Stock set-up for a casting.

[Technical Ted]

Hopefully this isn't difficult, how do you take a 2d drawing in MasterCam lathe & use this for the stock set-up? I swear I did this before but can't figure it out now.

[Superman]

You left out what version you are using ?
so the info may be a bit vague at the moment

but
there are 3 methods

- create a solid on a seperate level and select that solid as your stock.
- create a file that only has the stock in it. Then select that file.
- under stock, select revolved stock, select the chained entities you want to revolve, and the axis you want it rotated around

[Technical Ted]

X3 - I used method #3 & it worked like a charm after fixing a few mistakes in the drawing. Thanks!

[Technical Ted]

I'm now trying to set up the stock by using method #2. Where do you enter the file name for the stock drawing?

[Superman]

I should have been a little more clearer about "a file"

It has to be a STL,
- you can create a model of the stock ( stange shapes, semi machined items, even use a STL from verify etc ), and do a "Save as" or "Save some", select the file format you need. The "options" button is where you go for the accuracy settings.

notr-- too fine an accuracy may top out your memory or really slow down your PC, always use a value relative to what you are doing. a coarse setting is good for stock representation or for a remachining operation.

STL files are a series of triangles knitted together to display a surface or solid, ( a cube will have 12 triangles ( 2 on each flat face ) , anthing with fillets and radiis will be much, much higher.
A sphere can be made to look like a polygon ( coarse settings ) or a golfball ( fine )

The value you use is how big these tiangles can be made, and still represent the shape

Normally, mastercam uses about a 0.002" setting, which could be classed as a semi-fime
- I've gone up to a 0.020" - 0.040" for creating a file for stock
when you use a STL for stock, Mcam does shade it & you can ( I think ) adjust the transparency of it )

Note2-- if creating a STL file at the end of a Verify session, make sure you have set the accuracy before running, it cannot be adjusted at the end when you need to save the STL.

[John_B]

I do this alot, almost all I machine is castings. I prefer to just put the stock profile on another level in the same file. That way I can easily adjust the stock if things change (as they often do with castings).