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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
  1. Set up a 5 axis milling workcell and define a machine coordinate system. The manufacturing model for this example is shown below.

    mil753a

    Figure 1


  2. Select Machining, NC Sequence, Surface Mill, 5 Axis, and Done.
  3. Checkmark Tool, Parameters, Surfaces, Define Cut, Axis Def, and Done.
  4. 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


  5. Select Model and Done in the SURF PICK menu. For this example select Loop and select the surface highlighted in Figure 3.

    mil753b

    Figure 3


  6. 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.

    mil753c

    Figure 4


  7. 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.
  8. 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.

    mil753d

    Figure 5


  9. 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.

    mil753e

    Figure 6


  10. For the end cut line, follow the same procedure outlined in step 8. However, use the cut line as shown in Figure 7.

    mil753f

    Figure 7


  11. 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.

    mil753g

    Figure 8


  12. 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.
  13. 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.

    mil753h

    Figure 9


  14. 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.

    mil753i

    Figure 10

    mil753j

    Figure 11



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