Custom lathe tool

[gary adams]

I have custom tool geometry saved on level 15 within my part file as I have many times before.When I look in tool parameters the graphic icon of the tool shows an oversized insert with unreconisable shank, my back plot looks fine, my verify has the insert ok but shank is wrong.I cant find fault with tool sketch, does anyone have ideas, I have already had 1 hour an got nowhere.

Gary

[crazy^millman]

Look for overlaps. Make sure you are using the right colors. Make sure the radius or diameter pick up is correct.

[compressor sam]

as crazy millman says, if the geometry is not 100% then verify does not work properly, i have the same problem with just one of my tools, and can find no reason for it, every other custom tool is perfect

[gary adams]

Look for overlaps. Make sure you are using the right colors. Make sure the radius or diameter pick up is correct.

I am in work shortly and will revisit geometry.

Gary

[gary adams]

Thankyou gentlemen amazingly my insert was drawn with a .8mm rad and in the custom settings I nominated .8mm rad, so I changed the setting to .4mm rad the tool was then fine, so in an effort to stay as close as possible to the actual tool rad I changed it to .79mm rad which was also fine.

Gary

[RTcat]

I have found that tool color has no importance anymore. Just that they are two seperate colors. (ex. insert,holder) My partner in crime uses 138 for insert and 116 for bar.(Which I believe is "the right colors") I use 20 for the insert and 9 for the bar. I have not noticed any problems. Anyone else chime in on this?

[Brad Lisle]

Pulled from X4 MU3 help file. Note: I use 138 for insert and 116 for holder. I have always done it this way and I have no clue why? Just have!

 

The Lathe Tools dialog box lets you define custom tools. These are tools that cannot be defined using any other tool types. To do so, you must be able to select geometry which represents the profile of the custom tool. This geometry can be located in either:

 

• <LI class=p-BodyBullet>a separate Mastercam file
   
  
• a separate level in the current Mastercam file.

If the file is located on a level in the current Mastercam session, then the tool insert and holder geometry must be the only geometry on that level.

 

The geometry must meet the following requirements. It must:

 

• <LI class=p-BodyBullet>consist of two closed boundaries: one for the insert and one for the holder
   
  <LI class=p-BodyBullet>consist of only lines and arcs
   
  
• The insert must be drawn in one color, and the holder must be drawn in a different color.

Once you have the insert and holder geometry saved to a file or to a specified level, you can begin to create the custom tool using the Lathe Tools dialog box.

 

Important: It is strongly recommended that you use the default insert and holder colors. The default colors are: 14 (insert up color), 55 (insert down color), and 116 (holder color). Select Tools, Configuration from the main menu to set the default colors.

 

 

Notes:

• <LI class=p-BodyBullet>If you are defining a custom tool that is mounted at an angle in the turret, the tool geometry should represent the tool mounted at 0 degrees. You can then define the tool angle in the Lathe Tool Setup dialog box (choose the Setup Tool button).
   
  <LI class=p-BodyBullet>When defining a custom boring bar, you should use orientation 4, not 8.
   
  
• When creating the profile geometry for a custom round boring bar, make sure you create it in two separate sections; a closed rectangle for the shank and the profile for the head of the tool. The closed rectangle is necessary because Mastercam requires a dividing line between the shank and the head of the tool (as shown below) in order to revolve the rectangle into a round solid for the shank.