Curve Driven Pattern? Rotate with Z move?

[Bcasteel]

Does anyone know of a good way to pattern/transform operations for something that needs to both rotate and move along an axis. all of the cuts are the same. currently we use a translate between planes for each cut sometimes hundreds of pattern operations (also trying to prevent lots of tool changes) but i was wanting to find a better method.

[Guest]

I am thinking program 1 row, then use transform rotate for the rest?

 

Something like this?

 

It's kind of simplistic but you'll get the idea I think

 

Rotation Sample FIle

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2wlrzdpb7iowmd2/ROTATION%20SAMPLE.zip?dl=0

 

[Bcasteel]

yea that is what i was hoping to avoid 33 pockets each with a bunch of operations then circular pattern it 3 times. we make a couple parts like this each week i was just hopeful that a faster way existed in Mastercam in Solidworks its a nice easy curve driven pattern.

 

 

Also i like your signature!

[HateWhatOwnsYou]

I'm assuming you don't have mulitaxis toolpaths?

 

 

Drilling/tapped would be a cakewalk if you did. I'm also assuming your mastercam has the same capabilities as the standard software

[AMCNitro]

Cant you do what JParis did with each tool?  That way you avoid a the tool changes by running the tool on all rotations

[jlw™]

Looks like you got a few planes to set. At least two rows will have to be programmed before translation.

 

Can you share that part?

[BenK]

You can program one of the features then transform it the required distance over, then rotate the transformed operation around the part. It would get confusing quick but once setup correctly it would make editing the operations simple. 

[Bcasteel]

Yea we recently started using the multi-axis drilling operation and that has cut down on the total number of operations. Unfortunately i am unable to share the model due to company policy's

 

so from the sounds of it we probably are already doing it the most efficient way. programing one cut then transforming it to all the rest then doing the final transform but it can get confusing on some of the parts.

 

the only other idea i had was maybe with a custom post edit and using the custom parameters fields in a rotate transform i could get and axis move between each instance but that might be a question for my re-seller.

 

[Newbeeee™]

yea that is what i was hoping to avoid 33 pockets each with a bunch of operations then circular pattern it 3 times. we make a couple parts like this each week i was just hopeful that a faster way existed in Mastercam in Solidworks its a nice easy curve driven pattern.

 

 

Also i like your signature!

If you do this a couple of times a week, I'd have a template file set up with my tools/speeds/feeds/doc's etc and all depths set to inc.

Then just select the geo as per JP said and copy rotate.

 

John/Everyone - what about the ATP add-on? Would that help in any way?

Edit - would a custom CHook help - if this was that repetitive it maybe worth the time creating?

[jlw™]

I haven't used it but you may look into ATP and find something useful.

[Guest]

To the best of my knowledge, ATP is geared towards routers but designed cut cutting mainly flat panel type things....

 

Layout your flat geometry on specific levels, then those levels can be picked up and certain toolpaths then applied.

 

Think Cabinetry and all the panels required

 

I am not certain it would be of any use on something like this...

[slyym]

Does your machine have Macros? If so just loop a sub program and use a G10 (if fanuc) to add the X and A distance every time it loops.

[Matthew Hajicek - Singularity]

Yup.  Program one pocket and have a macro move your WCS.  You can check it in NCPlot or Vericut before running.

[Bcasteel]

That is a good idea I will look into the macro option.