Selecting Solid Faces

[kwolf]

Hi,

Is there a way to select several solid faces as drive/check surfaces using window option? Sometimes there are many faces to select and picking single face in every step is not a good idea.

Thanks

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Nope!

[mark l]

But will there be in the future, maybe v10, I to have wished for this, so most of the time I just bring in the solid as surfaces so I can window.

[Laz]

kinda defeats the solids package don't it ? just an importing tool.

[Roger Peterson]

One small token is if you use solids you can pick "last" as option so you don't have to repick the same solid faces for subsequent toolpaths. Or you can just drag geometry from a previous operation as if you used surfaces, which doesn't give you "last" as an option.

 

If you have a large file with many many solid faces here's what to do. Change your main level, create edge curves, squash them above the part, extrude a solid through the solid you want to machine, remove the faces from the top and bottom and then you can do a solids, trim, to sheet solid and select keep all and you end up with three solids. Once you have three solids you can pick one as your drive surfaces and the other as your check surfaces, and just turn off the level that has the sheet solid.

 

It's a few steps but it does work. I'm not sure if I explained this very well but I think you'll get the idea.

 

good luck,

 

[ 11-25-2002, 06:04 PM: Message edited by: Roger ]

[mark l]

Laz, your right it does defeat the perpose of the solids package, which is why I don't work with solids, our parts are designed in U.G. as a solid they translate them to parasolids but I bring them in as surfaces. Don't see what the big deal is about solids, everybody talks about how great they are?

[Mark H]

I like using solids for simple geometry. Solids can be created and then modified much faster. For example; changing a chamfer or a fillet on a corner - to do that with surfaces is extremely tedious especailly if the surfaces dont trim correctly (Having to untrim then retrim surfaces is a big pain.)

 

However, creating toolpaths with complex solids (200+ faces) takes much longer than with surfaces. The surfaces are much easier to select and take less time to regernerate. I hope they make solid face selection easier (similar to surfaces, windowing andor colored or level selection) and speed up toolpath generation.

 

Roger has an interesting idea, I'll have to try that some time.

[P_Scott]

To All,

 

Selecting Solids for machining is easier than surfaces or wireframe. It's not just another form of geometry. Mastercam is aware of the position of the solid and that there is material inside the part that WILL NOT be machined. There are never any GAPS between solid faces. There is never any redundant wireframe generated from solid parts. How many users have had to "clean up" an IGES file before machining? With Solids you can skip the "clean up" and get right to business. Solids is much easier to manipulate when it comes to making rapid changes to finishing touches, like fillets on edges. It is also easier to select solid geometry for a 2D Pocket or Contour than wireframe. Anyone try the Solid Drill toolpath yet? It's amazing how quickly you can generate a half-dozen drill paths from one operation. And having Depth automatically selected from the Solid geometry is truly a time-saver. When it comes down to selecting only certain Solid Faces for machining 3D, try selecting the whole Solid part first and UN-selecting the Faces you don't need. Or use 2D tool containment boundaries or check Faces. I find that applying toolpath to solids is much easier and far less time-consuming than any other method. Try something new before making judgements. JMO

[Roger Peterson]

Relatively small surface gaps can pose relatively large problems when finishing with a .008" ball end mill.

 

As far as 2D, I agree with Peter. The Majority of contour, pocket, and drilling operations can be created much quicker with less chance for error. I did say the majority. It is a very powerful tool in a well stocked toolbox.

 

IMHO