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Suggested Technique for Using Axis Def to Control the Tool Axis in a 5
Axis Cut Line Surface Milling Sequence.
This suggested technique will use a 5 axis Cut Line Surface Milling
sequence. The option for Axis Def will be used to control the tool
axis when machining the surface.
Procedure
- Set up a 5 axis milling workcell
and define a machine coordinate system. The manufacturing model for this
example is shown below.
Figure 1
- Select Machining, NC
Sequence, Surface Mill, 5 Axis, and Done.
- Checkmark Tool,
Parameters, Surfaces, Define Cut, Axis Def,
and Done.
- Set a tool and specify the NC
sequence parameters. The critical parameters are shown below.
CUT_FEED |
2 |
STEP_OVER |
.2 |
SPINDLE_SPEED |
500 |
CLEAR_DIST |
.2 |
Figure 2
- Select Model and
Done in the SURF PICK menu. For this example select Loop
and select the surface highlighted in Figure 3.
Figure 3
- Select Done from the
SURF/LOOP menu and Show to view the surfaces that will be
machined after verifying the surface select Done/Return. Figure 4
shows the outline of the surfaces selected.
Figure 4
- Next the new CUTLINE DEFINITION
User Interface will appear. To define a closed cut line sequence the Cut
Line Style must be changed to Closed Loops, with the Cut Line
Style defined select Plus (+) to begin creating the cut lines.
Note the first cut line in the list is considered the Starting Cutline
and is used to control the starting location and direction of the
sequence.
- Next the ADD/REDEFINE CUTLINE
User Interface will appear defaulted to From Edges, therefore
simply select Bndry Chain and toggle through the choices by
selecting Next. Select Accept when the start cut line
matches Figure 5.
Figure 5
- To define the start point of the
cut line select the Arrow Button labeled Select Start Point and
pick on the red highlighted cut line. Figure 6 shows the point defined
in this example. Next select Preview to verify the cut line
definition, if the cut line has been defined correctly select OK.
Figure 6
- For the end cut line, follow the
same procedure outlined in step 8. However, use the cut line as shown in
Figure 7.
Figure 7
- Select the start point for the
end cut line that will correspond to the start point defined in step 9.
Figure 8 shows the point defined for this example.
Figure 8
- The DIRECTION can be controlled
from the CUTLINE DEFINITION User Interface using the Cutting
Direction button. The direction of machining is determined by the
red flip arrow displayed at the beginning of the first defined cut line.
- For the tool axis definition,
select Pivot Curve from the AXIS OPT menu. Select One By
One and pick the datum curve shown in Figure 9. Select Done
Sel, Done, and Done/Return.
Figure 9
- Select Play Path,
Screen Play to view the tool path. Figure 10 and 11 are viewing
the model from the top and shows the tool at two locations. Note that
the tool is always pointing toward the datum curve selected in step 12.
Figure 10
Figure 11
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