Did you know Mastercam has "hidden" 5-axis toolpaths?

[Colin Gilchrist]

Hello Everyone,

 

If you own a seat of Multi-Axis in Mastercam, you have a ton of great toolpaths that are available from ModuleWorks. There are actually a bunch of really great 3 Axis Toolpaths produced by ModuleWorks that are included in Mastercam, but they are almost "hidden" from the normal user.

 

These toolpaths aren't actually hidden from the user. But the Mastercam interface makes them appear to be something they aren't, so the average user, even the average Multi-Axis user, doesn't know they exist.

 

If you have a seat of Multi-Axis, do the following:

 

With a Machine Group loaded, go to Toolpaths > Multi-Axis.

 

If prompted, enter a new program name.

 

In the Multi-Axis dialog box, select "Surface/Solid", then select "Triangular mesh".

 

The Triangular Mesh toolpaths are the best kept secret in Mastercam. They have been available since at least X5, so they have been in the last few versions of the software.

 

The term "Triangular Mesh" is perhaps what makes these toolpaths "hidden" from the average user. Typically you would think of a Triangular Mesh object as an STL file, or some other external reference. In terms of the ModuleWorks toolpaths however, Triangular Mesh takes on a new meaning. For most of the 5 Axis toolpaths, the normal direction of the surfaces being cut plays a crucial role in determining the tool axis orientation. With the "Triangular Mesh" toolpaths, the surfaces themselves are not used to orient the tool axis. For these toolpaths the surfaces are simply tessellated using a cut tolerance.

 

In a nutshell, this just means that the "Triangular Mesh" toolpaths are just "3D Rouging and Finishing" toolpaths that don't take their tool axis direction from the surfaces being cut. They just provide great 3 Axis toolpaths that in some ways duplicate functionality in Mastercam, and in other cases drastically improve upon the existing options.

 

Once you've selected "Triangular Mesh" for the toolpath type, go to the "Cut Pattern" page, and look at the drop-down menu for "Pattern". This is where you select the toolpath type, and there are a bunch of them!

 

Toolpaths:

 

Rough
Parallel Cuts
Project Curves
Constant Z
Constant Cusp
Flatlands
Geodesic
Projection
Rotary

 

So that is nine different toolpath types that are available to you if you select Triangular Mesh.

 

Try the "Rouging" option. Activate the checkbox for "Adaptive" roughing, and now the style is similar to "Dynamic". But wait, it gets better. Normally with Dynamic style motion, you are only allowed to cut climb or conventional. Ok, so if you climb cut only, the cutter has to move from the end of the cut, to the start of the next cut, and typically does a micro-lift at a high feedrate to get there.

 

With the Adaptive rouging from ModuleWorks, you can use "Zig-Zag" stepover. This then allows you to enter 4 parameters: Maximum Stepover, Desired Stepover, Climb stepover percentage, and conventional stepover percentage.

 

So you can easily take say 75% of the stepover value for climb milling, then take 25% of the stepover value for conventional. This allows the cutter to stay fully engaged during the roughing cut, and allows for even higher metal removal rates than a regular "Dynamic" or "Opti" style roughing path.

 

If you've got a license of Multi-Axis, check out Mastercam's best kept secret...

[Gracjan aka Pullo]

Well this brings around a new topic. The last version of Mastercam with  a  bible attached (Mastercam Reference Guide)is what ?. Yes I am talking about that 831 paged thing last seen in X5. That is where you would think to find info like this.  But it seems we do not need one anymore , otherwise we'd have one. A teacher from a local college (newbie) asked how can he learn to use Mcam. I directed him towards the X5 doc .

 

it's like sex, you have to learn it on the streets )). Right now learning Mcam requires one to look in Youtube, Googling, etc. You'll find a tidbit here, tidbit there. 

 

Gracjan

[The Cathedral]

That's pretty sweet! Thanks for the tip, Colin!

[Thee Rickster ™]

Are there any hidden toolpaths in the level 3 seats with 'no' multiaxis paths?

 

If not, can you change the title of this thread so us common folk don't feel so

disappointed?.... LOLOLOL

 

[rickcact1]

Why are those toolpaths buried so deep that it would be almost impossible to find? How many more things are hidden? Maybe a CNC software tech will reply and offer an explanation.

[specv]

Colin thanks so much for the info, do these only work with surfaces? or will they work with solids?

