Newbie- LOOKING FOR BASIC INSTRUCTIONS FOR CAMWORKS

[ka9ppa]

Saturday, July 19, 2008 2:51 am

RE: LOOKING FOR BASIC INSTRUCTIONS FOR CAMWORKS

Hello,

This is my first time to post a question.

I am working on an independent study project at (unnamed) University this summer. My project is to design my part, using Solidworks, to be injection molded, create the mold around it, separate the mold and apply CamWorks to create the machine code to produce the mold Core and Cavity on a Hurco CNC mill. Once I have produced the mold, I am to produce 25 good parts using injection molding equipment.

I have designed my part, created and separated the mold, and am now trying to apply CamWorks. I have been struggling with this process all week. I am just trying to feel my way through, (I am now at the point of just using trial & error for everything), because I can find no documentation for the program and all of the students have gone home for the summer. Even in the Engineering Library there were only four books on Solidworks and none of them listed anything in the index for CamWorks.

I am getting pretty familiar with the process of applying CamWorks since I have now attempted it many, many times. (For most details I am applying 2.5 axis. On some I am applying 3 axis). One simple thing that is even messing me up is that when I run a simulation, the end mill often comes in from the bottom (with the part correctly oriented by first placing it in Isometric view), this is surely extremely easy to correct but I have yet to locate the exact place to establish the orientation. (As I said, I have no documentation to work with/from).

Some additional points that are giving me trouble include:
1) That my stock block (6061 aluminum) needs to be exactly 0.500” thick, and so I wish to make an initial pass across the top to establish this thickness and then base all following machining from there. Even this simple step is giving me trouble.
2) My part has both a deep-cut square with an island, and a deep-cut slot near the center. I am having trouble getting CamWorks to recognize these without going to extremes and machining elaborate new features for me. (For a further example, I click on the inside walls for an deep cavity, and then CamWorks tends to machine EVERYTHING else, pretty much leaving only the cavity. –This is surely simple if I only have some information).
3) These same details, as well as the perimeter of the part (to be molded) have radii around the edges but I am having a great deal of trouble (controlling) getting CamWorks to simply travel down the part (using a ball-end end mill) to create a smooth and efficient radius. Instead, it wants to zigzag across the part, giving me a radius, but inefficiently and with scallops everywhere instead of a nice smooth radius.

On the good side, tool changes, speeds & feeds, etc. are not a problem. But I sure am having trouble on the items listed above.

Any help you could offer would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks very much,

ka9ppa

[ltmquik]

Originally Posted by ka9ppa Saturday, July 19, 2008 2:51 am RE: LOOKING FOR BASIC INSTRUCTIONS FOR CAMWORKS Hello, This is my first time to post a question. I am working on an independent study project at (unnamed) University this summer. My project is to design my part, using Solidworks, to be injection molded, create the mold around it, separate the mold and apply CamWorks to create the machine code to produce the mold Core and Cavity on a Hurco CNC mill. Once I have produced the mold, I am to produce 25 good parts using injection molding equipment. I have designed my part, created and separated the mold, and am now trying to apply CamWorks. I have been struggling with this process all week. I am just trying to feel my way through, (I am now at the point of just using trial & error for everything), because I can find no documentation for the program and all of the students have gone home for the summer. Even in the Engineering Library there were only four books on Solidworks and none of them listed anything in the index for CamWorks. I am getting pretty familiar with the process of applying CamWorks since I have now attempted it many, many times. (For most details I am applying 2.5 axis. On some I am applying 3 axis). One simple thing that is even messing me up is that when I run a simulation, the end mill often comes in from the bottom (with the part correctly oriented by first placing it in Isometric view), this is surely extremely easy to correct but I have yet to locate the exact place to establish the orientation. (As I said, I have no documentation to work with/from). Some additional points that are giving me trouble include: 1) That my stock block (6061 aluminum) needs to be exactly 0.500” thick, and so I wish to make an initial pass across the top to establish this thickness and then base all following machining from there. Even this simple step is giving me trouble. 2) My part has both a deep-cut square with an island, and a deep-cut slot near the center. I am having trouble getting CamWorks to recognize these without going to extremes and machining elaborate new features for me. (For a further example, I click on the inside walls for an deep cavity, and then CamWorks tends to machine EVERYTHING else, pretty much leaving only the cavity. –This is surely simple if I only have some information). 3) These same details, as well as the perimeter of the part (to be molded) have radii around the edges but I am having a great deal of trouble (controlling) getting CamWorks to simply travel down the part (using a ball-end end mill) to create a smooth and efficient radius. Instead, it wants to zigzag across the part, giving me a radius, but inefficiently and with scallops everywhere instead of a nice smooth radius. On the good side, tool changes, speeds & feeds, etc. are not a problem. But I sure am having trouble on the items listed above. Any help you could offer would be greatly appreciated. Thanks very much, ka9ppa

First off, has the university environment changed that much since I was in Engineering School? I mean, that really sucks for a prof to say here is a project you must complete and by the way, we will give you no insight on how to complete the task. I would leave the University unnamed also.

OK, so CW is not really a part of SolidWorks. CW is an Add-in and hence you will not find any references to it in any SolidWorks documentation.

In simulation your tools are machining from the bottom. You can rotate your part 180 deg and re-run the simulation. Or, when you set up the Mill Part Setup your "Z" is in the wrong direction.

To mill your block I would create the stock profile about 0.010" above the block. You would then create a face mill operation and define the end condition as "up to stock".

Your item 2 has alot of possibilites for doing what you are intending to do. This is really indepth and would take me days to try and type to explain. I will leave you with some starters though. You will have to create contain and avoid boundries to keep CW from machining areas that you need. DO NOT USE AFR. You will end up with nothing except a big waste of time.

What you are doing takes average people a long time to learn even if they go to directed classes. It took our Team Members months to get proficient in CW and we have used numerous CAM packages.

GOOD LUCK

[josh591]

Camworks is pretty easy to use for the basic stuff but don't expect it to be automatic. You need to set up your technology database and toolcribs correctly and then you can go from part to CAM in a few minutes for even relatively complex components.

If you bought the package or your university did, then just look in the tutorial pdfs. They walk you through everything and you should be a pro in about 2-3 days.

Also, there's solidprofessor video files that I used that were great to get up and running but the cost is pretty high at like $500.

Also, they offer a directed 2 day workshop through your solidworks reseller.

Sounds like you need to insert a facing operation like the other poster said.

You're better off having a machinist make the part if it's a one off.

Camworks is also very nice in that it is pretty portable. You save everything in a solidworks part file then pick the machine to post process and it spits out the correct gcode.

That said, I can help you out in programming your solidworks file and convert all the machinable features in camworks.

Probably around $200 or so if it's not too complex and all you need then is to hit the generate gcode button and run it on the machine.

[nccs]

Every camworks comes with a good instruction in PDF look for MAnual folder in the install directory.
also CAMWorks: CNC CAD/CAM Software within SolidWorks has some good videos also try SolidProfessor - Training for SolidWorks and SolidWorks-related Products