Lathe - new user

[xiang_chung]

Hi my first post here.

 

I am a student learning Mastercam ... I have 2 questions.

 

1. Does Mastercam look at spindle direction in front or back of spindle. I want to do a cutoff operaiton but in Mastercam the tool I choose looks like the insert is on the back bottom edge of the holder... should it not be front edge of the holder ?

 

2. How does Mastercam calculate the advance tailstock position automatically. what Math is involved so mastercam is able to calculate. Can we do the math manually, and if yes how ?

 

Hope someone can help me

[lifetimewarranty]

For question 1 you need to address the machine definitions. If memory serves me it is where you set up where the turret is in regards to the spindle. You may just have the wrong tool...or check the tool setup box and you can manipulate the individual tool that way.

 

I never "officially" use the tailstock advance in mcam, but I think that is in the machine group properties by your stock and chuck parameters where you set up the tailstock parameters. It is pretty easy to use.

 

If you needed to do it manually, you could just do a "toolpath, manual entry" and put the codes there.

[Bob Hedrick]

Hi my first post here.

 

I am a student learning Mastercam ... I have 2 questions.

 

1. Does Mastercam look at spindle direction in front or back of spindle. I want to do a cutoff operaiton but in Mastercam the tool I choose looks like the insert is on the back bottom edge of the holder... should it not be front edge of the holder ?

 

2. How does Mastercam calculate the advance tailstock position automatically. what Math is involved so mastercam is able to calculate. Can we do the math manually, and if yes how ?

 

Hope someone can help me

 

1. It sounds like you want to program the part on the opposite side of the Z axis to which the tool was set up. To get the tool to cut above vs below the Z axis, you must select the Upper vs Lower Turret in the Tool Setup Dialog. This dialog can be activated by selecting the Setup Tool button in the Lathe Tool Definition dialog. Mastercam will also adjust the spindle direction to match the way the insert is mounted in the holder in your defined tool. i.e. - 'insert up' vs 'insert down'.

 

2. If you centre-drill your part with a 60 deg. centre drill or create a 60 deg V on the face of your stock before programming a tailstock advance operation, it will automatically advance the tailstock to the correct position. - Note it doesn't have to be 60 deg. as long as the V and included angle on the centre match.

 

Note - if you are programming a turning operation with the same tool before and after a tailstock advance operation, you must use 'force toolchange' on the operation, or move the tool to a safe reference point to tell Mastercam that you moved tool out of the way before advancing the tailstock. If you don't you will probably get tool collision errors on the operation after the tailstock advance.