User manual SOLIDWORKS SOLIDCAM 5 AXIS

[. . . ] SolidCAM Simultaneous 5-axis Machining User's Guide ©1995-2005 SolidCAM LTD. All Rights Reserved. SolidCAM2005 Milling Manual 5-axis Machining Contents 1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . User Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [. . . ] In the Geometry page make sure that the Flip step over checkbox is not activated. During the simulation, note that the cutting is performed from the upper boundary of the drive surface downwards. Note that the cutting direction was changed: the cutting was performed from the lower boundary of the drive surface upwards. Do not close the CAM-Part. 55 SolidCAM2005 Milling Manual 5-axis Machining 6. 4 Cutting Method SolidCAM enables you to choose the following Cutting methods: · One way · Zig Zag If you have a closed geometry and you select one way machining, the tool will always move around the part in the same direction. One Way Zig Zag 56 5-axis Machining SolidCAM2005 Milling Manual If the geometry is not completely closed, then it is recommended to set the option Enforce closed contours. 57 SolidCAM2005 Milling Manual 5-axis Machining 6. 5 Cut Order In the cut order menu you can choose between three options: · Standard - Sets a default cut order. · From Center Away - The machining begins in the center of the surface. 58 5-axis Machining SolidCAM2005 Milling Manual · From outside to center - The machining begins from outside the surface. 59 SolidCAM2005 Milling Manual 5-axis Machining Exercise 15: 1. Make sure that the Flip step over checkbox is not active in the Geometry page. You will see that the tool path starts from the center and moves sequentially one step up and one step down. 60 5-axis Machining SolidCAM2005 Milling Manual 6. As you can see the tool path starts from the top, moves to the bottom and then moves to the second top and so on. 8. Do not close the CAM-Part. 61 SolidCAM2005 Milling Manual 5-axis Machining 6. 6 Direction for One Way machining This option is available only for the One way Cutting method. The Clockwise and Counter clockwise options are not for the spindle rotation. They are used to determine whether the tool should move around a closed surface model in clockwise or counter clockwise direction. · Ccwise This option enables you to perform the machining in counter clockwise direction. 62 5-axis Machining SolidCAM2005 Milling Manual · Cwise This option enables you to perform the machining in clockwise direction. · Climb The tool movement and the tool rotation have the same direction. Climb milling is preferred when milling heat treated alloys. Otherwise chipping can result when milling hot rolled materials due to the hardened layer on the surface. Tool rotation Tool movement direction · Conventional The tool movement is opposite to the tool rotation. Conventional milling is preferred for milling of castings or forgings with very rough surfaces. Tool rotation Tool movement direction 63 SolidCAM2005 Milling Manual 5-axis Machining Exercise 16: 1. Switch to the Geometry page and choose the Cwise for the Direction for one way machining option. When the tool path is normal to the surface, it is not so clear what is the conventional or climb milling direction. So you can use the CW or CCW to get the requested tool path direction. 64 5-axis Machining SolidCAM2005 Milling Manual 6. 7 Cutting Area SolidCAM enables you to choose the following options for the Cutting area: · Full, start and end at exact surface edge If this option is chosen, the tool path will be generated on the whole surface and exactly to the surface edge or to the nearest possible position. The CAM-Part is located in the Exercises/Cutting_area folder. Edge Edge 65 SolidCAM2005 Milling Manual 5-axis Machining · Full, avoid cuts at exact edges With this option the tool path will be generated on the whole surface but avoids the surface edges. The CAM-Part located in the Exercises/Cutting_ area folder. Edge Edge · Limit cuts by one or two points This option enables you to limit the machining between one or two points. This dialog enables you to define point coordinates Point 1 or pick the points from the workplane. The CAM-Part is located in the Exercises/Cutting_ area folder. Point 2 66 5-axis Machining SolidCAM2005 Milling Manual Exercise 17: 1. Note that the tool path does not reach the edges of the drive surface because of the Cutting area option. Switch to the Geometry page and set the Cutting area option to the Full, start and end at exact surface edges. 67 SolidCAM2005 Milling Manual 5-axis Machining 5. Note that the first and last cuts are performed exactly on the drive surface edges. 68 5-axis Machining SolidCAM2005 Milling Manual 6. 8 Start Point Examples of the Start Point option are located in the Exercises\Start_Point folder. The Start point option enables you to choose a new start point where the machining begins. [. . . ] 10. 8 Stock to leave Stock to leave defines a minimum distance between the tool and check surface. 0. 5 mm Check surface 144 5-axis Machining SolidCAM2005 Milling Manual 11. Stock Page If this switch is set to true, then the surfaces or triangle meshes must be provided to the library to define the stock or remaining stock from the last operation. This information is then used to allow only tool path segments that are removing chip (material) from this given stock. if multiple cuts are used, the stock definition will allow the library to eliminate air cuts. [. . . ]