[machinecrasher]

Hello, I drew up on object in solid works and am trying to tool path it. I am new to mc and can tool path 2D, but have never done 3D. Thank you for any help yall can provide. Forgot to mention, I am using the x5 educational version.

[Rstewart]

Well, that's asking a lot on a forum for such a generic question but I'll give it a go.

First: Have you imported the file into MC from SW? .stp, .iges, or SWformat?

The first thing I usually do after I have my solid in place is to Create Curves from the solid and place them on another Level. A lot of times this will let you use the wireframe to chain 2D paths unless your part has Zero 2D work to be done......

You will then want to create your stock boundary depending on what kind of stock shape your model requires.

Most of the time you will need to work with containment boundaries to make the most efficient toolpath. Sometimes I use the X-form Project icon to "project" my curves I created earlier to a flat 2D plane and use the wireframe for my containment boundaries.

That's enough to get you on the right path before actually adding toolpaths to your model. Just read through the help files on all the Surface and Surface High Speed toolpaths to see how they work.

[machinecrasher]

Thank you for the help. Is there a way to post a picture of the object on here? I cant remember what file i imported it as. I believe it was the standard parts file. Once again, thank you for the help.

[Rstewart]

You can take a Screen Shot of your part, and attach the file here with your next post.

[machinecrasher]

Here is the part that I am trying to tool path.

[cyclestart]

I haven't used mc in years and should probably butt out (fools rush in etc)
but.....

The part looks like it could be done with a 2.5D strategy if some small filleting of sharp internal corners is acceptable. A fourth axis would be handy to avoid manually repositioning the piece several extra times.

The gurus may have a slicker approach.

[Delw]

Simple part with out a cadcam system even can me made on manual machines.


do lathe work
then put in vice and cut the first flat with the holes and stuff.
then tunr 180 degrees and do the same then turn 90 degrees and do the same then turn 180 degrees and do the same and your finished

On a 4th axis or manual rotary head, make one program, locate on back OD cut one index 90 degrees cut other index 90 degrees cut othere index 90 degrees cut other and done.

from what i can see the part has NOTHING to do with 3d whatso ever

[machinecrasher]

Ya, thought about using a manual machine to do it.

[cadcam]

but if you have a CNC and cadcam why would you do it on the manual machines as it is faster on the cnc and easier?

[Delw]

I wouldnt I would just run it on the a axis,/rotary table, write one side and index it. for the angles I would index 45 egrees than 90s after that,
I wouldnt even consider doing 3d work on it as its a waste of time.

By looking at what the guy said who posted it he was trying to figure out how to do it 3d, That tells me he has little to no experiance in machining and is relying on mastercam to figure it out.

[cadcam]

I wouldnt I would just run it on the a axis,/rotary table, write one side and index it. for the angles I would index 45 egrees than 90s after that,
I wouldnt even consider doing 3d work on it as its a waste of time.

By looking at what the guy said who posted it he was trying to figure out how to do it 3d, That tells me he has little to no experiance in machining and is relying on mastercam to figure it out.

O agree with this and understand what you are stating.

[machinecrasher]

I dont have any knowledge of machining. The Solidworks and Mastercam classes I am taking are my first machining classes. I have come up with a welding background so wanted to add machining to it also. I have no actual intro to cnc so the only coding I know, is what Mastercam post for me. I took my measurements from solidworks and redrew the part in mastercam in 2d and them tool pathed it out. Thanks for the help. I figured it was 3d since it was a solid on Mastercam, but after posting the first thread, I have learned from the book I am using for Mastercam, that 3d is something different. Thanks for the help and sorry for my noob terminology.

[Delw]

Dont worry about the terminology, I been doing this for almost 30 years and still cant term everything correctly.

