Rough stock definitions

[Bill Cronkhite]

Can anyone tell me if it is possible to define rough stock dimensions in MC? An example of what I'm looking for would be machining a cast part. Some shape has been defined, but still need to run rough passes. Everyone here seems to think they are saving me a ton of time by roughing shapes on the manual mills, then the operators wonder why I have so much air time in my rough tool paths. I've tried some different approaches like breaking up a part into several blocks, but that becomes annoying very quickly If there isn't any way to do it let me know and I'll stop looking.

Thanks

Bill

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Well, if you have a Surface file of the part in the "As cast contidion", then you can just do your toolpaths. Then you can bring in the model into Verify and see how much air you really are cutting.

 

But there is currently no magic button that say "oh, there's your stock".

[Bill Cronkhite]

James

Thanks for the reply. I've tried creating my wire frames and generating surfaces to match the rough configuration, but it seems that for a rough path, MC always sees a square block. Like I said in the original post, I can break the project up into so many square blocks of different sizes and rough machine that way then combine for finish but it seems an awkward way of going about it. Just wondered if there was a way around it.

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Are you doing like a "Global" (for lack of a better term at 2:51 a.m.) roughing path (like surface rough parallel all surfaces)?

[Bill Cronkhite]

Yes. Surface - Rough - Parallel. I spent 4 years in UniGraphics and I'm learning MC as I go.

I'm creating a model to show you what I'm getting, but probably won't finish it till tomorow night.

 

 

I love 3rd shift!

 

Bill

 

5:42AM here!

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

I've been here since 10:00am SUNDAY (Pacific Time)

 

Boy I'm tired. Still have a bit to go. I probably will get out of here 10:00am or so depending on how things go.

[Bill Cronkhite]

??How do I Go about sending a file with the post??

E-Mailing is no problem, but I'm not sure how to get one into the forum.

 

Bill

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

FTP Instructions

[EZ3PUTT]

Bill, you should be able to create the shape you want and create surfaces on the part. Save that as an STL file (file, converters, STL, write) then when you go into verify instead of using a cylinder or box shape click file and retrieve your named STL file to verify.

[Bill Cronkhite]

Thank you. That's on of the things I've been trying to get, but it doesn't affect the way a rough path generates, at least I haven't been able to get it to. I've uploaded a sample of what I'm trying to do to the ftp site. it's Rough Stock.mc9. The cyan is the finished surface and the green is the rough stock.

Bill

[mayday]

Good luck.I run into the same problem.

From what I here Delcam PowerMill alows stock defining.A good system MC should learn from.

Same goes with this so called WCS.What a time consuming pain that turned out to be.

[FUSION]

I to feel your pain as I also use a different cam software in which you can model a solid of you stock whatever the shape or size. The software then only applies toolpath to the difference between the stock and part. What a time saver. Another problem I have with MC is roughing from outside in towards the part instead of treating it like a friggin pocket.

[cadcam]

quote:

---

have with MC is roughing from outside in towards the part instead of treating it like a friggin pocket.

---

If it is surfaces or solid you can ruff any shape with the surface rough pocket and treat like a pocket.

 

JM2C.

[FUSION]

Im sorry,miss explained myself. MCs rough toolpaths suck!!everything is treated like a pocket and they shouldnt be. This can be pretty hazardous when roughing a standing island,

core,whatever. The current cut patterns do not allow you to mill outside in without creating a stupid "containment boundry" which usually results in air cutting around the outside.

[P_Scott]

Bill Cronkhite,

 

The only toolpath which will take stock into consideration in Mill is the Face operation. If you have a cast part which is approximately the same shape of your finished part, Offset the finished part shape and change levels of the Result. When applying toolpath, use a Contour toolpath with Multi-passes for roughing the outside shape of the part. For closed contours, use the "Keep Tool Down" switch on both the Multi-passes and Depth Cuts buttons. This will not retract between passes and produces a more efficient toolpath. Using the "enter/exit on first/last pass" switches in the Lead In/Out button will also help to reduce the amount of unneccesary feed moves between passes. HTH

 

Fusion,

 

Negative criticism of Mastercam on the Mastercam User Forum helps no one. If you think about the problem as a challenge, perhaps you could think of an idea to help solve the issue. Stock recognition in Mill has been on the "wishlist" for Mastercam and CNC Software is in the process of developing a solution. If you have a problem with some aspects of the software, talk to the developers. They are obligated to listen for the best reason, the software user is their livelyhood.

 

[ 02-27-2003, 01:57 PM: Message edited by: Peter Scott ]

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

quote:

---

MCs rough toolpaths suck!!

---

You're not bitter are you? Is the problem perhaps on your end that you don't know how to use them properly?

[FUSION]

Nope

[Fig sign]

There is a way .

Build your rough surfaces then do any job with surface milling them like surface->rough-parallel,mark it as posting off

then use surface ->rough->restmill from previous operation .

 

[ 03-02-2003, 06:29 AM: Message edited by: plasttav ]

[Bill Cronkhite]

I didn't mean to stir up a can of worms! Sorry.

As far as working around the problem I already said that you can break the project into several square blocks and rough that way. Just wondered if there was an eiser way. Guess I won't bother everyone any more. just read whats here.

 

again...Sorry.

 

Bill

[Kenneth Potter]

This is what i do when i have extra stock on castings to deal with

Create a bunch off rough contour tool paths & skim my tool depth down using the stock to leave option

"Example"

rough contour,,,,, stock to leave .150.....first pass

rough contour ,,,stock to leave .100.....second pass

rough contour,,,, stock to leave.05........third pass

rough contour,,, stock to leave .01........Final pass

 

this works for me

[Kenneth Potter]

This is what i do when i have extra stock on castings to deal with

Create a bunch off rough contour tool paths & skim my tool depth down using the stock to leave option

"Example"

rough contour,,,,, stock to leave .150.....first pass

rough contour ,,,stock to leave .100.....second pass

rough contour,,,, stock to leave.05........third pass

rough contour,,, stock to leave .01........Final pass

 

this works for me

[jeff]

What about rough/contour and turn on multiple passes and set the # of roughing passes and the cut amount?

Wouldn't that be easier than creating multiple toolpaths????

[Kenneth Potter]

yes that would work also....but there are times when i might have to vary the depth of each pass & too1 stepover amount !

 

example

 

stock to leave .180....first pass .1 step over amount....stock might vary in over-all amount.!

(safetypass)

 

stock to leave .150...pass.two .05 stepover

stock to leave.100..pass 3 .05 stepover

stock to leave..05...pass 4 .05 stepover

stock to leave..01...pass 5 01 stepover with add cuts..turned on

 

[ 03-03-2003, 10:46 AM: Message edited by: Kenneth Potter ]

[cadcam]

FUSION so I take it from your earler post you are useing a diffrent software instead MC at this time?

 

I have an Idea but instead of guessing I will ask what software?

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

He's probably a UG guy.