[kutter]

HI,

I've gone thru all the help files and video I can find in an attempt to have Camworks mirror the toolpaths to another vise.
I've got it to just cut another part on the vise with the same program but it cuts one complete part and then the next. I would, of course,
like it to cut both features on the 2 parts with tool one and move on to the next feature with tool 2, cut both parts, and so on.

The only way I can see is to mirror the whole part at it G55 (using G54 as part one) and then re-program the whole thing. Not very handy.

Any thought would be appreciated.
Regards,
Jeff

Camworks 2014, Solidworks 2013, Haas Mini-Mill.

[acannell]

HI,

I've gone thru all the help files and video I can find in an attempt to have Camworks mirror the toolpaths to another vise.
I've got it to just cut another part on the vise with the same program but it cuts one complete part and then the next. I would, of course,
like it to cut both features on the 2 parts with tool one and move on to the next feature with tool 2, cut both parts, and so on.

The only way I can see is to mirror the whole part at it G55 (using G54 as part one) and then re-program the whole thing. Not very handy.

Any thought would be appreciated.
Regards,
Jeff

Camworks 2014, Solidworks 2013, Haas Mini-Mill.

i believe there are the following approaches to this:

1) put all the parts you plan on machining into an assembly, then make a merged "part" out of them. now make toolpaths based on the geometry that is there. this is an ugly, awkward method.

2) do it the way camworks intended, which is do to a "camworks assembly" where things are fixtured and the individual parts are recognized as individual by camworks. this is the right way, although i havent done it myself. ive done option 1) because it wasnt that bad for what i was doing. but id like to learn option 2)

3) look at this from a G code stand point, like you described, by manipulating things with G54, etc.. this basically defeats the purpose of your multi thousand dollar camworks packages ability to deal with multiple parts, and they have certainly made quite the effort to offer advanced functionality in that regard. but if thats the way you want to go, then so be it. but be aware that option 2) is the way you are supposed to do it if you want camworks, solidworks, and your haas minimill to operate together at their fullest and live the parametric dream.

have you looked at the camworks tutorial for multi-part assemblies? they were bragging about this functionality back in camworks 2001 and even had multiple parts in vices on the box back then..i guess you just have to decide if you want to learn how to use that set of features. i gave up on it because i was in a rush, so i just did option 1, but i shall return to it and conquer it so i may have my way with my multiple parts

[adamw]

I no longer have/use camworks but I'm pretty sure there is also either a 'pattern feature' or 'pattern operation' that might do what you want. I remember with this function you could very easily tell camworks to machine the same feature 3 times but offset 100mm to the left each time for instance. I think you should still be able to group your operations to minimise tool changes.

[fizzissist]

You can use subroutines, where you perform a single operation on G54, then on G55, then G56... and so on.
Each operation functions the same way, where you call the fixture location and run the operation, then call up the next location.
It's easy to add or subtract a fixture this way, and any change you make to the operation is automatically applied to all the parts.

The Haas manual doesn't give a lot of examples, but there's enough for you to study it and figure out the process.

[kutter]

Thanks for the input.

Am i correct in assuming that the subroutines are not a feature of camworks but have to do the altering the code in the machine?

Thanks Again,
Jeff

[jame5m28]

Depending on your post processor camworks will output main and sub programs, then all you would have to do is set your g54/55 datums,

I've seen assembly programs go from camworks straight into haas mills with no issues at all. The main dab
Vantage is the fact you can sort and organise your tooling so you don't have double the amount of tool changes!

Can you not ask for some support from your reseller?

[Japazo]

Never tried it myself, but it seems like you could split your setups to do tool1-vise 1, then tool1-vise2, then tool2-vise1 then tool2-vise2 etc for each tool. Each derived setup could use a different work offset under the setup tab. As long as your post outputs the work offset at the beginning of each operation, it wouldn't matter where it was programmed or set up in the machine as long as the work coordinate was in the right spot.

Again, Ive never tried this so don't take my word for it. It might be worth looking into though.