Caxis drill and Caxis cross drill toolpath

[sanfran]

Can someone explain me the difference ? I took a look at the help file in Mastercam and it mentions one uses Axis substitution and the other one uses the C axis for the rotation type.

 

Does it mean that in Mastercam the toolpath will look exactly the same, but the posted G-code will be different ? If so why ?

[Chris Rizzo]

c axis drill your on centerline, and position is determined via axis sub, which you manually enter.

cross drill gets you offcenter (Y axis).

[Scott Lundin Shopware Inc.]

"C-axis drilling" will drill through the OD of the part and the tool will ALWAYS be pointed toward the centerline of the shaft. If you need to drill above or below centerline you will need a lathe with a Y axis and you must use "cross drill".

[Scott Lundin Shopware Inc.]

Is there and echo in here?

[sanfran]

Thanks guys, that makes sense !!

[sanfran]

Another question if I may ask. When you using the caxis how do you measure the tool offset of that specific tool ?

[steveo25]

Another question if I may ask. When you using the caxis how do you measure the tool offset of that specific tool ?

 

Are you talking about dia. offset or length offset or at the machine?

[sanfran]

Are you talking about dia. offset or length offset or at the machine?

 

I'm talking about both.

 

Thanks for the quick reply

[steveo25]

I'm talking about both.

 

Thanks for the quick reply

 

It depends on what your trying to do generally its off of centerline, when programming the toolpath the software will automatically compensate for the tool dia. If its something that needs to be dialed in to a certain dia. then you can add a dia. offset so the tool can be compensated for. Or if you use alot of reground endmills you can have a dia offset so the actual dia. of the endmill can be input in the machine. There is several routes you can go it just depends on what you are doing and tolerances and tooling. Another thing to add to the above comments is if you are programming a machine w/ "Y" axis and you are drilling holes off centerline you will need to draw an arc to chain instead of a point or else the tool will always drill towards centerline.

[sanfran]

It depends on what your trying to do generally its off of centerline, when programming the toolpath the software will automatically compensate for the tool dia. If its something that needs to be dialed in to a certain dia. then you can add a dia. offset so the tool can be compensated for. Or if you use alot of reground endmills you can have a dia offset so the actual dia. of the endmill can be input in the machine. There is several routes you can go it just depends on what you are doing and tolerances and tooling. Another thing to add to the above comments is if you are programming a machine w/ "Y" axis and you are drilling holes off centerline you will need to draw an arc to chain instead of a point or else the tool will always drill towards centerline.

 

How about on the machine ? Do I measure the length offset of the tool I am going to use for the caxis toolpath from Z0, like normal, or is it something different ?

[steveo25]

How about on the machine ? Do I measure the length offset of the tool I am going to use for the caxis toolpath from Z0, like normal, or is it something different ?

 

What kind of machine are you dealing with? Do you have a manual or automatic presetter?

[sanfran]

Don't have a machine.. I'm just a student trying to understand how the actual application works.

 

What would be the difference between the manual or automatic presseter for the tool length offset ?

[steveo25]

Don't have a machine.. I'm just a student trying to understand how the actual application works.

 

What would be the difference between the manual or automatic presseter for the tool length offset ?

 

If you have a presetter it will attach to your machine by the chuck and it has a stylus that you touch your tools off to so that you can set your tool geometry for each tool. It will set your tools in all axis. Whether or not you have to manually input the data or if it automatically inputs it into your geometry offset page all depends on the machine. Do you have access to mastercam?