4th axis drilling

[orgun]

I´m just started with 4 axis programming, im using mastercam since 2010

Im using mastercam X4

 

I need to drill around 1500 holes of 2.5mm to an aluminum shell mold with 15mm thickness.

Im using a VMC with the A axis paralel to Y axis

 

I need to make the holes orthogonal to the surfaces, or the nearest to orthogonal.

some surfaces in the mold have more than 60º of tilt but my 4th axis is restricted to +- 45º (or it will hit the mold to the table)

 

Im trying with "drill 5 axis toolpath", but it does the drill toolpath the way he wants, some drills upside down some at around 90º and warning that "rapid move hit operation surface"

 

in "axis limits" I checked "Y" and set up minimum 45º maximum 135º

 

geometries:

 

output format: 4 axis

rotary axis: Y axis

entity type: points (selecting points drawed near the surface )

tool axis control: surface (selecting the mold surfaces)

tip control: original point

 

Linking parameters:

clearance 50mm relative

retract 2mm relative

top of stock 2mm relative

depth -18mm relative

 

I don´t know what am I doing wrong

 

thank you, all help is wellcome

[Guest]

with 5 axis drill, I like using the vector lines of the center of the circle for tool axis control

[orgun]

Thanks JParis,

 

But since I have about 1500 holes that complicates me, I have also just the position the holes, not the line vector of each hole, I have the surface instead

[Newbeeee™]

Verisurf - hole axis?

[orgun]

old but NOT grown up:

 

thanks for your contribution

I haven´t heard of verisurf, I just look it on youtube and, I don´t know, but it look like it can generate vectors from a surface, but again, I should generate 1500 vector with the verisurf tool and then select those 1500 vectors one by one to get my toolpath, it will take me a lot of time, besides I´m seen verisurf is available since version X5, i´m using mastercam X4 and fore sure my boss will not upgrade our license

 

I must find an answer within the parameters or the 5th axis drill toolpath

[MrFish]

you can download the verisurf tools for free, pretty sure they have been available before X4 ? do a search on here.

 

separate off the hole surfaces, use verisurf to generate the hole axis on a separate level, select these axis with window, colour etc and there you have it

[orgun]

Thanks guys for help, I downloaded and installed verisurf tools, now I must learn how to use it, Its a tool I will use a lot

 

I finally generate my toolpath by selecting the surfaces and center points, the way I was trying since the begining. my problem was that the surface I´m using was made in rhino, and surfaces have a direction, and some surfaces where looking up while others where looking down, and that was that makes my 4th axis make turns

 

(the guy in design put all the surfaces loocking UP, I don´t know rhino)

hope this help another user with the same problem

 

I will post some pictures of my molds when drilling

[ajmer]

Verisurf has an option that can reverse all normal directions on all surfaces

[crazy^millman]

Yes Verisurf will most helpful here. Use the auto flip normal tools and you are done in seconds something that use to take you hours to do. I like the fact the fact that Ernie the owner of Verisurf still wants to do this for the Mastercam community. He started in the shop so he still has the desire to be a blessing to those that can use a lot the tools he made for the inspection side on the manufacturing side. Many people use the free tools, but so many people shy away from them. I had the honor to work for Verisurf and have moved on to now have a new and exciting role as a MFG Rep for Verisurf. We have great tools to offer customers and free tools as well. The Hole Axis, the 3D PDF, and many other things are benefits to the manufacturing community as a whole. Everyone should remember Verisurf is a Software company, but also a solution provider. They handle many different things and this is a good example of just another value they give as a solution provider. If you have any other needs let me know as their Manufactures Representative I will be glad to assist in anyway I can.