Offset Surface

[DH]

Hello!

I am new to 3D surface machining. The die designer give me a part file which is 3D surface and it has no thickness. When I program to machine a die surface block (bottom), I don't need to offset the surface. When I program to machine a punch surface block(top), I have to offset surface to the material thickness of the strip(let's say .05" thickness). I really don't like to offset the punch surface to .o5" thickness of the strip. Is there a way to avoid offset surface when i machine a punch suface block? Thanks a lot

[mayday]

not sure what your after here

do you need to offset to change stock amount?

our just give the surface some depth.

 

if you have solids there is a thicken util for sheet solids. you will have to make a solid from a surface first.

maybe I'm no help on this

[ProductDevelopmentGuy]

Maybe you could just use the original surface but indicate a 'stock to leave' value when generating the toolpath.

 

PDG

[Thad]

We would just cut to -.05 (stock to leave) to allow for material thickness. Sometimes they give us surfaces that are already offset. Just make sure you know what they've given you, which it sounds like you do.

 

Thad

 

[ 07-30-2003, 09:27 AM: Message edited by: Thad ]

[Müřlıń®]

DH.....tell your designers to get with the program and draw it correct to start with

 

You have to train these guys right

 

j/k.....

 

When I cut a trim-punch die off the part geometry, I use a 2-d geometry to profile around.

Dont overlook the power lines and arcs.

Everything doesnt always have to be surfaces.

 

The only bad thing about leaving stock or lieing about your cutter on a trim-punch, is:

 

On tooling with little clearance(.005") between the punch and die, the corner radii will not have the correct offset and your punch will not fit in the hole.

 

.05" clearance,.....you're workiing with some thick stock and the corners will probably clear.

 

 

OH, you're prol in metrics......05 would be, ermmm....wheres my calculator....

 

 

Unless of course your part is round and there are no corners to worry about

 

 

Murlin

 

 

UH OH...my bad - stock will prol leave the correct offset

 

[ 07-31-2003, 09:28 AM: Message edited by: Murlin ]

[Thad]

Murlin,

 

I think DH is talking about offsetting the form to allow for material thickness, not die breakage, as you refer to.

 

Thad

[Müřlıń®]

Yup, yup....my bad.....

 

 

Murlin

[crazy^millman]

I think I understnad what you are trying to do. If you are making a round cone for topic sake. You need to have to concave on the cone facing up on the bottom die. When you go to make the top you want the same shape to be on the top die but you need the differnce of that shape to be .05 bigger to allow for a difference in the mat. You should but dont have to creat yourself diffent layer or files to creat the top and bottom surface. Take the original surface and the go in your construction view and either front or side view then rotate the part. You select your surface and rotate picking a control point you decide what is best for you. I try to use the origin but every thing may change depending on the part geometry shape planes working in etc,etc,.........

Then is will give you options move, copy, join depending how you do you choose the option.

Then go to creat surface, then go offset and then choose amount and the offest. Now here come the problem it will make this bigger than your origianl so you then need to creat your shape and trim to it. You can make a draft surface to trim to.

 

I would also offer this piece of advice. If you are not using solids get it!!! I would have had all of the done in about 5 clicks of the mouse using solids.

 

I hope I helped If not Good Luck maybe put your part on the FTP and we can all take a look and see if we are just way off base on this one.

 

Crazy Millman

 

_________________________________________________

To go from 2 planes to 3 planes is as easy as getting off the 2nd plane and getting on the 3 plane and flying away.

 

[ 07-31-2003, 10:40 PM: Message edited by: Millman^crazy ]