Lets talk about FBM

[bigprody]

I work in the tool room of a die shop that builds progressive dies, and spend my time programming and running plates and such on a 2 pallet Matsuura. We have an extensive library of operations for the various screws, dowels and pins that we use to build our dies. We do our own designing here and they are moving from AutoCAD (2d) to a solids based system. I have messed around with FBM a bit hoping that it can help us streamline programming now that we will have solids. I am wondering though if my time would be better spent working on hooks to automate the process. The first hurdle I see with FBM is how do you have it leave stock in drilled holes that will be finished after heat treat? This forum has always been a great resource for me, just looking for a bit of direction from the many Gurus out there.

 

 

[Tyler Robotson]

Do you have any computer programming background at all? If you're at all proficient in OOP you could probably go a long way with hooks, even just with the Nethook library.. but its  hard to gauge with that kind of thing how much something is going to take the first time you do it.

[bigprody]

Back in the day (15 years ago) I wrote a few windows apps in VB of which I still use today. I believe I have a basic grasp on writing code. It no doubt will be more of a project for me if I were to go down that road and writing hooks is probably the route that will end up on. I just want to get an idea of how FBM might help before I start trying to figure out hooks.

[Tyler Robotson]

Been awhile since I've looked at FBM - I liked the geometry/plane creation and if tools are set up well ahead of time it works, but for what you mentioned setting different stock to leave maybe, or knowing to use a tap in a hole of a certain size... that might not get you where you want to be

[Mick from CNC Software Inc.]

I work in the tool room of a die shop that builds progressive dies, and spend my time programming and running plates and such on a 2 pallet Matsuura. We have an extensive library of operations for the various screws, dowels and pins that we use to build our dies. We do our own designing here and they are moving from AutoCAD (2d) to a solids based system. I have messed around with FBM a bit hoping that it can help us streamline programming now that we will have solids. I am wondering though if my time would be better spent working on hooks to automate the process. The first hurdle I see with FBM is how do you have it leave stock in drilled holes that will be finished after heat treat? This forum has always been a great resource for me, just looking for a bit of direction from the many Gurus out there.

 

 In the past I have helped one our resellers develop a Visual Basic.NET NET-Hook that creates mold plates based on sizes selected from a library and applies roughing and finishing operations for dowel holes, bushings, sprue holes, overflows, flash and so on, so it's certainly possible. In that case there was no existing geometry the NET-Hook created it all but you would be a step ahead if you already have the part geometry. Using a layer scheme to separate operations would be the typical approach and with a DXF or DWG file output from AutoCAD would be easy enough.

[Teh Bear without Brains kinda idiot]

Forget about FBM you nees to try ATP

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ATP (Automatic Toolpathing) overview

 

Automatic Toolpathing (ATP) is a Mastercam NET-Hook that automates the process of assigning toolpaths to geometry for recurrent parts, such as in cabinet and closet making, by linking a strategy to specific levels (layers) containing geometry. ATP automatically scans each level and programs the geometry in each level with the toolpath types you have chosen.

Once a strategy is created, you simply choose the cutlist or files to be processed. ATP then automatically batch processes each individual part file using the chosen strategy. It then nests the toolpaths and posts the results to one or more NC files (depending on the number of sheets created).

This is especially useful in large projects with many different pieces of geometry. With a modest amount of setup, you can save valuable time by letting the software automatically find, chain, and toolpath all the elements of a job.

You can start ATP by choosing Settings, Run User Application, and then locating and opening the ATP NET-Hook file (XATP.dll). You can also easily set up an ATP toolbar with buttons. For more information, see Accessing ATP.

   

Note: Be sure to run ATP in the same product that you used to create the part files. Part files created using a Router machine definition must be processed by ATP with a Router machine definition. If you try to process them with a Mill machine definition, errors will result.

BR
 

[Teh Bear without Brains kinda idiot]

Have a look on this

http://www.mxcad.com/mastercam/customizing-mastercam-with-c-hooks-and-net-hooks/automatic-toolpathing-atp

http://www.emastercam.com/board/topic/78588-mastercam-tutorial-atp-mold-base-cabinets/

[bigprody]

Hey thanks everyone, I just ran thru the replies and will take a look at ATP. Going to be quite busy today and probably will not get to it today sofollow up questions a few days out. Again got some great insight from the guys on the forum.

