General Tips & Tricks

[Frank SolidCAM GmbH]

Hello Forum!

How to handle tolerances for manufacturing?

In most cases, we have to take care of tolerances when manufacturing a part.

If we have a native SolidWorks part, we can add tolerances easily to every attribute and use SolidCAM Utilities.

When we do not have a native SolidWorks part, we could use "Data Migration" with the function "Move Face".

Please find two small info videos:

Tolerances in SWX part: https://cloud.solidcam.de/s/mpcBTYKN7PTT396

Tolerances in .stp part: https://cloud.solidcam.de/s/G8FJeqJbwKciRMo

Best regards,
Frank

[Frank SolidCAM GmbH]

Hello Forum!

In 2,5D milling we offer a cool function to deburr surfaces, it's called "Edge Deburring Recognition".

As you all might know, this can be used to deburr from the selected Z-axis.

If we then look at the part, we might have also sharp edges on the outside silhouette of the part.

If you are finishing the outside contour with a simple profile job, there is a little option called "use fillet size for last cut", which can be found in the technology tab.

This option can add a radius to the contour and maybe prevent the need for you to deburr the outside edges with some extra work.

Best regards,
Frank


Forum - use fillet size for last cut.jpg

[BenKo_AWT_SC_Ger]

Force Tool Change - New Option in SP4

If the Option "Force Tool Change" is enabled, it is possible to get a further tool call in G-code, so that you can change lengths and radius corrections (f.e. between two operations, working with the same tool number and cutting conditions).

Pictures attached.

Best regards, Benjamin

[Hervé Philibien]

Would it be possible to have VMID option that define the default checked/unchecked status of this "Force Tool Change" option?

Depending of customer preference, we have customer that want :

-"Force Tool Change" option checked ON by default in all operations.

in order to force TOOL CALL between each jobs
Reasons can be
- easier restart program on CNC machine
- easier tool replacement on CNC machine between rough/finish job initially programmed with same job et
- either change lengths and radius corrections
- either change of cutting conditions.

Today this customer request must be supported trough GPP customization whereas it could be officially supported trough VMID and SolidCAM without post-processor intervention.

[MillTurnBr]

Hi Herve... Couldn't it be done using templates, and then define these templates in the CAM settings?

Just curious...

[Hervé Philibien]

Hi Daniel.

In Theory, yes.
In Practice, no.
(It would require to create around 50 templates for each jobs/strategy type, it will depend of user settings. It wouldn't allow to have different default statut between machine.)

Some machine have feature on CNC for easy restart. Some don't...
Depending of CNC, some lengths and radius corrections require a change tool (heindenhain) , some don't...

So what makes user want "Force Tool Change" option activated/deactivated by default depend of the machine and user preference. That's why it would be a better solution to get the default statue in VMID for easy customization.

[willianferreira]

Hi Guys,

Instead of click apply button to confirm individual curve selection, press CTRL to select multiple curves.



Geometria_ctrl.png

[willianferreira]

Does anyone use mouse gestures option of SOLIDWORKS?
Interesting option to put the most common commands and become a faster programmer.

mouse gestures1.png

[BestLoveAnran]

Hi guys,
Sometimes we need to mill the out shape along the part outline. because of the part feature is a bit of complex, it is hard to select it. Here's how I did it:
1. Create a "Face Milling Operation", and create geometry:
ABC.png
2. Exit this job with "save the geometry"

20220720133123.png
3. Select the " generate sketch" option:

20220720133446.png
4. Done!

[mohit patil]

Automatic CAM-Part Definition (Milling)

To avoid the repetitive work of CAM part definition we can Automate that process. So that whenever we enter into the CAM we will get the Controller, Coordinate system, Stock, and Target defined automatically.
It helps to save time to start the programming.

Steps to Automate the CAM Part definition process:

1. Before starting any project go to the SolidCAM Settings.
2. In the Tree, below the "CAM-Part" select the "Automatic CAM-Part definition".

Step-1.png


3. You will get 3 pages, one is for Milling, one is for Mill-Turn and one is for Turning.
4. Select the Milling.
5. To automate the selection of the CNC-Controller switch ON the check box of "Use default CNC-Controller", It selects the controller.

Step-2.png


6. To automate the Coordinate system definition switch ON the check box of "Create MAC1-1 position automatically".
Below that will get the drop-down menu so can select the place where want to define the coordinate system.

Step-3.png


7. The final step is the Stock definition, switch ON the check box of "Definition of Stock" and select the type of stock needed, there are two options, one is "Box" and the other is "Cylinder around Z axis".

Step-4.png


8. After completing all the above steps click on the "OK" button stated at the bottom right corner, so the process will be saved and will get the CAM part definition process automatically as soon as we enter into the Milling.

Step-5.png

[davidrajusc]

Visualization of tool path elements and Cycle time for Cutting & Non cutting moves

As we probably know tool path contains different moves like Passes, Leads and Links and we also know that Passes are cutting moves.

How do we visualize different tool path elements in tool path itself and why this is most important for CNC programmer.

Leads ensures smooth transition between tool and stock while entry and exit which wil help to decrease too wear, tool deflection and improved surface quality.

So it is very important to know wheather leads are applied in tool path in desired areas of the machining surfaces.

SoliCAM now enables us to keep the differnet color for Leads and Links (Please see the below image) for easy identification.

TP_Elements_Visualization.png

We can also see the cycle time of Cutting and Non cutting moves.
If you think Non cutting moves cycle time is more, then you would modify only link parameters.

Cutting_NonCutting_Time.png