Tombstone orientation

[dannysdad]

I work exclusively on tombstones. I have just run into a problem I do not have an answer to.

 

The tombstone and clamping fixtures are drawn. I drew the flat stock and affixed it to the B0 side of the tombstone and ran my toolpaths (some drilling and a slot). I set my WCS and had my construction and tool planes set on the milling face.

 

When I ran this through my processor, the post generated that the face I was working on was B90.

 

This will not work.

 

There are a lot of instances where I need to start work on a certain face (B0, B90, G180, B270, B45, etc…) and I need that particular face generated in the code. Is B90 a Default? Is it a product of the processor? Is there a way I can fix this using WCS?

 

I need a way so that if I start out working on …say, the B180 and then rotate to the B270 side to work on that face of the part, (which I will need to do quite often in the future), I will have control that the processor will generate what I need. It is time-consuming and counterproductive to have to go in and edit every rotation, not to say quite dangerous and expensive.

 

 

 

(MAZAK HMC MATRIX 5-7-12)

(MACHINE GROUP-1)

 

G91G80G28Z0.

G91G28X0.Y0.

G10G90X-13.98Y-15.166Z-20.514P1L2

 

G0G28G91Z0.M9

M1

( T105 | 15/32 .469 ISCAR DRILL | H105 )

G20

G0 G17 G40 G80 G90

G91 G28 Z0.

N105 T105 T0 M06

M699 T0

G0 G90 B90. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<How Do I Make This B0???

S693 M3

M51

G0 G17 G54 B90.

X-11.2186 Y3.0155

G43 H105 Z.1

G99 G81 Z-1.5953 R.1 F7.6

X-9.5311

[GoetzInd]

Are you using top/front or top/top?

 

 

Mike

[K2csq7]

This is something that needs simplification. Between the MD and post, I rarely know where to go to get this straight.

 

As for you, can you post a simple mcx file with the tombstone & each side labeled B whatever angle you expect?

 

If not you need to look into the MD and see which axis the rotary rotates about. (this is relative to top top)

If your set up as a horizontal, your front plane should be B0.

If your set up as a vertical, top plane is B0.

 

B180 is tricky because using bottom and or back planes often gives funny results, a custom Tplane is the answer.

 

Posting here or emaling your reseller a simple file with the info you need right there on the tombstone should be sufficent for someone to get you going.

 

IMO, Mcam needs to make this a lot easier to work with. Huge PITA...

[dannysdad]

Are you using top/front or top/top?

 

 

Mike

 

 

Ummm. I am not exactly sure what you are asking.

 

What should be the top/ ?

 

What should be the /front or top/ ?

 

And what should be the /top ?

 

 

 

Bear with me...setting the WCS and planes has always confused me.

[K2csq7]

top/front =

 

top wcs, front tplane.

 

top/top =

 

top wcs & tplane

 

You may not need and would be hindered by custom WCS's...

[dannysdad]

This is something that needs simplification. Between the MD and post, I rarely know where to go to get this straight.

 

As for you, can you post a simple mcx file with the tombstone & each side labeled B whatever angle you expect?

 

If not you need to look into the MD and see which axis the rotary rotates about. (this is relative to top top)

If your set up as a horizontal, your front plane should be B0.

If your set up as a vertical, top plane is B0.

 

B180 is tricky because using bottom and or back planes often gives funny results, a custom Tplane is the answer.

 

Posting here or emaling your reseller a simple file with the info you need right there on the tombstone should be sufficent for someone to get you going.

 

IMO, Mcam needs to make this a lot easier to work with. Huge PITA...

 

 

Yeh, I contacted my reseller yesterday with the problem.....don't know how long it will take for them to get back with me. I thought I would give the forum a try. Maybe ya'll would have a quick answer. It looks like I am going to need a little bit more instruction via GoToMeeting.

[dannysdad]

top/front =

 

top wcs, front tplane.

 

top/top =

 

top wcs & tplane

 

You may not need and would be hindered by custom WCS's...

 

 

Thanks, let me give that a shot.

 

I am using a custom WCS, I have it set for the surface and lower right corner of my part.

[K2csq7]

I am using a custom WCS, I have it set for the surface and lower right corner of my part.

Ok, What axis is your rotary set (in the MD) to rotate about? And which direction is positive (in the MD) CW or CCW?

What MD, CD and post are you using?

[dannysdad]

Ok, What axis is your rotary set (in the MD) to rotate about? And which direction is positive (in the MD) CW or CCW?

What MD, CD and post are you using?

 

 

I am going to plead complete and total ignorance here. What is the MD? What is the CD?

The Post I am using is a custom horizontal 3-axis.

 

I tried both combos that you suggested on WCS/Tool plane on two different sides. I tried on every side of the tombstone and the post outputted the same B90 for every side.

 

I appreciate your help...I am afraid I am going to have to wait for a hands-on from my reseller....I am in over my head and now I am getting more confused.

[Matthew Hajicek - Singularity]

I'm doing similar work. I'm using top/front, and then I can use top/right and top/left for the sides of the part, which will generate B90 and B270 respectively.

