hole processing on 4th axis

[rbest27]

Ok guys I'm stumped. I've got multiple holes around a cylinder. 18 different holes with different in different locations around the cylinder. How do I get Surfcam to know I'm rotating the part without losing the original axis. The center of rotation is center of the part. 4.5 in diameter part, mulitple angles and depths. Help!

[rbest27]

ok so I've made a line thru the center of the part. I want to pick a hole and make a new view of that part in coor:view? The part is going to be rotated about .3 degrees then have two other holes 120 degrees apart. To make a view to just grab that hole what do I have to do?

[HuFlungDung]

Sorry, I don't know Surfcam at all.

However, the way I have tackled this in OneCNC is to use 4th axis wrap. FYI, this involves mapping the hole locations on a rectangular plane lying in XY. The Y side of the rectangle would equal the circumference of your cylinder, the X side would be the length.

You may have some kind of facility to unwrap a 2d wireframe, I don't So, I had to painstakingly figure out the angles of rotation and convert to cartesian coordinates as I laid out the part.

After the wrap map is done, it's quite easy after that, if you have 4th axis wrap available.

[rbest27]

wish it worked like that. Unfortunately we aren't up to date with the software and have no support. I thought maybe someone here could give me some insight on the process.

[CNCRim]

Create circle the view you are just create and rotate view side way, then Edit-> Tranform -> Copy -> Rotate .......blah blah..... 120deg that's should do it.

[bozicht]

Hi all,
First post, this is a great site. OK here goes-
Create a CView for each hole with (Z+ pointing up along hole axis. Create your drill cycle for that hole, and any other features from this plane. You can also perform any other process in this plane, z-rough, z-finish, 3-axis cut, etc. Group all of your process, from all CViews, in one setup section.
Now, when you post this section, surfcam will reference your initial world csys, CView0. This would be your work offset on the machine. If your 4th axis runs along X axis, I would set work offset as, X runs through center of cylinder, one end of cyl. would be x0, y0 would be center of cyl, z0 is center of cyl., a0 is relative to Z+.
Your post should recognize rotation of A-axis.
What type of post processor are you using? Mpost, Spost? What kind of machine?

[rbest27]

I'm running mpost with the haas4th axis post. Machine is a VF3. I have 15 holes all in different positions and depths. I'm working off a solid. Center of the cylinder is x,y,z0. I am using 2004. This part is a manifold. I placed points at each center of the holes. Tried to grab them and do all my ops but everything just comes as if the part were flat. Some of the patterns I can do an indexed array. Some are one here, one there.

So when I create a view...should I make a line running thru the center of the holes at angle they are positioned plus one line thru the center of the part? Then which process do I use, 3 point, line point, current, or normal to? I believe these are my only choices.

Welcome Bozicht!

[bozicht]

What I do is use the UV lines that make up the hole in wire frame mode. I use the end points of the UV lines across from each other, on the walls of the hole. Create a line at the top of the hole, end point to end point. Then another, 90 deg. to the first line. Now use those lines,and 3 points option,(you could also use normal, whatever you prefer for CView creation) to create the CView. X and Y don't matter, as long as Z+ is pointing up.
To verify your lines intersect in the center of the hole, make a circle,the dia. of your hole, using the intersect as the center.
If your post is correct, all should work out.
hope this helps. Let me know.

[rbest27]

Boz thank you very much that is exactly what I needed. I just needed that extra little bit of help. I've got it to grab what I want and go where I want it to go. Now to make a few layers and I'll have a program that'll be up to date and working right. I appreciate your help.

[bozicht]

Glad I could help.