[Tony35]

thanks for pointing this out Colin

[Colin Gilchrist]

Are there any hidden toolpaths in the level 3 seats with 'no' multiaxis paths?

 

If not, can you change the title of this thread so us common folk don't feel so

disappointed?.... LOLOLOL

 

 

Hi Rick,

 

Please change the title if you wish. I'm no longer a moderator, so I don't see the option to edit the thread title...

[Colin Gilchrist]

Pete / Tony,

 

You guys are welcome.

[sir Camalot]

Nice work Collin. It pays to get out of the box.  A person gets so used to keeping their nose to the grind stone that we sometimes forget to lookup and see what's going on around us. I agree with Gracjan aka Pullo about the reference guide. Though I don't think it is necessary on every update, I do think when you get a major release like X8, that it becomes almost a mandatory item just to keep up with the new or "old" technology that has found it's way into our toolboxes. What a great find. I can't wait to use this.

[Rstewart]

PIN this Topic!!   Thanks Colin

[Reko]

Nice... thanks Colin

[Bronson Jasso]

that is sweet. I guess I just got in a rut with my tool path selection. I knew triangular mesh could do lots, but I had no idea it was this cool.

thanks

[MotorCityMinion]

I've been using the Moduleworks / Triangular mesh tool paths in another Cam package for some time now. They do a very good job. The constant Z tool path, which is basically a Waterline, contour style machining, is far superior to what I've used in other packages. It will spiral with no linking moves. More lead in and out options and a host of other goodies as well. The real bonus is that once you learn these in 3 axis, the leap to 5 axis isn't as bad.

[Newbeeee™]

 

So you can easily take say 75% of the stepover value for climb milling, then take 25% of the stepover value for conventional. This allows the cutter to stay fully engaged during the roughing cut, and allows for even higher metal removal rates than a regular "Dynamic" or "Opti" style roughing path.

 

Sweeeeet! How good is this

Thanks as always Colin

 

 

 

Howdy MCM - good to see you're still alive and well

[gcode]

I tried the adaptive roughing  this afternoon  and got a real sweet toolpath

The posted file was all point to point though, 500K worth of code and no way to filter it that I can find.

That's not an issue for the machine I'm going to run it on as I have a 2 gig data server, but

it would be a deal breaker for a lot of the older machines in the shop.

[MotorCityMinion]

Hey Newb.  I'm still kickin. I still read the forum frequently.  More often than not, just for chuckles.  Although I'm using a different Cam package at work, the ModuleWorks tool paths are almost Identical to those used in MC so I can still participate here. And like G said above,  it;s difficult to get good clean arcs. These tool paths like a tight tolerance as well. Set them tool loose, and they get jagged quickly.  Constant Z , Projection, and morph between surfaces are my favorite  tool paths now. I'll upload some screen shots if I can remember how. Have you heard from Ninja?

[MotorCityMinion]

I found some good examples. The part is a Spline punch. The PROJECTION STYLE AROUND pic has the tool path rolling around the exterior in a pure spiral fashion. Smooth as silk and great for roughing and finishing. Watching this run on a 5 axis Mikron is pretty cool. The PROJECTION STYLE ALONG is how I finish the part. Very similar to SF Parallel or Raster except it doesn't fall off the edge as quickly as the tool stays normal to the CL of rotary, rolling the 4th axis as it moves around the part. Both styles are options within the Projection tool path. Best option yet  is tipping the 5th axis 10. degrees so the tip of the ball isn't doing the cutting. I wish I had discovered these tool paths while I was still working with MC. ModuleWorks is awesome.

[Newbeeee™]

Sweet MCM. Glad you're okay.

Ninja disapeared off the face of the earth - last login Aug 2013. Hope he's okay.

[brandon b]

Ive seen ninja has recent activity on his you tube

[Reko]

I am getting the attached error when I try to use the Triangular Mesh toolpath.

[shazam/TPP]

will this work wit under cutting tools ie lollipop mill?

[Thee Rickster ™]

Hi Rick,

 

Please change the title if you wish. I'm no longer a moderator, so I don't see the option to edit the thread title...

Done....really hoping to find some new 3 axis paths

 

you probably can, just hit edit and use full editor.

[Rstewart]

I get this error with triangular mesh toolpath??

 

Can't figure it out, and I've changed a million things

[crazy^millman]

will this work wit under cutting tools ie lollipop mill?

 

Yes it should with no problems.