Hi
My boss is letting me learn feature cam. I have a violin top that I need to machine the outside edge all the way
around the violin. I used the side feature and selected all the segments around half of the violin. When I click
next I see a fence like structure around the section I picked. Then I get an error that no machining operation can
be generated due to self-intersecting geometry. Also as you can see the fence like structure was not generated
all the way around one side. Even though I selected all the side segments.
Sometimes you are better off just creating curves by selecting vertical walls. Once the curve is created you close the loop(curve), then you can select the proper machining operation.
I don't have featurecam on my home computer, but on the panel on the left, select the curves button, and then the create curve wizard.From there you can select how you want to create the curve and once you have chained the curve closed, you can then return to the features button and select create sides using curve.
Works everytime even with disconnected joints or moving across different fixtures.
I can only hope you can grasp a little bit of what I tried to explain. If you succeed, then you will really see how powerful the software can be, even if you had to create the curve for it. It opens up a new door in Featurecam. One that seems to have no limit, but is limited, only by your imagination.
Good Luck.
Hi Henry
Thanks for the help. You pointed me in the right direction. I got the curves generated via the curve wizard. Then I picked new feature
and selected the side curves. This is so I can profile the perimeter of the violin. In the new feature section I picked the curve and it turned to green.
It looks like it runs all the way around the part .The problem: Profile curve must lie in the xy plane. I have no idea what that message means.
Here is a screen shot. Is the problem because the curves are not on the same location or plane all the way around the perimeter.
When creating a new curve, I think if I remember correctly, you can select top view and click on the geometry you are trying to capture.
There should be a option to auto extract all curves, and it brings them to the top of your part.
You are on the right track. Just keep trying out the different options.
Sorry I can't help you more, I'm on vacation and away from work computer.
Hi
Thanks again. Hope your having a great vacation. I did try to select from the top view. Its strange,sometimes you cannot
get the mouse to select the edge. When I rotated the view I could select the edge. This software is a bit tricky.
Have you tried the "Chain pieces of geometry into a closed boundary" strategy? It shouldn't be so complicated. What version are you using. In the help file they explain the different options.
Maybe check out Youtube for some help also.
Good luck in anycase.