4th axis support in BobCad

[P40Sortie]

Does BobCad have 4th axis capability? Not just as a pallet changer option but also for a controlled machinable axis? I have a rotary table that I would like to use as a 4th axis and was wondering if Bobcad will generate code for it?

Thanks

[lakeside]

yes to a limted extent there are a few thread on there suport site.I never had to use this so can't help much

[bpmufx]

wow, I just dug into this as well.
This is what I got from BC Tech Supt.
1st-CAM side/Setup/Coordinates. Enter this formula into Y Scale: 180/pi/R
R actually being the Radius of your stock.
2nd-CAM side/Setup/Conversion. Click under the text in the left side window, and type
"Y". Then in the same line but in the right window type "A".

This process needs to be done for all your 4 axis work, but then undone when going back to 3 axis work. Otherwise some funky stuff will happen.

Good Luck! Please post your results, as I have not done this yet myself, but I'm told it's very reliable.

[P40Sortie]

I currently do not own Bobcad. The sales staff is really working me over about it too. They're nice enough but my poor wife is starting to get tired of the calls when I'm not home from work yet.
I was just wondering if BC would be a wise investment over some of the other software packages out there. How well do you like BC? Are you using it as a hobbie or for your company? I would be using it as a hobbie to drive my Shoptask. If it cannot produce code for a 4th axis then I'm not interested in it.
I have read on another thread that BC generates too many unnecessary moves between cuts that you need to eliminate to make your program run smoothly. Is this true? I'm also concerned that MACH III will not run the code because it is too long. Have you run into this problem? I have written some code that MACH III will not run due to the codes length (1000 lines or something).

Casey

[lakeside]

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[bpmufx]

I have not run into a limit in code length with Mach2 or 3. Have you asked Art if this is truely a limitation? It'd be good to know. But I seriously doubt that if you have a part that goes over such a code limit, that it's becaouse of a few extra paths created by BobCAD. With that said, I really haven't seen that either. But I break up my operations as separate files saved with the drawing, sometimes as many as 6 -8 Gcode files. This helps with having too long a single file, therfore helping to troubleshoot a given problem area. So maybe my workflow has kept me from reaching this limit in code you're describing.

[motomitch1]

Mach2 or 3 only runs a 1000 lines in the demo mode.
you will need the Mach1Lic file to unlock it

[Gncc50]

BPmufx;

I did this a couple of years ago and I just tried it again on Version21. What you described is pretty close. On the newer version 21 and I think 20. You don't have to do the calculation for the resultant axis. Where the block says radius just insert the radius of your part and BobCad will calculate it for you.

To try a test to see if it is calculating correctly, Sketch a circle on the screen the diameter of your stock. Right click on the circle then click on verify and you will see a chain length. This is the circumference. Draw a line starting at 0.0 in x and extending in positive Y the exact circumference or chain length of your stock.

Then write a program using the fourth axis to cut this line. It should start at 0.0 degrees and end @ 360.0 degrees. If it does you got it !

There is another thing to consider the fourth axis wont do arcs. If you are doing an engraving for example. Right click on a blank area of your screen. then right click on select. (looks like a flashlight) It will list everything on the screen, blank everything except the arcs. Then go to the 3D menu at the top of the screen then to More and then Interpolate. There will be a box there that says accuracy. The smaller you set this value the more accurate it will be (and also the more lines of code you will generate) if this value is too large. The arcs will have flats on them. After you do this right click and hit select again. Delete all of the arcs and unblank the lines from the original drawing. When you get done you should have only lines on the screen.

Then you are ready to generate code as earlier described.

Almost forgot. If your machine needs a feed rate in degrees per minute instead of inches per minute you will need a conversion script. You will have to run this on the cad side after you generate the code. If you don't the X axis will be feeding for example four inches a minute and the rotary axis will be turning 4 degrees per minute ( very slow ). Glenn at BobCad Support wrote one for me that that works great. Or I can send it to you.

I hope this makes sense. It works, on my machine a little jerky but it works.

Pete

[tobyaxis]

Mach2 or 3 only runs a 1000 lines in the demo mode.
you will need the Mach1Lic file to unlock it

Here is a link to BCC's Support Site in case you have not resolved the issue or have more questions.

http://www.bobcad.com/forums/