Stock Model Management

[Alan L]

Single Phase

I take it that stock model management is going to grow into more of the job types? Will it be in all of them?

There are a few ways to look at Stock Model Management.

It is currently an input to the arbitrary stock roughing routine. Enter as input a milling area and a starting stock condition, tolerances etc etc, and create toolpaths. A resulting stock can be calculated from within the cycle (check box).

Alternatively, after any cycle, you can go to the browser, right-click, utilities, Generate Stock Model. Two file formats are allowed (stl and vis). VIS is a bit more efficient. Both can be used in hyperVIEW. Be careful that a stock model file resulting from a finish operation can be quite large.

Yes, more cycles will utilize stock model. The 3D rework (Expert bundle) and 5x rework cycle can use a stock as a boundary to trim toolpaths.

And the forthcoming mill-turn cycles will also have stock model capability.

[single phase]

Thanks AL

I have played with the Stock Model Management recently and it is very useful.

Yes as you point out any cycle can create a stock model. But not in a chain of cycles because as you know only "arbitrary stock roughing" can read in a stock model and act on it.

It would be cool if hyperView VIS output could be converted to a stock model.

I machine a billet from one end with a great many job steps of almost every major kind (rough, finish, drill and user defined). Then I flip it over and slide it into a fixture. Then I attack it from this other end by first cutting away the bulk of the billet that remains. This is where I would use it.





Cheers
Dave

[Alan L]

Also regarding stock model management,

In the job browser, lower section, you will see some model definitions - part model, starting stock, and resulting stock - for a given job. You can see the models within hyperMILL by activating/deactivating the lightbulbs to the left of these models.

Of course, you can also see the models in hyperVIEW.

And the stock models are frame-independent. So when you flip your stock to cut the second half, you can use the stock model resulting from the previous step.

This can simplify UI selections of top/bottom since the Z values are depending on the current frame. And of course it can make more efficient instructions since it will detect what has already been machined.

[Doug W]

Dave

It is possible to convert a .vis file to a stock model.

After simulation in hyperVIEW, save the result. Create a new stock model and select the previously saved file as your stock.

[single phase]

Thanks guys.

Simulating cutting the stock from multiple frames is just what I need. And to be able to use the "arbitrary stock roughing" on the subsequent frames is just icing on the cake.




I go on to put this part on a rotary 4th axis and cut it from several more directions. So this will really help me a lot.


Cheers
Dave

[Blowby]

You can also simulate the array that is being used with your fixture in hyperVIEW. I just arrayed in X for this example to match your direction and method.

[Blowby]

Duplicate

[single phase]

Blowby tried to post to this thread two times and it did not show up! I got the email notifications of his posts yet it is not here!!!!!!

Would some admin please look into this problem. Is he locked out for some reason?


Cheers
Dave

[single phase]

The following it a copy of Blowby's post that cam to me in email:


You can also simulate arrays (in your post above) within hyperVIEW using Toolpath Edit to configure the spacing in X or in Y also. I created an example with one of my toolpaths in the direction you are using.

Image: http://www.cadcamsystems.com/graphics/Nest-4b.jpg

[Blowby]

I think the image might have been to large. Maybe the forum has a size limitation but I'm not sure.

The reply to your post was that in hyperVIEW you can also simulate the fixture machining as I was showing in the image. I created an array in the same fashion as you posted in your picture above. Using ToolPath Edit allows the array in X or Y or any combination then the toolpath is saved for hyperVIEW or your controller. Optimization of tools used is automatically sorted in the save function.

[single phase]

Blowby

Wow your two old posts just now showed up!


As for arraying that toolpath 6 times it is not feasible for a few reasons. It is almost too large to begin with so 6 times bigger will not fit. If it would fit I still would not do it because it would take many hours to verify the code on my machine tool. And lastly and most importantly I adjust the six user coordinate systems independently for any error that occurs when you reset the fixture or move the vises or if there is thermal expansion. It is practical to adjust the coordinate system on the machine tool because it is safe and I do not have to type numbers into a computer in the other room and wait hours to reload the program.

If you look at my "TOOLPATH.POST Lite is gone" thread you will get more detail about my use of this kind of setup and a gripe I have about Open Mind dropping the "TOOLPATH.POST Lite" utility. As far as I can tell they need to ad a new S/W switch.

I am amazed and glad to see all the new functionality in HM9 but they have overlooked something that causes me great grief.

Cheers
Dave

[Blowby]

I understand you reasoning with controller memory limitations and high tolerance parts.


This was a viewing verification tool that might be of interest to other hyperMILL users reading these posts and has been asked by a few users in my area.

I have gone through all your posts and I understand your gripe but if you look at all the advances in hyperMILL since '01, I would give up hyperPOST Lite in a minute......We talked November 2001 about hyperMILL and some of your issues at that time if you remember.