[K2csq7]

MD, machine definition. CD control definition.

 

By what your saying, (always getting B90) if you go into the machine definition, double click on the rotary axis, and change the axis of rotation for your rotary from whatever it is to rotate about the Y axis, I think it just might work.

[dannysdad]

MD, machine definition. CD control definition.

 

By what your saying, (always getting B90) if you go into the machine definition, double click on the rotary axis, and change the axis of rotation for your rotary from whatever it is to rotate about the Y axis, I think it just might work.

 

 

Thanks....I will give it a shot.

[Jayson Kramer]

Dannydad can you share one of your files , I can set te planes for you and a few paths to show you some of what you need to see?

[gcode]

Start a new file.

Open your view manager

Set WCS to Top ( use the icon to the left of the tool icon

Set construction and tool plane to Front (click in the C and T columns next to front

Draw a circle in Front plane

Use circle mill to to put a toolpath on the circle

Post

You should get B0 for rotary output

[dannysdad]

Start a new file.

Open you view manager

Set WCS to Top ( use the icon to the left of the tool icon

Set construction and tool plane to Front (click in the C and T columns next to front

Draw a circle in Front plane

Use circle mill to to put a toolpath on the circle

Post

You should get B0 for rotary output

 

 

No, I got nothing for a "B" output.

[K2csq7]

What Machine Definition do you use?

[Joe788]

No, I got nothing for a "B" output.

 

If it left it blank, that means it was at B0. Change your Tplane to right (leave WCS at Top), and draw another circle and create another circle mill path. This one will come out with B90.

[Joe788]

What machine is this, and where are those G10 numbers coming from at the beginning? Did you manually enter those, or did your post insert them?

[dannysdad]

If it left it blank, that means it was at B0. Change your Tplane to right (leave WCS at Top), and draw another circle and create another circle mill path. This one will come out with B90.

 

 

OK, that worked. I am going to redo my pallet and try on that.

 

Thanks

[dannysdad]

What machine is this, and where are those G10 numbers coming from at the beginning? Did you manually enter those, or did your post insert them?

 

 

It is a Mazak Nexus 6000II Horizontal.

 

The G10 are a set of G54-G57 locations that we use most often. These are changed if a different tombstone with different parts are used.

 

Since we run the parts with those G10 numbers most often, we have that set as our default.

[Joe788]

It is a Mazak Nexus 6000II Horizontal.

 

The G10 are a set of G54-G57 locations that we use most often. These are changed if a different tombstone with different parts are used.

 

Since we run the parts with those G10 numbers most often, we have that set as our default.

 

I see. I'm familiar with the machine and G10s (we have one too). I was just curious if your post had the logic built in to generate them automatically, since I knew those weren't just generic center of rotation numbers.

 

If you're not too attached to that post, you might want to check out the MPMaster HMC post. It's pretty good. I used the MPMaster VMC post, and modified it for HMC use because I prefer the "TOP>TOP" WCS>TPlane configuration for B0.

[dannysdad]

I see. I'm familiar with the machine and G10s (we have one too). I was just curious if your post had the logic built in to generate them automatically, since I knew those weren't just generic center of rotation numbers.

 

If you're not too attached to that post, you might want to check out the MPMaster HMC post. It's pretty good. I used the MPMaster VMC post, and modified it for HMC use because I prefer the "TOP>TOP" WCS>TPlane configuration for B0.

 

 

Is it free? I don't control the purse strings and we just paid $1.5 mill for a new Palletech System + Tooling.

 

I also just went through over 10 incarnations of my post and I have just sent it back again yesterday to get some coolant issues ironed out. I am not looking to make my life any more complicated. We got MC last year, but I have had only a couple of months to put it to practical use and I was thrown into this with only a little bit of training. I am trying to figure this out as I go with just an overworked reseller support guy and this forum.

[Joe788]

Is it free? I don't control the purse strings and we just paid $1.5 mill for a new Palletech System + Tooling.

 

I also just went through over 10 incarnations of my post and I have just sent it back again yesterday to get some coolant issues ironed out. I am not looking to make my life any more complicated. We got MC last year, but I have had only a couple of months to put it to practical use and I was thrown into this with only a little bit of training. I am trying to figure this out as I go with just an overworked reseller support guy and this forum.

 

Yeah it's free, but does take some tweaking, so you might wanna stick with what you've got if it's working so far. How many machines/pallets did you get?

[dannysdad]

Yeah it's free, but does take some tweaking, so you might wanna stick with what you've got if it's working so far. How many machines/pallets did you get?

 

We started with 2 machines and 32 pallets but we will be expanding with 3 more machines and a total of 64 pallets.

 

It is replacing a 23-year-old 8 machine, 120 pallet system that we have to beat on the ATC's because they constantly get hung up between tool changes.

 

And that is one of the good features.

[Joe788]

We started with 2 machines and 32 pallets but we will be expanding with 3 more machines and a total of 64 pallets.

 

Pics or it didn't happen.