When setting the rotary axis, it asks if "0 degree position plane" is XY or YZ.
My rotary runs down the Y-axis (if I mount say a 2"x2"x10" board, the Y-axis is the 10")
What is the proper setting for me?
I dont understand how to determine
What soft are you using and when it asks you to enter the plane. How many axis you have?
For example in Vectric it would ask when you enter your stock size but you have two choices along “X” or “Y” and you can switch them any time just recalculate the pass after that.
Another story when you importing a 3d model in to your material - then you have more choices depends how you want to position it.
This is for 3 axis and an “A” rotary axis located horizontal in “0” degrees XY plane, so the only choice is along X or Y.
For more axis one would have more choices- YZ is vertical plane in “0” degrees position.
This reminds me of MasterCam. You can configure the post/machine such that A0 is pointing at the Y axis (3 o'clock position as you look at the face of the A axis) or A0 pointing at the Z axis (12 o'clock position).
You need to zero A axis to match the output of your Post Processor.
Any chance of a photo showing your Rotary Table mounted on the machine bed? My Rotary is perpendicular to the X axis. If it were perpendicular to Y axis I believe the Rotary would be "B" axis.
There are some youtube help with it, type in youtube search:
CAMWORKS and SOLIDWORKS CAM - 4 Axis Setup
They explained it all the way there.
How to pick rotary axis and position your part accordingly.
Good luck.
I prefer Vectric software, it’s simple and powerful. It has everything I need and nothing more. It took me about 2 hours to learn pretty much all I need.
Solidworks is excellent in every way but but simple and I cannot afford it.
yes I have followed that video and can get the A-axis to work properly.... but, what it does is rotates to the face of one plane, then 3-axis mills, then rotates A-axis to next plane, 3-axis mills.... and so on.
But it will not follow a pocket that is on a curved face.... think a spiral on the face of a cylinder. It just wants to rotate to the coordinate system home, then mills as 3-axis.
I cannot get it to mill and turn the A-axis at the same time. Machine is set to 4-axis and the post processor is set to the 4-axis 'tutorial' that comes with solidworks cam 2020
You are right, solidworks cam treats it as an indexing in the video. I don’t have this soft to check if there is any other settings.
Vectric Aspire does the same thing in raster path.
In Vectric , there are only 3 axis but if you specify the job as a rotary then it substituting one of the linear axis to drive the rotation, and creates g-code for them. A lot of people use raster (indexing) as it introduces less errors in 3d finish cuts
There is a gadget to make thread like cuts for spirals.
Here is a video with explaining:
You might try DeskProto software if you really want to spin and cut at the same time. There is no modeling there, only creating tool path. Simple to use and they have free working tryout.
What about an object with a taper? Like a pool cue.
The reason I didnt try aspire is because I want to do a spiral pocket on a pool cue... like a slinkey, a helix from one end to the other.
So the pocket would have to wrap across the edges, which seems like it might be a problem to get that lined up right.
Plus one end of the cue has a smaller diameter than the other... I just imagine this to be a complicated design if using a wrap feature.
Interesting,
I’ve never try this before. My guess, there could be several different approaches depends on if you making a single item or it’s a production.
Are you making cue from scratch and then beatifying it or have a cue that you going to use.
For a single one, I would use this technics:
He makes tapered barley twist but it would be the same for pocketing. He uses raster finish cutting which will do the job just takes a long time.
Another option is to offset back center , like you would turn tapered barrel for rifle and treat it is a strait cylinder wrap not tapered in software, but it depends on the pitch of your pattern you need to taper it to the smaller end of the cue when you design the pattern. I think this option would do the trick much faster.
If it’s a production, I would make or get a CNC lathe with a following rest.
I might try to make scaled down cue with some kind of pattern this weekend.
Do you mind posting a pic of similar thing that you are trying to make. What wood is used to make cues?
I’m clueless about cues…
I’ve tried to simulate it in Vectric and it actually came out ok.
If the spindle/cutter from the top to rase back centre to get tapered condition then just use wrap to pocket everything.
I came across the video that might help you in solidworks cam.
Basically you need mill setup where you define rotary ( wrapped pocket) and then you have rotary motion on selected axis.
Here is rthe video:
Im not getting a "wrapped feature" option on mill setup.
Just 2.5 axis, part perimeter and multi-surface
I did make sure to set Machine to 4-axis, set coord system and rotary axis.
Not sure why, but maybe this is whole problem? gotta get that to show up!
I have seen multiple other youtube videos where they also had the wrapped feature option, wonder why I'm not getting it
Maybe it’s optional when you buy it. I know vectric has different packages with different price tug.
I paid $350 for vectric v-carve pro desktop, for hobby user like me it has plenty of tools in it.
Their full version Vectric Aspire is out of my price range at this time but I’m planing to buy it in the future.
What is "0 degree position plane"?
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