4-axis rant!

[RandleXX]

Why the heck cant I set up a 5 axis toolpaths (set to 4 axis only) with anything other than real world coordinates.? I’m using 5 axis swarf on a 4 axis horizontal. Rather than keep the part stationary and move the WCS around for the different ops so I can verify the complete job, I am forced to move the part and fixturing to reflect the real world WCS, export an .stl (huge memory leech) and then only verify each operation independently.. With NX I was able to program any 4 or 5 axis on any WCS and even keep the part in its original "airplane" coordinates. Moving parts around just to make a toolpath work seems extremely antiquated.

[Guest]

When I find myself in this situation, I abandon the older legacy paths and use the Advanced Multi-axis paths.

 

You can get them work using the different rotational axis settings

[gcode]

The last time I tried an Advanced 5X toolpath it would not respect Mastercam WCS.

[Guest]

Not sure what you were doing but I have been able to get them to work.

[RandleXX]

When I find myself in this situation, I abandon the older legacy paths and use the Advanced Multi-axis paths.

 

You can get them work using the different rotational axis settings

 

I have not found any way to use the new Multiaxis swarf toolpath on a 4-axis horizontal machine with anything other than the original real world WCS. Under "Tool axis control" I can select 4-axis, but it only give me the choice of the 3 main rotary axis's. It makes no difference what I have for a WCS. It only will use one of the three main axis's (X,Y or Z) for the rotary axis.

 

My goal is to get similtainous 4 axis swarfing toolpaths with multiple setups, while leaving the part and stock locked in its real world coordinates so I can run verify through the entire job and see the part being machined from start to finish. This just makes more sense then moving the part and exporting and translating an stl for each setup.

 

Maybe I am missing something here... If there is another way to do this, I would love to see an example.

[RandleXX]

The last time I tried an Advanced 5X toolpath it would not respect Mastercam WCS.

 

That is exactly what Im trying to say.. You explain it much better. Thanks.

[Jaz]

My work around has been to very carefully lay out my drive geometry so that the output will be only 4 axis w/ no A component. Then drive a 5axis tool path. This can be a challenge sometimes.

[CJep]

OK, I went to "Open" file, I had .dwg under "File Type". My file was there, when I clicked the Green Check.....nothing happened. I switched the "File Type" to IGES, file went away and folder was empty. ????????????? I am getting nowhere here.

 

Randle,

Are you setting multiple WCS's or using different user defined tool/construction planes? Typically I move the model into position relative to Mcam's World Coordinate System. However there are times were I will create a custom WCS, but I will only create one and then work from that using custom user defined planes.

 

In the advanced multiaxis toolpath, tool axis control, you have the ability to set the axis of rotation using a line, in a number of the tool axis strategies.

[RandleXX]

Randle,

Are you setting multiple WCS's or using different user defined tool/construction planes? Typically I move the model into position relative to Mcam's World Coordinate System. However there are times were I will create a custom WCS, but I will only create one and then work from that using custom user defined planes.

 

In the advanced multiaxis toolpath, tool axis control, you have the ability to set the axis of rotation using a line, in a number of the tool axis strategies.

 

Multiple WCS's along with user defined tool/contruction planes.

 

The ability to select a line or tool plane for the rotation axis would be really sweet if it was in all 5 axis operations. The "Backplot rotary axis" setting under 5 axis is just odd.. lol! it's almost like it was an afterthought..

 

The "Swarf milling" under the 5 axis Custom App has more of the type of control I was looking for. not sure why they are now called "Custom App".. I guess MC just likes to change things up every new release.

[CJep]

Randle,

The custom app toolpaths are the simplified advanced multiaxis toolpaths, if you go to the misc page of the toolpath there is a button to switch to advanced interface. Then the toolpath strategies work as if you started with parallel to multiple curves and also allows more tool control.

[RandleXX]

Randle,

The custom app toolpaths are the simplified advanced multiaxis toolpaths, if you go to the misc page of the toolpath there is a button to switch to advanced interface. Then the toolpath strategies work as if you started with parallel to multiple curves and also allows more tool control.

 

Thanks for the tip.

[RandleXX]

I liked the 5 axis interface much better.. Now it doesnt matter which advanced 5 axis tooplath I pick, they all go to Surface/solid parallel cuts. The new interface is confusing.

 

Now I'm really starting to miss NX, I would have been done with this project already....

[CJep]

Yeah, I hate to say it but I'm not a big fan of the new page structure, it could have been a bit "cleaner".

 

I've never used NX so I don't have a comparison. Typically I suggest to folks in our training classes to give Mcam the least amount of information possible to create the toolpath then dial in control as needed. I have found the more I use the advanced toolpaths, the easier it is to identify what I need to change in the tool control strategies.

[YoDoug®]

Typically I suggest to folks in our training classes to give Mcam the least amount of information possible to create the toolpath then dial in control as needed. I have found the more I use the advanced toolpaths, the easier it is to identify what I need to change in the tool control strategies.

 

 

Thats good advice for both 5x and surface HST tool paths. I have been burned quite a few times waiting for big HST tool paths to crunch only to get the stupid "unable to determine valid machining zone" error. So I set my tolerances real loose, generate tool path, verify, and if all looks good I go back in and make adjustments and regen.