Heres the problem with 99% of the guys who are new and use mastercam. they dont have a clue about machining nor do they have a clue about programming but they can make Mastercam do things guys with lots of experiance can't.
heres an example.
Back in the early 90's I needed someone to draw up MOT/Operation sheets, as I or my employees just didnt have the time. My wife decided she would do it and went to school for like 2-4 years for autocad. she was a freaking Genious except not in the machining world. I used to argue with her and her instructor on what the hell were they teaching her, cause it was useless in the real world well at least thats what I thought.
come to find out and it took me years to understand it that they taught her the program and how to use it and I mean how to use it extreamly well. She was the top 2 in here class. She had job offers coming out the ass( should have let her take them( for the city, the state and some huge firms). she could use all the marcos and LISP'S" I dont know acad but its that little program you write to creat stuff.
the only thing she couldnt do is draw parts is real life, IE a 1/2" dia part would be maybe 4000 inch's however everything was proprotional. I liked to have it in actual size and the locatiosn as z 0 x 0 y0 etc etc. that way when I opened the file if I need to stack some dims I can, but I couldnt with er stuff even though on the operation sheets the parts were all dims and proportional. I ended up haveing to re tech her so to speak in making everything to scale the first time and not just draw lines and scale when finished. ( partly my bad as I am very anal about how things are done. but I had to look at her files which started the whole mess LOL.

Anyway. My best advice is learn how to program by hand , run a machine before you start using mastercam or any software. you have to know what to put into it in order for it to work properly. ( this is the problems with tech schools) of you dont know feeds and speeds or depth of cuts your program maybe great but the people running the jobs are going to kill you.
the best programmers are ones who learned machining from manual lathes and mills then went to cncs then went to program, theres a reason for that Experiance.
dont forget anyone can draw pictures theres only a few that can take that picture and apply to to a machine and make it work at its optimal(sp) performance.

Delw

[emonje]

..... run a machine before you start using mastercam or any software. you have to know what to put into it in order for it to work properly.

Delw

So very true.

I teach Mastercam (not very good myself but there's just no one else around these parts) & most of the time the people who come here to learn don't know the difference between an endmill & a drill.

On topic, you are not really going to try machine this thing right? As far I can see it's only around 1.5" long & you've selected a HMC. Not good combination IMO.

You don't need to redraw in Mastercam if you've already imported SW model. any solid "3D" model can be used for 2D toolpath just as easily.

[machinecrasher]

I was planning on it. The piece is 2 inches long, but half and inch will be turned down on a lathe. What its going to be, is a muzzle brake for a shotgun. Its just suppose to look cool and give me a little experience machining.

[cadcam]

Dont worry about the terminology, I been doing this for almost 30 years and still cant term everything correctly.

Heres the problem with 99% of the guys who are new and use mastercam. they dont have a clue about machining nor do they have a clue about programming but they can make Mastercam do things guys with lots of experiance can't.
heres an example.
Back in the early 90's I needed someone to draw up MOT/Operation sheets, as I or my employees just didnt have the time. My wife decided she would do it and went to school for like 2-4 years for autocad. she was a freaking Genious except not in the machining world. I used to argue with her and her instructor on what the hell were they teaching her, cause it was useless in the real world well at least thats what I thought.
come to find out and it took me years to understand it that they taught her the program and how to use it and I mean how to use it extreamly well. She was the top 2 in here class. She had job offers coming out the ass( should have let her take them( for the city, the state and some huge firms). she could use all the marcos and LISP'S" I dont know acad but its that little program you write to creat stuff.
the only thing she couldnt do is draw parts is real life, IE a 1/2" dia part would be maybe 4000 inch's however everything was proprotional. I liked to have it in actual size and the locatiosn as z 0 x 0 y0 etc etc. that way when I opened the file if I need to stack some dims I can, but I couldnt with er stuff even though on the operation sheets the parts were all dims and proportional. I ended up haveing to re tech her so to speak in making everything to scale the first time and not just draw lines and scale when finished. ( partly my bad as I am very anal about how things are done. but I had to look at her files which started the whole mess LOL.

Anyway. My best advice is learn how to program by hand , run a machine before you start using mastercam or any software. you have to know what to put into it in order for it to work properly. ( this is the problems with tech schools) of you dont know feeds and speeds or depth of cuts your program maybe great but the people running the jobs are going to kill you.
the best programmers are ones who learned machining from manual lathes and mills then went to cncs then went to program, theres a reason for that Experiance.
dont forget anyone can draw pictures theres only a few that can take that picture and apply to to a machine and make it work at its optimal(sp) performance.

Delw

Sir Well said..:cheers:

[machinecrasher]

Sir, I agree with you completely. When I signed up for this class, I did not know that there would be machining involved. I have learned how to put the program into and run a Haas machine, while taking this class. I also learned how to run a manual machine, it was just facing a part, but its still experience. Once again, I would like to thank you guys for the help you have provided.