custom tools in x9

[Born to machine]

Hi All,

Whats the secret to creating custom drawn tools in x9?

I know thay have to be dxf files but im not sure of the orientation of the tool..

Is it drawn on a centerline?

Thanks

 

[BSmith23]

Does not have to be dxf file.  can be x9 or dxf, and which way you do it makes a difference along which axis you draw your tool along and what levels are named what.  I believe that an x9 file has to be drawn along the x-axis, and yes on center, with profile only, and level names don't matter.  for the dxf however, go along the y-axis, and level one must be named CUT, and level 2 NOCUT, with cutting geometry on 1 and non-cutting geometry on 2.

 

I may have those backwards, as I don't do it often, and I always have to go back to the Tool Manager tutorial to get it right.  Someone here may be of more help than I.

 

Brent

[JoshC]

you just need to create the profile vertical from the origin, cant use any splines and cant have any hidden or blanked geometry. 

The easiest thing to do is in your mastercam, do a create new tool, find a tool that is similar to what you are trying to make custom, then edit the settings and save that tool profile to a level, once that is saved to a level you can easily edit the geometry on that level and your tool will update accordingly. 

see image attached for the button 

 

[Matthew Hajicek - Singularity]

Here's one of mine.  I always use the Mastercam file.

959515-C6.mcx-9