniture tool or a 3 bladed knife....YIKES!!!!!!!!

[gcode]

There are 2 different ways to build custom tools.

1. call a drill a drill.. if you do this, you draw the tool 1" in dia and set the diameter in the tools paramter page.

This is how ALL standard MC tools work..

In Lars example. its a standard drill and he's using nonstadard geometry to visualise his tool holders.

 

the other way is to draw your tool to its actual size and call it an "undefined" tool.

You must still set your size and corner radius

on the tools parameter page.

YoU can save the geomerty on a level inside your part file or as a stand alone mcx file in your tool library folder.

I have hundreds of tools drawn up this way and saved in a network tool library that are used by 3 different programmers and thousands of different part files.

 

[ 04-26-2010, 11:35 AM: Message edited by: gcode ]

[ruger2]

I think I might have it. It seems to me that in verify the tool should look bigger than it does. An 1/8" em looks like a 3/8" em....however the 1/16" tapered em looks like a needle. It is probably just me....but I will find out when I run it.

 

Thanks for all your help,

Ruger2

[Lars Christensen]

ruger2, does it look right using backplot? there is a "tool tolerance" field in the verify menu that is pretty high by default if I remember correctly.

[ruger2]

Sometimes the tool looks like it comes to a point in verify. To get the tool to look even close to what it is supposed to be doing....I have to cut on center of the toolpath instead of climb milling to the left of the toolpath. I keep getting the message...."Problems with custom tool file or data". It comes up as a warning....or is shown at the bottom right of the "Define Tool" page and a red "X" is shown on the right side thru the tool geometry?

[ruger2]

I just emailed GCode and told him that we tried the same thing I am trying on another computer that has MC9 0n it. Doing the same thing I was doing....it worked on the other computer. I must have some corrupted files or something....Any Ideas?

 

Thanks,

Ruger2