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5 axis machining?

strublized

By strublized,
in Industrial Forum

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Guest CNC Apps Guy 1

Guest CNC Apps Guy 1

Posted
Posted

... but once you add in the cost of a post processor, it comes closer to the cost of other systems.

 

I have not doe a tremendous amount of 5-Axis work but what I have done, Mastercam has performed beautifully. Most of the complaints people have with 5-Axis get cleared up once they learn how things(setting within the toolpaths) work.

 

Remember one thing, the Post Processor makes or breaks it. Plan on spending some money.

 

HTH

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MATT Q Newbie

MATT Q

Posted
Posted

If your company plans on producing parts that require 5 axis machining they will have to accept the fact the it will cost some money up front to get going but it will pay off 10 fold in the long run. Less set ups, quicker cycles, etc... the list goes on. You are also not stuck you have more capabilities of doing much more complex parts now.

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Charles Davis Newbie

Charles Davis

Posted
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Mastercam has poured a lot of development into the 5-axis product the last few years.

 

If you haven't looked at Mastercam multiaxis toolpaths lately, you may be pleasantly suprised. There is a lot of power and flexibility there, and it performs quite well.

 

Pay special attention to Pattern Surfaces, Axis Limits, and some other goodies you may not be familiar with right now.

 

Just like most things, the knowledge and talent of the "driver" will go a long way towards making this a success.

 

I'd say you have to spend many times more money to see any noticable improvement.

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pimij Newbie

pimij

Posted
Posted

We have been using MasterCAM for 5-axis work for almost a year now. We bought a DMG 200P - we do mostly positional machining but we are venturing further into simultaneous 5-axis - works great. The post is definitly the key. Took a while to tweak our for simultaneous work.

If you look at other programs - HyperMill, UG the price for 5-axis goes through the roof.

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Jimmy Wakeford from Barefoot CNC Newbie

Jimmy Wakeford from Barefoot CNC

Posted
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I,ve been doing 5ax in MC since ver3.11. Mainly using the curve5ax chook. From then to now there has so many improvements to the 5ax stuff there is no way to list them all.

 

Two major changes during that time:

1. Was when CNC Software hired Brian Semperbon(sp?) He was a 5ax programmer using MC and complaining alot about the limited functionality so CNC made him fix it (V8). In late V8 he put alot of chooks out for 5ax and most were implemented in V9. Whats next now that I can make a tool doin g anything I want?

 

2. CNC Software purchased a 5ax Boston digital and had it installed in their basement and assigned Mike "KidCam" Rosa to be the 5ax app guy and work with Brian on testing the "new" stuff.

 

 

I am not aware of any other software companies that have their own 5ax inhouse to play with. Right now I'll put MC up against any other 5ax software and make them look silly, but just wait till you see whats next.

 

Jimmy

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crazy^millman Veteran

crazy^millman

Posted
Posted

Jay I didn't look at the file just the picture. I have seen this made on a trunnion so I am thinking that is possible.

 

Jimmy the Thremwood Model 67 for cutting Plastics, 2lb Model Foam, and Ren-Shape. I am looking to send the other programmer to thier Facility for training but seeing how I have already ran the machine and have alot of my notes kinda not sure. I would like ot send him there for the advanced 5 axis machining class but still trying to work that out. I have already started working on the 5 axis post using the Fanuc 5 axis one as a base then just a matter of getting it to look like what I want. I like the main body programs for the Thermwood verse the sub that they make with their recommened post. Thier post also supports the timer, the 5 axis circle macros, and soem other neat stuff so still leaning towards getting that post just have to see what I think I can so they lock it up so much that if you do have a problem you got ot call them and since most people are not availbe at 3:00am when those ruch jobs need to be done is the biggest reason I am tryign to make my own so if I need to modify soemthing I CAN!!!!!!

 

 

CRazY MiLlMaN

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wildcat99 Newbie

wildcat99

Posted
Posted

strublized:

 

Welcome to the forum. I doubt you will find any limitations with Mastercam and 5-axis. As said above, the biggest issue you will have is with the post processor. I've used Mcam for 5-axis work on our router now for a couple of years and it has done everything asked of it so far.

And that has all been with ver8.1. Version 9 appears to have made improvements in the 5ax area to make it that much easier to use.

 

Also there is plenty of experience and help here if you do run into problems.

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steve f Newbie

steve f

Posted
Posted

Millman^Crazy,

 

I'm working on a post for a Thermwood 67 as well. It's an older machine that was wired so that the machine axes are flipped 180 about the x axis in relation to a normal top view. It's taking a lot of work to set up different matrices (sp?) and wondering if you've run into the same problem?

 

steve

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crazy^millman Veteran

crazy^millman

Posted
Posted

Nope the last one I ran was like that I use to draw and orintent everything to make up for that is all but now that I ogt this place to aks for help I might do a reverse post for that to get it all the way I want it. I found out today that the new controller doesn't use the 101-106 and 301-306 tools anymore to change from 3 axis to 5 axis offsets it uses the actuator postion to do this. I am not getting a double end one so need to worry about head postions so that will be a plus.

 

Crazy Millman

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steve f Newbie

steve f

Posted
Posted

Millman^Crazy,

 

...good thing about your machine, the less complicated the better.

 

I discovered today after pulling handfulls of hair out mad.gif that flipped machine coordinates can be accounted for in the generic fanuc 5x post by setting the axis vectors in the machine base matrix. Also figured out how to get correct output of the rotary angles and rotary limits but the big problem is looming above...compensating for the distance from rotary intersection point to tool tip. It's going to be a long week eek.gif

 

steve

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