 

Thanks again.

[Teh Bear without Brains kinda idiot]

Personally I even do not use ATP

My way is this :

Being now in extrusion plant doing extrusion molds that have lots of common features

I import the toolpath operations

I do not make operation library I simply select the similar looking Mastercam file

To do this change file type to MCX* and gotcha !

Same for the tool library you can use MCX* file instead of tool

library .

Saves me lots of time.

I have standartized level names

Use commands save named levels and get named levels.

So all my programming time shortens drastically .

And I aggressivly use high speed machining

HTH

[bigprody]

Ok, now that you got me thinking a bit, using a standard set of operations and merging in the geometry is there a way to use variables rather than real numbers for depths? If you could do that it would be sick for us. I could see that saving us a huge amount of programming time and streamlining a lot of things. Not sure if MC has that ability but it sure would be more straight forward than writing a hook.

[Teh Bear without Brains kinda idiot]

That` what I asked once

But anyway   you could do it quickly.

For example if we talk about final depth you can set it in many ops in one

strike using edit common parameters feature

HTH

[Mick from CNC Software Inc.]

Speaking of ATP, you map saved operations to level names, ATP can extract depths from geometry so you don't need to create operations with depths which allows for more flexibility. You have a few options.

Edited August 11, 2015 by Mick from CNC Software Inc.

[bigprody]

I don't know your name Mr. The Bear but you have a lot of good answers. Thanks a bunch. And if I ever get around to messing with hooks Mick I am sure I will be tapping you quite often.

[Thad]

I don't know your name Mr. The Bear but you have a lot of good answers.

 

His name is Alex. You think his answers are good, you should hear some of his stories of being a tank commander in the Soviet army.

[bigprody]

I have dug into this a bit. The design software that we will be receiving the solid files from is called Logopress. It runs on top of Solidworks. They have a document that addresses how they see the handshaking between design and manufacturing. So as far as holes, there take is to use the 6th decimal place to identify the hole, it gives you 9 options. So if I am to use ATP I will need to first have circle gemoetry made from the solid out to 6 places and then have a hook that moves the particular dia to a specific level. So can I work to 6 places is the first question?

[shredder]

We use prodrill as it is very flexible and very affordible!

[Teh Bear without Brains kinda idiot]

So can I work to 6 places is the first question?          

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

have a look at settings->configuration ->tolerances->system tolerance

 

HTH

[Matthew Hajicek - Singularity]

 

 

So can I work to 6 places is the first question?

 

Yes.  Look at Settings --> Configuration --> Analyze, and Settings --> Configuration --> Tolerances.

 

Edit:

 

Doh! Beaten by the Bear.  That could leave a mark!

[Matthew Hajicek - Singularity]

Does ATP work at all with Lathe?  We're doing an ever increasing number of core pins...

[Mick from CNC Software Inc.]

Matthew,

I'm afraid not as there are some limitations with Lathe and the .NET API. Having said that, how complex of a process are you using with these core pins? What is your workflow? I'd be interested to see if it was something that might be possible moving forward with the API.

 

Feel free to reply here or email me directly.

[Matthew Hajicek - Singularity]

Currently:

 

1. Look at the print or model to determine which template file to use.

2. Load the appropriate template file.

3. Import the model of the pin.

4. Orient and position the model.

5. Set file names and program number(s) based on part number.

6. Create turning profile.

7. Chain geometry.

8. Regenerate.

9. Post and setup sheet.

 

Thanks

[Mick from CNC Software Inc.]

Matthew,

 

Thanks for the infromation, I'll take a look at this today to see if its remotely possible.

 

Thanks

[crazy^millman]

Currently:

 

1. Look at the print or model to determine which template file to use.

2. Load the appropriate template file.

3. Import the model of the pin.

4. Orient and position the model.

5. Set file names and program number(s) based on part number.

6. Create turning profile.

7. Chain geometry.

8. Regenerate.

9. Post and setup sheet.

 

Thanks

 

Mastercam for Solidworks would eat this lunch.

[Mick from CNC Software Inc.]

Matthew,

 

After its all said and done I'm afraid its not possible to leverage the current .NET API in Lathe with your workflow and as your know ATP only supports Mill and Router. We have do have stories in our back log to expand our API into other modules but there is no definitive timeline at this time.