Need Help!- 4th axis.

[neilthib]

Dose any one have examples on how to use the rotary axis (4th axis) in Part master Pro Mill? I can't seem to find any info on how to use the 4th axis. Need info on the Cad and Cam sides of it. Thank's.

[John S.]

See if you can open these two files.

[neilthib]

John,
Thank's for the examples. Do you have any examples of using the 4th axis as a index? I need to machine a round stock into a square and drill 4 ea. holes in each side. I also need to make a couple of gears on the 4th axis. Again thank's for the help.

[John S.]

For something like that I'd probably code the 4 holes then copy and paste it three more times and stitch a G00 A90 in between the first one, then a G00 A180 etc

Being lazy............

[neilthib]

Ok, Thank's John.

[az_356]

Sorry to add to this thread but I'm having similar problems with the 4th axis. After a few failed attempts to get the 4th axis going I downloaded the file John S. posted and tried it out with the Mach3 post processor. It is not adding anything in the A, just X and Y. Do you think this is a problem with my post processor or is there something I'm missing in Dolphin CAM to trigger the switch between Y & A?(I'm using the enable/disable rotary axis in John's sample). Here's the first few lines of gcode for the sample...

( Produced :- 20:11:33 Wednesday, April 13, 2011 )
( CNC File :- 00226 )
( Post Processor :- M_MACH3 )
( Part Number ID :- Nova New Cam )
N5G00G21G17G90G40G49G80
N6G49
N7T3M06 ( End Mill )
N8G00G43Z30.0H3
N9S1700M03
N10G94
N11M08
N12X46.8Y0.454
N13Z3.0
N14G01Z-1.5F50
N15X47.297Y2.107F250
N16X55.303Y14.229
N17X55.8Y15.883
N18X55.139Y17.761
N19X51.961Y21.718
N20X51.3Y23.597
N21X51.3Y78.051
N22G00Z3.0
N23X46.8Y0.454
N24Z1.5

Thans in advance!

[harley4ever]

Looks like the old Mach 3 post. Try emailing Dolphin and asking for the updated Mach 3 PP.

[az_356]

Thanks. Emailed Dolphin, got the 4th axis post and away I go.

[harley4ever]

Good to hear its working well now.