Machining on Trim Fixtures

[Tim Martinez]

Question - You have a trim fixture with 2 tooling balls on it. The values on the tooling tag are in aircraft coordinates. How do you utilize those TB's in aligning the machine? I know it a novice question, but I was an inspector, not a programmer.

[Watcher]

...but I was an inspector, not a programmer.

Your life as human being just started.... :harhar:

 

Sorry, couldn´t resist!

[Thee Awbade™]

Depends entirely on the fixture itself and where those balls are located. 

 

Do you have a reliable model in aircraft co-ordinates where you could input those points to use as a datum point for your program? 

 

Also; are they straight? 1 tooling ball is kind of useless on it's own if they're not square to something, except solely to be used as a datum point for setting the tool. How would you know that the tool is aligned square to the machine? Are you using the balls for that?

 

Many questions need answered so we can give you a better answer =]

 

(Personally, I'm not a fan of tooling balls and I more often than not do not use them. I prefer pin-holes to known datum points on the machine, in series to prove squareness.)

 

 

I work entirely with trim fixtures, both using them for production and in the design/use of them. 

[mkd]

hey Tim!

programmer needs to setup a coordinate sys in cam and specify to the shop.