Having trouble programming this part...We're trying to do this part in 2 ops..
want to do the angles on both sides of this part at the same time from center of rotation of course but I'm having trouble figuring it out...Any help would be appreciated...Everytime I try a pocket path I keep getting boundary does not lie in construction plane...I was hoping I would be able to use a standard path with the solid and be able to use the rotary axis function ,but no such luck..... I'm stuck!

Thanks...

Oh by the we're useing version 9..

I just guess you need to create boundary for every rectangle pocket before create toolpath

Shouldn't the part be made so the pockets are in the top plane?

That message means that your Cplane/Tplane or your geometry is not square to the axis. You cant cut a tilted pocket. How did you set your CPlane/Tplane? Does it reference the same geometry your trying to cut?

Mike Mattera

I just figured that out....can I rotate the part so the pockets are square and than create the new Cplane/Tplane by selecting those as an entity and than create the tool path...I was just thinking there was an easier way to do this by doing a pocket path and having it rotate on the b axis...

No, you dont want to rotate the part. When you create the Cplane/Tplane its telling Mastercam where the new toolpath should be (i.e. the angle between). Have you had any training on creating Cplanes/Tplanes of doing 4th axis toolpaths?

This contains everything you need to do 4th axis work.
http://www.tipsforcadcam.com/product/TFM-CDRotaryV9


Mike Mattera

The rotary axis stuff on cylinders is pretty easy...,but I don't want to make a bunch of work offsets for each angle...I shouldn't have too....I want one work offset...there are a total of 22 pockets on this part, that's not practical to have so many work offsets on one part...it's not like their at different angles...I have your cd on the fourth axis stuff and it doesn't cover this....unless I'm missing something..., but what I'm trying to do is complete all the angles in one operation...all front angles and rotate around and finish all the back side angles. What I see the portion that covers multisided toolpaths are blocks with multiple workffsets...I want to make this part with one workoffset from center of the part...It maybe easier to progam with multiple workoffsets...but it seems more of a pain to set-up...I rather have the trickier part be on the programming side and quicker up time on the machine.

I wonder what the best way to do what you are describing is without creating lots of work offsets. I can't look at your file till Monday. Translate-Rotate? Macros? Someone really needs to do an Advanced Rotary and Contour video as a follow up Mike's intro video to help us mortals. :)

Well Chuy for what it is worth that is the way I would do the part. I have not seen the part, but if I were doing this part I would do it that way. All you need to know is where a reference point is from the center of the tombstone to the mounting surface of the part and put the part in that place in Mastercam. Use one workoffset program all the pockets making them all G54 and done. Not that big of a deal.

Chuy,
like Crazy thunder said it is easy to set one offset, but you may have to set the plane wcs not fixture for each pocket to machine each pocket toolplane from the one G54 offset. Unless the toolplanes for each pocket are the same angle then you will only have to set the toolplane once per side.
Steve
www.cad2cam.net

Ok I figured out the c/plane t/plane part of it, and they are at the same angle, now I notice when I hit the F9 key to dislpay my cross hairs I see that they are at a different position then the wcs....from my main geometry, how can I move them so they all come from the same position? I want every thing relative from the same point..

The best way is take the base C-plane and rotate it to the desired angle then use it to drive the operation. If the 1st angle pocket is 22.675 from the front view then rotate that c-plane about the Z axis 22.675 and now it is at the same X0,Y0,Z0, but just a different A.

G54 is 0,0,0
all pocket wcs coordinates should be 0,0,0 they should not different numbers.
Steve
www.cad2cam.net

G54 is 0,0,0
all pocket wcs coordinates should be 0,0,0 they should not different numbers.
Steve
www.cad2cam.net

okay so when you create the new view it automatically associates and shifts the coordinates? and to have it associated with the the original wcs just uncheck that box and make it , 0,0,0?

Yes. If you have the geometry, you create the Cplane/Tplane using that geo. But your 0,0 doesn't have to be at the intersection of the geo. In the video examples I generally put the 0,0,0 on the face somewhere, but it doesn't have to be. You can put it ay the Abs table center.

Mike Mattera

Chuy
Yes this is what you need, remember where z0 when programming and watch the incremental buttons they like to turn on for no reason in v9.
Steve
www.cad2cam.net

Okay I believe I got...Looks good when I verify it..thanks for you help guys!

Yes. If you have the geometry, you create the Cplane/Tplane using that geo. But your 0,0 doesn't have to be at the intersection of the geo. In the video examples I generally put the 0,0,0 on the face somewhere, but it doesn't have to be. You can put it ay the Abs table center.

Mike Mattera

A little off topic, but something I noticed during backplots of these paths...My toolholders are huge! how can I change the size of them

You cant. Is this a very small part. or are you in metric?

Mike Mattera

I have been practicing with this part a few day's now & with the tip's here have been able to figure out how to set my c-planes correctly for each window, front & back. Have been able to chain one pocket to do tool-path's, for just the one pocket. Here's where I'm stumped. I would like to know how to correctly copy & paste my operation's on my one chained pocket & do all the rest without having to select each pocket, one by one & have to repeat the process over & over again , if this is possible. I think this is possible , but I don't know how to copy & paste operation's to multiple X0,Y0,Z0 position's. Thank's, Harold.

Toolpath - Transform.

By The Way: If any one is looking for all the answers to these Rotary & Indexing questions in one place. The answers are here....
For X
http://www.tipsforcadcam.com/product/TFM-CDRotaryX
For V9
http://www.tipsforcadcam.com/product/TFM-CDRotaryV9


Mike Mattera

OK, Mike, I'll take your word on that. I have some of your CD's including the rotary one. Great stuff. Have learned a lot. Can you direct me a little more & I'll go dig for myself. Is the info I'm looking for in the Horz. or Vert. part ? Thank's. Harold

OOps ! Did not see toolpath-transform. I'll try that. Thank.s Mike ! Harold

The Horizontal Tombstone example (3 parts on one face) should show you how to copy the toolpaths (Transform) to multiple sides and increment the fixture offset numbers. Hope that helps.

Thanks for your patronage,

Mike Mattera

Many Thanks, I enjoy your CD.s & have reviewed them many times. Hope you keep em coming. I'll get on this this week-end & get it sorted out. Harold