Results 1 to 5 of 5

Thread: Help - Problems with Z coordinates in g code

  1. #1
    Registered
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    2
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Help - Problems with Z coordinates in g code

    Hello-
    Our small company just recently purchased a new Haas TM-2 mill. We are all fairly new to the CNC machining area and need some help. We are trying to mill out a female die pattern out of a block of PVC Plastic that will then be cast into a different metal. The pattern is basically an open ended channel with some curve and shape to it. We designed the part in Solidworks and saved it as an IGS file and opened it in Mastercam X. No problems there, made the tool path and sent it to the post processor. One issue we had at first was the H and the T values didnt match up. Dont know how to change this in the program so I did it manually. The biggest problem is that we clamped the plastic down,went through the proper set-up procedures on the machine and start the machine and it wants to cut 6 inches or so above where it should be. I looked at the G code after and sure enough the line after the G54 line says Z6.018 which is the height of our stock in the program. the z should be clost to 0 or something i believe then slowly become more negative. the stock was not set up in Mastercam, the whole thing was drawn in Solidworks. Any ideas?


  2. #2
    Registered WayneHill's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Michigan
    Posts
    780
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0
    Look on the bright side. The tool went 6" too high

    Sounds like a machine plane offset in MasterCam is off.

    The MasterCam guru's here can help you.
    Wayne Hill


  3. #3
    Registered Linchpin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    4
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0
    If the entire program ran at 6.018 above the part, just make a -6.018 Z offset in G54.


  4. #4
    Registered
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    50
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0
    Without looking at your program, I'd guess that maybe your tool length offset is set to 6.000. There should be a line in the program that says G43 Zx.xxx. What is the 'Z' value? I run my programs at a value of Z .100, which would be .100" above the surface of which you touch your tool off. I hope this helps. Shane.


  • #5
    Registered
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    164
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0
    Sounds to me like you have set the stock to 6.018" thick in Solidworks, which has transferred across into Mastercam. When you have set your job up, Z Zero and toll offsets were set from top of job, rather than machine table as defined in Solidworks.

    Simplest fix would be to set the top of the job as zero in Mastercam.

    Of course, this is assuming that you have set your offsets correctly.

    Regards, Oz


  • Posting Permissions


     


    About CNCzone.com

      We are the largest and most active discussion forum from DIY CNC Machines to the Cad/Cam software to run them. The site is 100% free to join and use, so join today!

    Follow us on

    Facebook Dribbble RSS Feed


    Search Engine Friendly URLs by vBSEO ©2011, Crawlability, Inc.