continuouse 4th axis machining

[c-c-cncboy]

turmite and broken003 - and anybody else who is impelled to 4-axis solutions - yeh the book can be emailed, but it's ~2 or ~3Mb file. Mail me directly and assure me your email will accept files that large and I'll go to bat for ya. The math difficulties of 4 axis simultaneous (yeh you DO need that from time to time) and hence the software costs, are astronomical - that's why I developed my methodology, and it works for nearly all situations. So message me at cadcamcncboy@hotmail.com, maybe tell me the class of work you do (want to do ...) and I'll respond. You could add some pics if ya want. The book is around 50 pages and chock full of digital pics of rotary 3D scanning and rotary 3D milling. Regards, Terrence

[c-c-cncboy]

Oh, and I am out of your time zone so if I don't come back right away go easy on me. Terrence

[cadcam]

replicapro, why cant you get software that supports 3d machineing and do indexing to move around the head and surface and blend.

But as you put mastercam at high you want to do High end work .but you are able to do what you want with a true surface model.
We call is Rotary4ax for doing what you are asking.

If you just wanted to do 4th indexing the price could be alott lower then our level3 of MC

[replicapro]

To be honest I am confused as to what I need software wise. I guess the only real test is to set my machine up and get each program to cut the same part. Im sure after I see the final results it will help me make up my mind.

One vendor has told me their software will not do what I need and they recommended I seek out continuouse 4th axis which led me to this topic to begin with. Now everyone is saying that with some creative programing indexing can do the same as the continuouse 4th axis cutting. So the reality falls into the reality so to speak.

[cadcam]

Here is a question were are your models comeing from and in what format?
I would like to see the shap you are making.Do you have a screen shot at least or send a model.

jsut some thoughts to help with the software I sell.

[replicapro]

Right now im designing all my models in Lightwave3d. The Lightwave format is then imported into Rhino which I then can send it to any format I want. I should be building in rhino but I have been using lightwave for so many years its tough to switch.

If you look at my website www.replicaprops.com you will see the main item I want to make is my Voyagers Omni. Currently I have these being cast from Brass at a foundry, but I have made changes to the design and I refuse to send the files out to an expensive machine shop again who sits on the job for 9 months and then triples the bill at the last moment.

[cadcam]

Ok a fw years back I was asked about some programming and design for the Drak omni part you have shown.
there must be more people doing this one.
So far I do not see any thing that would need a 4th axis at this time.
I grew up with the industry with all the movies stuff around the house.

Have you gotton any bidds from other foundrys on the omni? But I can see having your own cnc and makeing them from a solid at home.

[RotarySMP]

It was mentioned already, but you really should take a look at the CNCtoolkit.
Home page - http://www.rainnea.com/cnc.htm


The reason this might interest you is that it is based on a functionality in 3sMAX/ or it's free version Gmax, which allows you to extrude a spline perpendicular to a surface.

Rather than an engineering software, GMAX and 3DMax are graphic arts tools, and therefore ideal for modelling heads etc.

Edited by Cadcam .
Sorry had to remove the link to the other user group on another board due to the Rules on CNCzone.