MCam X4 Plane Designation

[SteveY]

Hi,

Designed a part in Solidworks 2010. Saved as parasolid. Imported into MCam X4.
Problem is the top view in Solidworks became the back view in MCamX. trying to set toolpaths, etc doesn't function properly. How do you reassign planes in MCamX?

Thanks for the help.

[neurosis]

It may be easier for you to create a coordinate system in Solidworks that matches how you want to see the part sitting inside of Mastercam. Then when you save as a parasolid you can select the coordinate system that you want to use. The part will then import in to Mastercam orientated however you choose.

OR, If you have the solid option in Mastercam its very easy to move the solid.

[mafitch7479]

Originally Posted by SteveY Hi, Designed a part in Solidworks 2010. Saved as parasolid. Imported into MCam X4. Problem is the top view in Solidworks became the back view in MCamX. trying to set toolpaths, etc doesn't function properly. How do you reassign planes in MCamX? Thanks for the help.

or use the rotate option in MCam, under the XForm menu. That's how we usually do it, unless I feel like being fancy and putting a different coordinate system in solidworks before saving it and bringing it into MCam using that origin.

[SteveY]

Hi,


Under view drop-down, standard view the surface I want to machine is the back view. I want to make the back view the top view. Can this be done in xform rotate?

Thanks

[mafitch7479]

Originally Posted by SteveY Hi, Under view drop-down, standard view the surface I want to machine is the back view. I want to make the back view the top view. Can this be done in xform rotate? Thanks

sure, if you rotate the entire model so that the back surface is on top. That's how we do it anyway.

I'm sure there are other ways, like setting a different WCS, but I find rotating the entire model to be the easiest. You might have to change the planes in the bottom toolbar to get it to rotate around the proper axis.

It can cause issues if you need to machine multiple sides of the same model and want to keep the model coherent, but if you're only working on that side, then it shouldn't be a problem. If you're working on multiple sides in the long run, then there's probably other ways to do it so that all of the toolpaths are in the same file, but I just save it as a different file for each side. For example, if I need to cut something on the back of the part, I rotate that to the top, and save that as "back_part", and if I need to work on the right side, I rotate it to the right and save that as "right_part".

[Superman]

Find where the discrepancy is,
part drawn in Solidworks is "TOP" ?
Mastercam actve view when importing is "TOP" ?
Stock settings in the Op manager is "TOP" ?
Is the "use active view, planes, colors" button is depressed on the upper toolbar ?


To go to basics,

If you set the desired WCS and T/C planes before creating the operation, they should be carried into the toolpath operation.
If not selected, then you will have to select these before setting depths etc, before accepting the set values

The WCS should be as you have the part set on the machine
VERTICAL 4-axis M/C ( TOP view is actual top )
WCS=TOP view of the setup.....possible T/C planes are TOP & FRONT, or any "new views" that can only be rotated around the X-axis......The BOTTOM & BACK views are not correct and would have to be rotated around Z by 180° (and then named)

HORIZONTAL 4-axis M/C ( TOP view is actual top )
To get correct rotations, the FRONT view is the main view at B0,,,, RIGHT, LEFT, BACK views will fall into place and give correct B angle outputs
So the WCS is set as the TOP view of the setup, which may have to be new named view, and the FRONT of this WCS is the main face for B0 machining

Options in your instance,
1/ rotate the geometry to place the part in the correct position and use the default planes
2/ create a new WCS by rotate Gview ( bottom toolbar, LH side in Gview ) around the X axis by 90° ( if it is correctly placed),,,,then name it ( say "WCS-OP1" ), apply a new datum and work offset number if required and accept. Then you can use the WCS view manager to set, change or whatever
to suit your part

I use Gview as it doesn't create unneccessary planes done in errror, and this info can be used for all X versions of Mcam.
X4 has additional planes manipulations available

[cad01]

what superman said.

[Mike Mattera]

WCS (on the status bar, on the bottom right of the screen) - View manager
select Back plane
hit the " = ' sign on the right side to make the Cplane and Tplane equal to the back plane.

OK.

Mike Mattera

Next time draw in the Front plane in SWorks.

[SteveY]

I went into Properties - Generic Mill and choose stock setup, the top box says stock view. I changed it to "back" and it seemed to work. I ran a toolpath and it displayed and worked correctly.

I'll try the other ways.

Thanks