Solid Workds Add on in X4

[Guffie]

Hi!

 

I have installed the Solid Works Add on, but can't see any changes in Mastercam or Solid Words, such as a button or anything to activate it...

 

How do this stuff works, since I can't find any information regarding that, and is the function worth spending time on?

 

I have tried to look for a post in here regarding that, but couldn't find it, and when looking on Mastercams homepage regarding the topic, it's close to a "no-info" page: Link

 

Thanks!

[gcode]

activate in it SolidWorks, at Tools/Add-in..

I don't recall how to use it as its been several releases since I installed it.

Personally I export from SolidWorks with File Save As file-type X_B

This allows the use of SolidWorks Coordinate Systems.

With a Coordinate system defined in SolidWorks, you can also define the orientation

of a SW model when you import the X_B file into Mastercam.

In summation, you can define your Mastercam WCS in Solidworks and the solid model will respect

that definintion when you import to Mastercam

IMO, this far outweighs any benefits to be gained from the SW add-on.

Several years ago I put in an enhancement request that the SolidWorks Add-on respect

SW Coordinate Systems, but was told it was not possible.

[Guffie]

Thanks for info G!

 

I'm also mainly using the option of importing as a X_B or .stp file, but I was just wondering, since the Add on existed if there were any benefit by using it...

[bhayden10]

Just curious why you use .x_b verses using .x_t? Do you get better results when machining or is it a better model somehow?

[gcode]

Just curious why you use .x_b verses using .x_t? Do you get better results when machining or is it a better model somehow?

 

 

X_B is binary

X_T is text.. you can actually open an X_T in a text editor and read it, not that it makes any sense

I can't recall ever having one file-type fail and the other succeed.

The only relevant difference I can think of is the X_B files are usually a little smaller

[Marshal]

activate in it SolidWorks, at Tools/Add-in..

I don't recall how to use it as its been several releases since I installed it.

Personally I export from SolidWorks with File Save As file-type X_B

This allows the use of SolidWorks Coordinate Systems.

With a Coordinate system defined in SolidWorks, you can also define the orientation

of a SW model when you import the X_B file into Mastercam.

In summation, you can define your Mastercam WCS in Solidworks and the solid model will respect

that definintion when you import to Mastercam

IMO, this far outweighs any benefits to be gained from the SW add-on.

Several years ago I put in an enhancement request that the SolidWorks Add-on respect

SW Coordinate Systems, but was told it was not possible.

 

won't just opening the SW model in MCam do the same thing? Although, I suppose you wouldn't be able to use a reference coordinate system that was created in SW (probably what you were talking about)

[gcode]

I suppose you wouldn't be able to use a reference coordinate system that was created in SW (probably what you were talking about)

 

When you open a SolidWorks file (sldprt) in Mastercam

The SW origin becomes the Mastercam origin and the SW Front plane

becomes the Mastercam Top Plane.

If you create your models that way in SW, they will orient

properly in Mastercam with sldprt files.

If you need something different, you have to either

Transform/Rotate the model or set a Mastercam WSC.

If you use SolidWorks Coordinate Systems and X_B export,

you can define all this in SolidWorks, and it opens in Mastercam

exactly the way you want it.

[Marshal]

When you open a SolidWorks file (sldprt) in Mastercam

The SW origin becomes the Mastercam origin and the SW Front plane

becomes the Mastercam Top Plane.

If you create your models that way in SW, they will orient

properly in Mastercam with sldprt files.

If you need something different, you have to either

Transform/Rotate the model or set a Mastercam WSC.

If you use SolidWorks Coordinate Systems and X_B export,

you can define all this in SolidWorks, and it opens in Mastercam

exactly the way you want it.

 

yeah, that's what I figured you were getting at. I've developed the habit of just rotating the model 90 degrees in MCam, since there's apparently no "easy" way to re-define the default coordinate system in SW.

[gcode]

since there's apparently no "easy" way to re-define the default coordinate system in SW

 

but there is

In SoldiWorks,

Insert/Reference Geometry/Coordinate System

build a CS that represents MC TOP plane

the

File/Save As/x_b file extension

click Options in the Save As window

at the bottom of the options page

Choose your CS from the

"Output coordinate systems" dropdown

and hit OK..

You can make X_B, X_T and STL files orient

any way you choose like this.

