Buggy Solid Chaining

[Scrump]

Good Morning everyone!

 

I've had this problem for quite a while and just wanted to know If i was the only one.

 

When I chain a series of edges for a partial chain on a solid model, once in a while, the last edge selection will select an edge from a completely different face than what was original specified initially.

 

I've tried to select the edge using "From Back" and it still gives an inconsistent result. Of course I there are work-arounds with creating curves but it'd be nice to be able to fully drive tool paths on a a single solid model.

 

[Dtm]

Good Morning everyone!

 

I've had this problem for quite a while and just wanted to know If i was the only one.

 

When I chain a series of edges for a partial chain on a solid model, once in a while, the last edge selection will select an edge from a completely different face than what was original specified initially.

 

I've tried to select the edge using "From Back" and it still gives an inconsistent result. Of course I there are work-arounds with creating curves but it'd be nice to be able to fully drive tool paths on a a single solid model.

 

 

I have had the same issues with selecting from a solid model. This has been a problem for some time. Just like all the other bugs this one will probably never get fixed.

[BenK]

When chaining I always create geometry to drive my toolpaths. You have a lot more control and you can keep them on different levels and label them to keep it all organized.

[Chris In-House Solutions]

Selecting partial edge curves on a solid can be tricky. It prompt you for the first edge curve then a reference face then the last curve. Depending upon what edge you pick first determines the outcome of this. Why not create curves on all edges and then use the wireframe chaining options. If your determined to get the solid chaining to work for you then try selecting your part differently. Maybe try selecting a top edge of the solid instead of the bottom edge.

 

If its possible can you take a screenshot of the solid and describe how you are tying to select the solid. I'm sure someone on here can point you in the right direction.

[BenK]

Why not create curves on all edges and then use the wireframe chaining options.

 

I find when you use "Create curve on all edges" you get way too much geometry, if you only create the edges you need it is a lot easier to look at and things go much faster.

[overthecrossbar]

I find when you use "Create curve on all edges" you get way too much geometry, if you only create the edges you need it is a lot easier to look at and things go much faster.

Absolutely, just create the geometry you need on seperate levels.

[Mr. Wizzard]

First thing i do when importing a solid is delete all duplicate entities. I don't chain solids, only wireframe, but it may help your issue.

[Dtm]

Absolutely, just create the geometry you need on seperate levels.

 

This is all good, but you should be able to select from the model. Why do they even have the option if you end up having to create curves on edges?

[BenK]

Why do they even have the option if you end up having to create curves on edges?

 

For simple features solid selection is just fine but a lot of the features I cut I start by creating the curves on the edge of the solid and then I modify that geometry so the tool does exactly what I want it to do.

[Scrump]

thanks for all the replies.

 

One work around that I found without using any wire frames is selecting the the end of the chain first and then the beginning. Once selected, reverse the chain from the operations manager.

 

From everyone's responses, it confirms my assumption that this is just a problem that mastercam has and that I'm not doing something fundamentally wrong with selecting my geometry.

 

Like i previously posted, using lines and arcs as my driving entities for toolpaths is how I do it now, I just thought it would be a good challenge to drive full operations using one solid model. It is definitely possible to accomplish this but this intermittent problem with selecting partial chains was just getting aggravating.

 

I'll probably continue creating curves on single edges that I need for specific contours to keep the most control of my TP's. Thanks for all your input!

[Teh Bear without Brains kinda idiot]

Contour in Mastercam is very cool toolpath

And many of it`s options not work on Solid geo.

Plus it is very tricky and timeconsuming and buggy too

And with geo for every toolpath it is easy to edit your toolpathes when you need to get into tolerances and so on .

I organize them by colour ,thickness and layer

i USE MY CONVENTION for 15 years and I have custom level names and so on.

Using curves geometry easy ,fast ,simple and safe too.

If you want to work fast and effective do not use sold geo.

Otherwice it is your time to waste

[CAMELLO911]

I have been chaining solids for a while, full chain is never a problem.

But Partial chaining works 99% of the time then for some reason when I try to pick the end of loop it just chains wrong.

and it wants to chain another face instead of the original face. I think theres something Im doing wrong.

 

Would be nice if someone could explain the logic behind mastercam solid partial chaining.

Create curves on edges is a work around in my opinion that I shouldnt have to use.

 

Chaining from solids allows me to keep my files much cleaner, simpler and alot more easy to modify later.

but the glitch (or my lack of knowledge) of partially chaining a solid is really annoying.

[AshM]

Contour in Mastercam is very cool toolpath

 

I totally agree. The countour toolpath is easily my most used.

 

I try to chain the solid geo, but really its an exercise in not creating edge curves because I don't like the idea of using existing geo to create identical geo for chaining. 90% of the work I program is families of parts, with almost all features being thesame on every part, but each just has 1 or 2 different bits here or there, like a variable hole size. I get frustrated programming these parts because I want to be able to export the toolpaths from the first one, and then reassociate the geo for each subsequent one. Recreating all of the edge curves and containment boundaries is a pain in the ar$e so I try to avoid doing it. I guess I've always had the fantasy that one day I will be able to just use solid geo, export, import (or use a merge on a different level or something), then regenerate and let the CAM relocate all of the solid geo, which is mostly identical. I'm speaking out of turn here because I couldn't teach software how to do this myself, but in my mind it only seems like a short walk from where we are now.

 

one of the only ways I've found to make this all easier is to remove chamfers and radii from the model, that way the geometry is more like what I want for toolpathing, plus its actually easier (a little) to put chamfers on crisp edges of model parts because you don't have to offset the path from the chain with leave stock on walls.... unless I'm just doing it wrong?

[Teh Bear without Brains kinda idiot]

Solid chaining in MC is a total waste of time .

You will have issues constantly .

I can add more but believe me you will get to this yourself very soon .

[Scrump]

Cool beans. Looks like ill be sticking with my create curve on edge technique.