Check / Drive Surfaces help..

[niggle]

Hi, I'm trying to machine out a cutter head which has a drill point at the centre of it (see model). I've imported the model from solidworks 2009 into mastercam X3, but i'm not sure how to select the check / drive surfaces to machine the shape I want. Everything I click on doesn't seem to select? Do I have to redraw the profiles in mastercam -is there a 'convert entities' button like there is in solidworks?

If you're looking at the model what I want to do is to rough with a 4mm ball nose and finish with a 2mm ball nose the center drill point and the four outer cutting blades. Don't need to do the 'rake' of the cutters as this will be done in another op, just the top of the blades.

cutter.zip is the MCX file
model.zip is the Solidworks File

Any help is much appreciated,


Cheers,
Nigel.

[Limpan]

Hi, you can use Surface Finish Parallel on both rough and finish cuts if you want. As drive surfaces you can just click on the model (all surfaces will be selected) and instead of selecting check surfaces you can specify depth limits in the finish parallel parameters menu. Also specify a "stock to leave on drive" in the rough operation. I hope this will give you a toolpath to start with.

Limpan

[Superman]

[QUOTE=niggle;759337] but i'm not sure how to select the check / drive surfaces to machine the shape I want. Everything I click on doesn't seem to select? Do I have to redraw the profiles in mastercam -is there a 'convert entities' button like there is in solidworks? QUOTE]

No,
You have imported a solid model of the part.
There is yet no surfaces on screen for your operation to select
--this is the default opening selection mask
You must enable the "Activate Solid Selection" icon ( and then set the selection criteria ( edges, surfaces, and/or solids ) to be able to select features from the solid model

Another option is to "Create surfaces from solid" and then be able to actually select the surfaces

[foxsquirrel]

can you post the .mcx file, I cannot unzip anything here. Its hard to diagnose the problem without the file.

[foxsquirrel]

[quote=Superman;760729]

Originally Posted by niggle but i'm not sure how to select the check / drive surfaces to machine the shape I want. Everything I click on doesn't seem to select? Do I have to redraw the profiles in mastercam -is there a 'convert entities' button like there is in solidworks? QUOTE] No, You have imported a solid model of the part. There is yet no surfaces on screen for your operation to select --this is the default opening selection mask You must enable the "Activate Solid Selection" icon ( and then set the selection criteria ( edges, surfaces, and/or solids ) to be able to select features from the solid model Another option is to "Create surfaces from solid" and then be able to actually select the surfaces

I agree with how you on going from a solid to surfaces that seems to be the problem. Sometimes the High Speed tool paths disregard the check surfaces and containment boundry. If you are looking at a wire frame it is impossible to pick the surfaces. Alot of times MCAM must be restarted because it will not change line colors while chaining and the surfaces it picks look odd.

[Superman]

Originally Posted by foxsquirrel Sometimes the High Speed tool paths disregard the check surfaces and containment boundry.

This doesn't sound normal, your settings may be your problem.
Containment is exactly that, the settings control how far the t/path is restricted in respect to this selected boundary.

If you are looking at a wire frame it is impossible to pick the surfaces.

Depends on your CAD experience, AND how big the surfaces are

Alot of times MCAM must be restarted because it will not change line colors while chaining and the surfaces it picks look odd.

Again, not normal mastercam, unless you are not "Clearing screen colors" after Xforms, are your entity colored red or pink ?
then
This could be a bug, depending on your Mcam version and update


PS the MCX file is in the #1 post and it downloads as a compressed folder to your desktop if you just open it

[foxsquirrel]

Originally Posted by Superman This doesn't sound normal, your settings may be your problem. Containment is exactly that, the settings control how far the t/path is restricted in respect to this selected boundary. Depends on your CAD experience, AND how big the surfaces are Again, not normal mastercam, unless you are not "Clearing screen colors" after Xforms, are your entity colored red or pink ? then This could be a bug, depending on your Mcam version and update PS the MCX file is in the #1 post and it downloads as a compressed folder to your desktop if you just open it

Where do you find the settings for clearing screen colors after Xforms? This seems odd because sometimes it works and some times it does not.
X3 is our current version.
Opening a .zip is not permitted, I wrote the company computer policy and adhere to it myself, hard to fire myself.

[Superman]

Originally Posted by foxsquirrel Where do you find the settings for clearing screen colors after Xforms? This seems odd because sometimes it works and some times it does not.

"Clear Colors" is on the upper menu toolbar under "Screen" or on the "Utilities" toolbar, it gets rid of the red (Xform Group ) and pink ( Xform Result ) colorings

Opening a .zip is not permitted, I wrote the company computer policy and adhere to it myself, hard to fire myself.

Bit harsh on a ZIP folder, most try to control an .EXE .COM etc file that is executed on the PC.
A .ZIP folder is just a compressed folder for a smaller package to upload / download

To by-pass this, many may alter the extension to one that is acceptable for attaching ( ie change the .MCX to .TXT or .DOC ) and state that you did this in your posting

[foxsquirrel]

Originally Posted by Superman "Clear Colors" is on the upper menu toolbar under "Screen" or on the "Utilities" toolbar, it gets rid of the red (Xform Group ) and pink ( Xform Result ) colorings Bit harsh on a ZIP folder, most try to control an .EXE .COM etc file that is executed on the PC. A .ZIP folder is just a compressed folder for a smaller package to upload / download To by-pass this, many may alter the extension to one that is acceptable for attaching ( ie change the .MCX to .TXT or .DOC ) and state that you did this in your posting

The effect I am getting is just like toggling the auto highlighting. Its almost like that setting is getting changed and will not turn on again until the program is restarted. When I first called our rep a year or so ago they said to reinstall the .NET stuff.