This method is very useful for making

STL models of casting for use in Verify

 

 

 

 

[Guffie]

I made some more research and after what I could see, the point with Mastercam in Solid Works is that you actually can make some toolpath and then edit the 3D part in Solid Works and the toolpart are automaticly changing together with your changes of the shape...

 

Could be a nice thing, if you are a developer/constructor....

[Bryan Johnson]

In regard to importing a parasolid vs a SoildWorks part file, why not import the part file, and then create the WCS in Mastercam?

This eliminates the creation of an extra file, and I do not see any advantage to using the SWx coordinate system tool vs the Mastercam coordinate system tool.

 

If you are not using the WCS in Mastercam, you are missing out on a key feature.

 

 

[Marshal]

I made some more research and after what I could see, the point with Mastercam in Solid Works is that you actually can make some toolpath and then edit the 3D part in Solid Works and the toolpart are automaticly changing together with your changes of the shape...

 

Could be a nice thing, if you are a developer/constructor....

 

which is why I've been thinking about asking the boss to get it for me. I'm just not so sure it's worth the cost.

[gcode]

In regard to importing a parasolid vs a SoildWorks part file, why not import the part file, and then create the WCS in Mastercam?

This eliminates the creation of an extra file, and I do not see any advantage to using the SWx coordinate system tool vs the Mastercam coordinate system tool.

 

If you are not using the WCS in Mastercam, you are missing out on a key feature.

 

 

I developed this method long ago when Mastercam WCS was not as reliable as it is today.

... and I didn't understand how to use it

Even now full 5 axis parts are better off sitting in Top /Top/Top.

I use WCS all the time for 3 axis work, but if you're bringing a part from aircraft space

into a 5 axis machine with a right angle head, a WCS adds an unnecessary level on complexity

that is just asking for trouble.

Another advantage is that vendor's casting models and part models frequently have different origins

and plane orientations.

Its very simple to use SW assembly tools to mate them., assign a coordinate system

and import the assembly into Mastercam.

Everything lands properly oriented and you're ready to go to work.

As for creating the extra file.. I just delete them when I'm done.

[Guffie]

I'm just not so sure it's worth the cost

 

Maybe I'm just confused, but as far as I can see here it's for free...?!?!? My link

 

I don't have X5 yet, so can't see if it's working... I was trying the X4 version, but can't see it in SW even I tried what gcode wrote...

[gcode]

Marshal means Mastercam in SolidWorks, which is a new cam package that runs inside SolidWorks.

SolidsWorks Direct is an add-on that pushes Solidworks files into Mastercam.

SolidWorks Direct only runs in x32 SolidWorks and is free.

It is available from the Mastercam Download page

[MotorCityMinion]

Guff, they are talking about 2 different apps here. The Mastercam for Solidworks is a machining add-on that runs inside of SW and uses the SW interface for drawing your parts. Kind of bitter sweet as it has a good feel to it and is a great modeling tool but quite a few of the traditional tool paths are removed. If your starting from scratch with a CAD/CAM package, this could be appealing. That's the app that cost $. The other app (your link) that is free merely exports a open SW part into MC. No big deal here anyway, as doing that adds more time to the import and quite a few the modeling commands used in SW will not merge into the MC history tree. IMO, and as others have stated, it works best to just save as a X-B in SW then import/open that file instead.

 

 

 

 

Oops, G beat me here by a few minutes.

 

 

[Dave.L]

If you want one fully integrated package for CAD modeling and CAM, the answer is NX

[Guffie]

Thanks for the info.... It was clearing the questions...

[Bruce Caulley]

I use WCS all the time for 3 axis work, but if you're bringing a part from aircraft space

into a 5 axis machine with a right angle head, a WCS adds an unnecessary level on complexity

that is just asking for trouble.

 

+ eleventy billion

[Scott Lundin Shopware Inc.]

Does anyone know if gcodes described method can be used in Inventor 2011? Specifically does Inventor have a way to create a reference coordinate system? Also, when saving as X_B is when you get the option to pick the new coordinate system. Is this available when saving out from an Inventor file? I don't have Inventor so I cannot try it.

[Scott Lundin Shopware Inc.]

Been working with this all afternoon today. My customer had Inventor 2011 on his laptop. Inventor can create an auxilary work coordinate system. We can save it out as X_B, but there is no option to save it out with the auxiliary work coordinate system like you can in solidworks. While searching through the Inventor forum we found this question was asked on three different occassions. They had been viewed hundreds of times but there are zero replies.