Need Help!- V23 cutting cond/tool selection

[keen]

Hi. My learning of v23 is going well now - I am posting and doing jobs. I really like it!

One problem though. I am using the manual feeds and speeds as I cannot get the system auto to work. ( I have set up the cutting speeds and tooth load values).

Now when I edit prior to toolpath I try to select a pre entered system tool eg number 15 C endmill . The only way I can see to open the system tools is to click manual tool - opens select tool - select eg number 15 C . but the system auto feeds and feeds do not alter from the previous selection. And if the system tool button is clicked to remove select tool button (to see if that is needed) the tool reverts to tool number 1 again. And the system feeds remain unchanged.

I have watched the video on this several times, but it glosses over the selection details a bit - it does not expain this in enough depth.

[gn3dr]

Originally Posted by keen Hi. My learning of v23 is going well now - I am posting and doing jobs. I really like it! One problem though. I am using the manual feeds and speeds as I cannot get the system auto to work. ( I have set up the cutting speeds and tooth load values). Now when I edit prior to toolpath I try to select a pre entered system tool eg number 15 C endmill . The only way I can see to open the system tools is to click manual tool - opens select tool - select eg number 15 C . but the system auto feeds and feeds do not alter from the previous selection. And if the system tool button is clicked to remove select tool button (to see if that is needed) the tool reverts to tool number 1 again. And the system feeds remain unchanged. I have watched the video on this several times, but it glosses over the selection details a bit - it does not expain this in enough depth.

This may not be much help to you but I have found the cutting conditions / speeds and feeds system to be unreliable. I mainly use aluminium for my parts but I find that frequently the speeds and feeds that the system calculates are based on the soft steel settings from the cutting conditions file. I don't know if this is just because soft steel is first on the list or what, but it is definitely an unreliable system at the moment. I have fed this back to Bobcad so hopefully they are working on it.
I have seen a suggestion on the BOBcad support forum that someone else always changes the material type and then changes it back to whatever they are working with before they start to do anything in the CAM tree.

[keen]

Thanks gn3dr. yes I sense it is not quite right - you know, when the system responds illogically or erratically to input it seems like it is not fully sorted yet. Shame, because V23 is so damn good in many ways. I will stick with manual feeds and speeds until i hear more....Thanks.

[laserkey]

They seem to be a little wierd the way they set them up . It does work you just need to go to your cutting conditions and set each condition different . So that you can see how they corespond to each other .
It does read from the correct file, although they did not make it clear.
If need be call me at 2819326526. Be careful there are some things to watch for in the hs machining.

[laserkey]

Also i do let the machine calculate my speed and feeds.

[keen]

Thanks Laserkey. Glad to hear it is working for you. I cannot call as ex NZ our rates are crazy. but I will try again and post a more specific question.

[keen]

I am getting closer to the issue. I will try to explain briefly....

The issue seems to be the spindle speed does not change between the same diameter cutters but different cutter type/settings.

Under cutting conditions I set up a user define material 'P20' and two 6.0mm end mills. number 1 carbide with sf 80 m per min and number 15 HSS with 20 m per min - same chip load.

Now in editing when I select alternately number 1 then number 15 I see the feed rate changes! progress! I was previously watching the spindle speed for change. But it does not change? I does if I select a cutter with a different diameter. I tried setting different tooth loads between number 1 and 15 but still the spindle speed does not change?

Am I missing a setup step or is the software not working?

[laserkey]

The only way the spindle speed i believe changes is if the end mill is over
.150 thounds so basicly 0.0 - .150 dia. are one speed and .150 dia. and up will be the next speed .
what i have found is the only parameters that work in the cutting conditions
so far since i really checked are lines 1 and line 4 in the cutting conditions.
which are rough rough and finish finish. What i did was set up my tools for my carbide which is all i use. Then if you want to use high speed then drop your cutting speed and spindle speed to about 70% on both and you will be write about were you want to run. Sorry i checked the cb rough, finish, and so on and there not coinciding . I dont like that it sets the tool number for each tool as you put them in the system. I just rather configure them at the end or as we set them up in order.

[keen]

Thanks again laserkey. Surely BCC needs a 'cutting speed' input field in order to calculate spindle RPM. 'Surface feed' and 'chip load per tooth' just cannot give the information needed. I am going around in circles so I have emailed BCC support about this. Will get back to you.

[laserkey]

Always set your cutting condions to the highest that the tool recomends.
Then you can always lower the percetage rate. I always programed from rpm and feed rate . Now i have been learning to run surface speed and feed per tooth. This will be more effient in the long run because we have started machining in 10000 rpms. This is hard to calulate correcly. Let me know what bobcad says
thanks.

[moldmker]

Originally Posted by keen Thanks again laserkey. Surely BCC needs a 'cutting speed' input field in order to calculate spindle RPM. 'Surface feed' and 'chip load per tooth' just cannot give the information needed. I am going around in circles so I have emailed BCC support about this. Will get back to you.

The SFPM (surface feet per minute) is the cutting speed.

RPM = (3.82 x SFPM) / Cutter Dia.

IPM feed = chipload per tooth x No. of teeth x RPM

It's all there, but the Bobcad cutting speeds are insanely conservative.

The chipload only needs small adjustments (<.001") to make a big difference in feedrate.

Laserkey gave good advice on going heavy on cutting cond. speed and feed and drawing it back with the % over-ride.

moldmker

[keen]

Thanks moldmker. Yes it would make sense if SFPM stood for (Cutter) surface (speed in) feet per mimute. That would make sense.

But I took it to mean 'surface feed per minute'. Because in the metric option it is called sf mm/m - that must be 'surface feed' in mm per minute - it cant be surface feet per min!

I await bobcads reply.