Force mastercam to post on the x- side for a3 axis rotary toolpath

[Leon82]

I had a fixture to make that was too big for our mx520 trunion machine. The machine has more travel in x- direction  I selected 3axis in the rotary tab, but we use camplete posting software and it is not being imported correctly.

To be clear the machine moves to y0 then stays there while xzc do the moving

So I took a 4 axis generic post and made the rotary rotate about z and got a path to post on the x+ side. I played with the home position and start angle in the machine def but it made no difference.

 

So I was able to butcher thru it by programing it 180 deg transform in z and using the tilting work plane at the machine to rotate it back.

Posting a 180 degree z rotation did not work though. I had to take the first rotary move and add 180deg to it to get the machine to stay at y0 position. This worked, but means each tool needs its TWP rotation value entered by hand.

 

I browsed thru the post and machine def and can't find a way to force it to stay x-

 

Thanks

Leon

[crazy^millman]

Can't be done that is where you must define your planes correctly. In CAMPlete you can edit the operations to force them to stay in that position and it will do what you need. I have also done exactly what you are asking do. CAMPlete 2015 doesn't support planes rotates on the same Axis of rotation when it top. Every other plane it respect, but Mastercam posts don't give you the same assurance using CAMplete. A trick I have found talking to Foghorn was telling the CAMplete software to not regenrate after every post change for the operation when doing what you are doing. Also CAMplete will not respect C axis rotations when needing to go around the diameter of a part where you want the X- output with drilling operation. You must either make them all separate operations or use a transform operation to accomplish the same task. A lot more work programming no doubt, but I will do what is needed to be assured what I send a customer has been verified. Doing it yourself. you have a lot more freedom to go about it the way you are thinking, but our group we must know what we know by doing ti a way that can prove the results encase a customer says we did it wrong. We are not perfect no one is, but Jesus. However, but doing it a way that backs up we did our best then we are covered.

[Leon82]

Thanks,

 

I had 2 paths for facing it parallel so it wasn't too bad. 

Luckily the part had no holes outside of the travel envelope.

It probably only will come up once and a while but its nice to know we could do it if needed.

I'll have to try that in camplete when I have some free time.