location?

[fastolds]

I have been playing with a friends surfcam 2003 while he is out of town. I have a part I imported in that I want to set the XY 0 in the middle of a hole and the Z0 on top. I can't figure out how to get the current location so I can move it. I am use to BobCad where I can use verify and get the current locations from my XYZ0. Do I have to do this in the surcam solids?

[Kmed]

Ohh been a while but you need to do a transfer function.. Then specify either point to point or point to location, or you can do a relative movement. Let me see if I still have my disc around. I always used the shortcut keys.

[fastolds]

I seen the transfer function and played with that but I need to know where the part is in relation to the XYZ so I can move it to the center of my hole for machining.

[pcms1965]

1. edit
2. transform
3. move
4. location
5. visible (make sure you have the whole part zoomed in)
6. center (click the center of the hole you want to make XYZ 0)
7. keyboard (make sure x=0 y=0 and z=0)
8. OK
you're done

[fastolds]

Thanks for your help. I will try that today. I tried to pick the center of the hole before and it only picks one side. How do I pick the exact center?

[Cammotion]

Originally Posted by fastolds Thanks for your help. I will try that today. I tried to pick the center of the hole before and it only picks one side. How do I pick the exact center?

Fastolds,

pcms 1965's method is the best way to do the move.........

1. edit
2. transform
3. move
4. location
5. visible (make sure you have the whole part zoomed in)

My addition: from here click "Done". You will see a secondary menu at the top of the screen with words like Sketch, Endpoint, Center, Midpoint, Intersect, Relative, etc. Choose "Center".

6. center (click the center of the hole you want to make XYZ 0)

(Don't try clicking in the center of the circle, click somewhere ON the circle itself, since you've already told Surfcam you wanted the center.)

7. keyboard (make sure x=0 y=0 and z=0)

8. OK

Another point: Pay attention the lower left corner of the screen.....Surfcam gives you information for the next step often times.

Another more cumbersome way, is to select Anylize/Location/Center, click the circle, and the window that pops up will tell you the location on the center of the hole in x, y and z. Then, you can do a translate. Hope this helps.

Bill

[fastolds]

I found that the conventional way won't work with this file. It is a spline. It is an IGES file converted from Solid works. Now I know why I am having such a hard time picking points. I haven't figured out a way to convert this to a "solid" that will make things easier. Thanks for all the help

[Kmed]

Looks like they got there before me. As far as the checking a specific location that is under the analyze - location - then select from the bar ie endpoint, center, midpoint, etc, etc. Surfcam is great in many ways. I think most of it is getting used to it. Ask more questions if you like. I might as well brush up a little ...

[fastolds]

Thanks for your reply. From what I have been told,working with a spline file is a bit more work. If you know anyway to get around this let me know. This is why I can't just pick the center of the hole to change location. When I pick something it likes to tell me no enities were picked. Is this normal for a file thats been converted to an IGES from solid works?

[Kmed]

What I would do in that instance would be to creat a 3 point circle of a different color, then just pick 3 end point of the "multiple lines" or if it is a single spline, then you can pick the end, mid and end.. Try the 3 point method first. then set your mask and delete the old spline. This will give you a perfect circle to use as a center point. so that would be create-circle-3point and then select end and just click on 3 seperate areas of the circle.

[Cammotion]

Another possibility: Create/Arc/From spline.

[fastolds]

I am going to try all of the above.This is like going from a Yugo to a Caddy. I am working on rotating the darn thing so my Z0 is on the other side. It might be easier to email the file to someone and have them go through the steps.Hum.... Anyone up for a phone consultation???