Thread Milling

[Kel61]

Hi,

 

I need to define a threadmilling tool and I notice that there isn't a specific threadmill tab in the "tool type" library. How is this done, anyone know?

 

I notice that there is a threadmilling toolpath so why no threadmill tool?

 

thanks in advance.

 

Kel.

[uncle_dolan]

Hi Kel,

 

The way I define my threadmills is by drawing the tool geometry and using that as the tool definition.Make sure to draw it central on the axis, and it does not require a closed in top.

 

HTH Brendan

[Kel61]

Wow, what a drama.

 

Not that easy drawing an NPT threadmill bit.

 

FeatureCam has a threadmill tool tab.

[EX-wccprogrammer]

And the grocery store has an entire aisle dedicated to baby food, for those of you who find chewing too much work.

 

Seriously, I do not mind doing some things the 'hard' way. At the end of the day, I feel like I have actually accomplished something worthwhile. Plus, the easier the job gets, the less value it has. If it gets much easier, we may be replaced with labor with a skill level slightly above the average McDonalds employee.

 

Cheers!

[uncle_dolan]

At the end of the day, I feel like I have actually accomplished something worthwhile.

 

Wish I got this feeling from drawing a threadmill profile lol

 

All the Feature Based Machining stuff is meant to be simple enough for an 8 year old to use isn't it

[EX-wccprogrammer]

Yes, I suppose it is... But whether it is a NPT threadmill profile, or an awesome new 5-Axis post routine, I like doing something that takes a little skill and/or knowledge. Something that not everyone on the planet is capable of.

 

Meh, just me, I guess.

[uncle_dolan]

I agree, Its good to always be pushing your boundaries and capabilities. I guess its important to know how to do things the long way, so that you can appreciate the new improved methods more i.e traditional toolpaths compared to the new dynamic toolpaths.

[jeff]

Wow, what a drama.

 

Not that easy drawing an NPT threadmill bit.

 

FeatureCam has a threadmill tool tab.

It takes 10 seconds to define the tool.

If that's too much work for you, then go use Featurecam.

[uncle_dolan]

It takes 10 seconds to define the tool.

If that's too much work for you, then go use Featurecam.

 

burn.....

[Henk]

For my threadmills i took an tooltype TAP, and name it an Mill.

That way there is a pitch in the toolparameter page.

[P_Scott]

Kel61,

 

You could start by choosing a standard Tap and modifying the tool shape drawing file to fit your needs for a thread mill. You can see the folder where tool shapes are stored by selecting the Parameters tab on the tool definition and clicking the "Select" button to the right of the Tool File Name field. HTH

[Thoob]

And the grocery store has an entire aisle dedicated to baby food, for those of you who find chewing too much work.

 

Seriously, I do not mind doing some things the 'hard' way. At the end of the day, I feel like I have actually accomplished something worthwhile. Plus, the easier the job gets, the less value it has. If it gets much easier, we may be replaced with labor with a skill level slightly above the average McDonalds employee.

 

Cheers!

It takes 10 seconds to define the tool.

If that's too much work for you, then go use Featurecam.

These are such a BS answers. For 20K plus paying for this software, you would think they could add a simple tool like a threadmill. I don't buy it at all, regardless of how "easy" it is. If its so easy to define a tool, why bother even putting a tool library at all?

[Chris In-House Solutions]

Here is a link to a basic video describing the process to create a basic threadmill and how to use it in the software.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w54DywBujVU

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

And the grocery store has an entire aisle dedicated to baby food, for those of you who find chewing too difficult

 

 

Never thought about it that way before.

 

I'll be right back. I'going to the grocery store.

 

 

[gcode]

I just use an endmill definition

to get good NPT code, Masteram needs 4 things..

diameter of the hole you're thread milling

diameter of the small end of the threadmill

taper of the tool

pitch of the thread

the goal is gcode... the rest is eyecandy

[uncle_dolan]

the goal is gcode... the rest is eyecandy

 

eyecandy / verification

[P_Scott]

gcode,

 

I agree with you that it seems like eyecandy when all you really need is the code. It's easy enough to make a Threadmill toolpath in Mcam without having a "proper" tool definition. That's not the question however. Mastercam's never had a good, user friendly method for tool definition. The tool libraries that are provided are outdated and threadmills have been around for as long as CAM software has been. What are they waiting for? X10? The tool libraries and the methods for defining tools that are not found in any standard library need to be completely redone. High speed machining, feature based toolpaths and such are great concepts and move the software forward. Neglecting the fundamental tool definitions of common tools we all use on a daily basis is a major oversight. We're still using the same tool libraries from V7. This needs to change now. It's becoming an embarassment, or should be, that the #1 CAM software in the business is so far behind in basic tool definition. We all know if you have the correct tooling, making good parts is easier than when you don't have the right tools. Mastercam is a great tool that needs improvement in this fundamental area. It's been ignored for far too long. The question wasn't "how do you produce code for threadmilling?" It was "how do you easily define a threadmill?" The simple answer is that it can be done but it's not as easy as it should be. HTH

[Thad]

It takes 10 seconds to define the tool.

If that's too much work for you, then go use Featurecam.

 

I've never done any NPT thread milling, but don't you have to draw the tapered thread? If so, that's far from 10 seconds. Either that or I need to start taking a Featurecam class. I think I'll stop by there tonight after I go to the grocery store.

[Thad]

double post

[Matthew Hajicek - Singularity]

I do a custom tool as "undefined" referencing a file with the actual profile of the tool. It's the only way to get good results in verify. This way if I fat fingered the pitch in the threadmilling operation, or picked a circle instead of a point, the thread will not look right in verify. If I do it all right, it will look right.

[GoetzInd]

+1 drawing it up right. Takes a few minutes but now you have it forever.

 

Mike

[Brian B 74]

All we do here is threadmill NPT threads. Our models don't have the treads modeled in - only tapered walls. I just created a tapered endmill profile and use that. When verifying the tapered endmill matches the taper of the hole and all is well. All green (except some blue at the bottom) in the STL verify.

[Matthew Hajicek - Singularity]

That won't catch a pitch error though. My models don't have the threads in them either.

[Brian B 74]

No it won't. The library toolpaths I created have the pitch already built in so I have yet to come across this as an issue (knock on wood).

[Chris Rizzo]

Hey Chris, in the print of your thread mill the radius adds up to .500 (1" dia). In your thread mill custom tool you enter the dia as .750. ?