Can't highlight drawing for inside planar finishing

[svenakela]

I did it similar to Dan's procedure, except that I used the edges of the "bowls" as regions instead of making separate curves.
I didn't create a new tool, I used one of the existing tools in the Inch cutter library.

[williamsmotower]

I have to fire up my cad computer later and try it out... but wanted to say thank you very much for the detailed work both of you guys!

I really like your blue backround Dan, what color did yo umake the grid... same as background?

And how do I turn on that Z line in rhino?

I hope to become proffecient in Madcam and be able to help others in the future like you guys do!

[Dan B]

I had 2 posts after this one but they are gone now. What's that all about???

E-mail me and I will give you the specifics of my display settings.

Dan

[williamsmotower]

This still is not working for me.

There has to be some setting that isn't right somewhere.

[Dan B]

Can you list, in detail, the steps you are taking and what the results are? For example, you open the file, activate the part, and what happens?

If you create closed region curves and pick the appropriate icon for region curves what happens? Does the green stock block shrink to the extents of the region curve? Can you even select the curves?

Are you using a tool that's small enough to get into those areas? I used a Ø1/4 ballnose for my tests.

Are you doing all the steps, you run the path, and there are no paths?


Dan

[williamsmotower]

the first thing i do is select surfaces. it makes the green box the size of the whole part.

then i select a .375" ball nose cutter that i built in my cutter library

i then select region curves... try and click the half ovals of the part and nothing happens. it just doesnt recognise them.

[svenakela]

I just retried my test and this is what I did to get it to work, remember I run mm as standard.

1. Opened the test file I got from you
2. Highlighted the bowls and clicked the MadCAM Workpiece icon to reactivate the workpiece.
3. Selected a tool from the Inch Cutter library (had to change from mm).
4. With the halfs highlighted I ran the command Join to get complete surfaces instead of pieces.
5. Still having all halfs highlighted, ran the command DupBorder to get the edge of the bowls as polylines.
6. Now when all edges are selected, I choose Select region curves.
7. Selected 3D roughing. Toolpath generated.

[Dan B]

Let's take this one step at a time:

"the first thing i do is select surfaces. it makes the green box the size of the whole part."

good, that's right.

"then i select a .375" ball nose cutter that i built in my cutter library"

okay so far.

"i then select region curves... try and click the half ovals of the part and nothing happens. it just doesnt recognise them."

Here is where your mistake is. The "select region curves" command requires closed curves. It won't work with surfaces. You need to either do as Svenakela mentions and use the DupBorder command to extract the edges, or do as I did and just join the curves on the edges into a closed curve. I do that with a macro I made a long time ago: ! Join Crv. That will allow you to just pick the edges and join them as you go along.

Try that and see if it works for you.

Dan

[williamsmotower]

ok... we're getting there!

but now when i click simulate it seems to be locked up.

[williamsmotower]

ok, got it. pencil tracing looked the best.

it wouldnt simulate roughing for some reason. probably because cutter i use is same size as shape to cut.

[williamsmotower]

ok.. now that we got over the simple hurdle...

how i really want to cut these is 5 axis. A ball bearing is going to ride in those slots so a smooth cut is essential. (those slots are at a angle as well)

so... trunnion style machine... angle trunnion cut straight... rotate.. cut straight... repeat.

do I pick the cplane option after region curves? which cplane?

[Dan B]

You need to set the Cplane first. Don't forget to pick the icon that sets madCAM into the indexed mode. You'll also need to change the options to your style of machine.

Dan