5 axis Swarf help

[Buddy J]

I hope someone would help me here.

I trying to trim the profile edge of the part below

I'm wanted to swarf, using the upper and lower (green) chains but get the "must sync sharp corners"

message. I haven't done any "syncing" before but I tried to, from the Chaining Options page, used "by Branch" and got the same thing. I honestly don't know WTF I'm doing here.

I was able to run a toolpath using the wall surface as the cut pattern and while it verifies clean, the machine simulation shows some screwy jerking around with the head. (C/B )

I'd rather have the control of using a chain to drive my TP and when I've been able to get it to work on other jobs the path was nice and smooth.

Any help would be appreciated. The part of the file in question was to large to attach here so I put it up on the FTP in the X5_files folder, SWARF SYNC.MCX-5

 

Thanks and I'm here till 1:30 AM then back @ 2:00 tomorrow in case someone offers help during the day and I don't respond right away.

[gcode]

I'll check this out on the morning

 

synced chains basically means the lower chain has the same number of enities as the upper.

and the endpoints of the enities line up, top to bottom with the tool vector..

 

somtimes you have to create some clean geometry rather than exctract edge curves from the imported solid

[Buddy J]

I had created curves from the model edges which end up as dissimilar chains due to the funky model

surfaces I was given. I converted this from a Catia/IGES file. Full and continuous on one side, stitched together on the other.

 

Appreciate it Gcode

[crazy^millman]

Save yourself a lot of trouble and just make it a curve 5 axis and done. Make the lines for your tool Vector where you need the transition and be in the control you want.

[Guest]

The biggest issue you had to using a swarf was an inconsistent number of entities, so in the xcreen shot I show what I did to create a joined spline in that section

 

 

There was also a tiny break in the geometry in the upper chain which which if running a tight chaining tolerance you can't get, I opened my chaining tolerance up to .002 and it chained complete.

 

I then used a synch by entity

 

COBHAM Defense Electronic Systems

On a side note, I used to work for this corporation, in the Methuen, Ma.

[MIL-TFP-41]

Save yourself a lot of trouble and just make it a curve 5 axis and done. Make the lines for your tool Vector where you need the transition and be in the control you want.

 

agreed on the curve 5 axis....tho for the tool axis control I would use "Chain" (pick the upper chain) with the "Closest point on chain" option checked. I always get much smoother output using this rather than swarf.

[Festus]

i often join all lines an arcs into 1 spline... that seems to run smooth without all the stupid C-rotation! If you really want to use the swarf do yourself a favour and play with swarf milling and it's advanced interface.

[Festus]

i often join all lines an arcs into 1 spline... that seems to run smooth without all the stupid C-rotation! If you really want to use the swarf do yourself a favour and play with swarf milling and it's advanced interface.

[K2csq7]

Here is a curve path, I made some tool axis control lines from the edges of your wall surfaces.... Looks pretty smooth...

[Buddy J]

Thanks for all the input!

 

JParis~ I had set my chain tolerance to .0005 and it got around those small breaks. Does that setting stay strictly with the host PC when putting a file up on the FTP?

 

I concur that the 5X curve gives the smoothest toolpath, (head movement wise) The swarf path did some wacky loop like moves in the corners when I ran my machine simulation. I did a "create Presentation" of what it does from the simulation. I put it on the FTP, swarf sync.exe, not sure if you can run it? If you can, feed slow.

 

Keith A-1~ you saved my butt with your file. While I agreed that 5X Curve was the way to go, I was forgetting how to set up the control lines, how many needed, especially around radius, so thanks for your example. It simulated nice and smooth.

 

Crazy^Millman~ I'll be in touch with you soon to set up some training in the future. This forum is great with the help a guy can get but there is just so much involved with 5 axis that uses terms and tools that are completely different and new, to expect to learn it all here is foolish.

After a brief introduction to solids/surfaces/3D way back, I plodded through and figured out pretty much everything I've ever needed to do but this is a different animal and some extra guidance I'm not to proud to admit I need.

One of my main problems is not enough seat time. Between programing other 3 axis work, setting up machines and dealing with the other machinist, when a job finally comes along for this machine, to say that I'm fully prepared to knock off a program as I normally would with any other job, well, not so much...

 

Thanks Again all!

[K2csq7]

Glad it helped, I didn't look too deep into it, so I would make sure the tool is following the walls correctly, you may need to add another control line or two if there is more to the wall surfaces than meets the eye.

[Buddy J]

Glad it helped, I didn't look too deep into it, so I would make sure the tool is following the walls correctly, you may need to add another control line or two if there is more to the wall surfaces than meets the eye.

 

I played hell finding a point along the chain that would allow 1 continuous cut without violating the +/-270. degrees on the C.

I ended up creating 60 control lines and found a sweet spot that worked out fine

Thanks again