Surface Machining Preface What's New? Getting Started Basic Tasks Advanced Tasks Customizing Workbench Description Glossary Index © Dassault Systèmes 1994-2001. All rights reserved. TOC http://dsfr2e/itprm/doc/CXR7doc/doc/online/smgug/smgugtoc.htm [5/17/2001 3:06:09 PM] Preface 3 Axis Surface Machining is a new generation product that defines and manages NC programs. 3 Axis Surface Machining is dedicated to the machining of 3D geometry work parts with 3-axis machining techniques. It is particularly adapted to the needs of mold, die and tool makers and prototype manufacturers in all branches and at all levels of industry. 3 Axis Surface Machining offers easy-to-learn and easy-to-use shopfloor-oriented tool path definition for 3-axis manufacturing. 3 Axis Surface Machining is based on industry-recognized, leading-edge technologies which offer the tightest integration between tool path definition, verification and instant cycle updates. 3 Axis Surface Machining covers full design-to-manufacture processes offering functions for: defining the areas you want to machine, rough machining either by vertical or horizontal planes, roughing rework, sweeping, ZLevel machining, pencil operations, contour-driven operations, profile contouring, drilling, detecting residual material, defining areas to rework, visualization of the result of the machining program, the production of shopfloor documentation. 3 Axis Surface Machining gives you the freedom to choose the working methods that best suit your needs. Methodology Where to find more information Preface http://dsfr2e/itprm/doc/CXR7doc/doc/online/smgug/smgugpr01.htm [5/17/2001 3:06:17 PM] Methodology Surface Machining is a versatile application, fully adapted to your needs and your working methods whether they are machining area-oriented or operation-oriented. You can either define the machining areas on your part and then assign an operation to each of them or you can define your machining process as a series of operations with an area to machine for each operation. A machining area can be: the whole part (for example, in roughing), a subset of the faces on the part, a subset of faces on the part with a limiting contour. The Getting Started chapter contains two sections, one which demonstrates operation-oriented machining and another which demonstrates area-oriented machining. Before starting work with Surface Machining, please ensure that you have an open file (CATPart or CATProduct) and that you are in the Surface Machining workbench (Start > NC Manufacturing > Surface Machining). Here is a suggested order for operations in a machining program: rough machining operations, (semi-)finishing operations, detection of unmachined areas, reworking of unmachined areas, generation and output of documentation. Area-oriented Area-oriented methodology is useful when you have a complex part to machine and you know in advance what kind of operation you are going to apply to each separate area. This approach is of great use when, for example, you are going to machine a "family" of similar parts and when you have dedicated machines for mass production. You define the areas on one part, you assign an operation to each area, and then you machine. At the end you have a program that you can apply to all of the "members" of the "family" at least working cost because: the machining strategy has already been defined (chosen operations), the tool has already been defined, only the area need be redefined, Methodology http://dsfr2e/itprm/doc/CXR7doc/doc/online/smgug/smgugpr02.htm (1 of 3) [5/17/2001 3:06:20 PM] you know exactly what kind of output you require, and as a result the computation can be run in batch to further reduce time loss. 1. Define all of the separate areas to machine on your work piece. 2. Select the area or areas you want to machine with a particular operation. 3. Click on the appropriate icon (for example, sweeping). 4. Change the parameters in that operation (if required). The only mandatory data for a operation is the area to machine (with the exception of roughing which requires a rough stock too) and all of the other parameters have default values. We recommend that you use the default parameters first unless you are sure of the values you wish to enter. 5. Compute the operation. If the results are satisfactory, repeat steps 2, 3, and 4 for all of the other areas to machine. Operation-oriented Use operation-oriented machining when you want to progressively define your machining program operation-by-operation sequentially. Each operation has the area it deals with defined as part of its data. This approach is useful for single or limited part production because it allows you to define your requirements step-by-step. 1. Choose the operation you want to use. 2. Click the "part" area in the geometric components of the operation. 3. Select the area(s) to machine either as the whole part with the contextual menu or as a face or group of faces with the face selection wizard. 4. Change the other parameters in the operation (if required). The only mandatory data for a operation is the area to machine (with the exception of roughing which requires a rough stock too) and all of the other parameters have default values. We recommend that you use the default parameters first unless you are sure of the values you wish to enter. 5. Compute the operation. If the results are satisfactory, continue defining the remaining operations for your machining program Methodology http://dsfr2e/itprm/doc/CXR7doc/doc/online/smgug/smgugpr02.htm (2 of 3) [5/17/2001 3:06:20 PM] Methodology http://dsfr2e/itprm/doc/CXR7doc/doc/online/smgug/smgugpr02.htm (3 of 3) [5/17/2001 3:06:20 PM] Where to Find More Information Prior to reading this book, we recommend that you read the Version 5 Manufacturing Infrastructure User's Guide. You will also find useful information on wireframe and surface element creation in the Wireframe and Surfaces User's Guide. Where to find more information http://dsfr2e/itprm/doc/CXR7doc/doc/online/smgug/smgugpr03.htm [5/17/2001 3:06:24 PM] What's new? General functions New: There is a new cycle, spiral milling, that has been developed to finish-mill flat surfaces. New: There are three new types of approach and retract for sweeping, contour-driven and pencil operations. New: There is now an option that allows you to extend paths in a straight line to link two areas in a part when they are separated by a hole or a gap. You can find this option in the sweeping and contour-driven operations. Enhanced: The stepover options have been enriched with the possibility of defining the stepover by two points. Part to machine New: You can now apply an overall default offset to an offset group. Enhanced: The Face selection wizard now has an option that lets you select faces that are normal to an axis or parallel/perpendicular to a selected face. New: You can now use faces from existing machining areas or offset areas to form a new machining area. Tools to use New: tapered tool/conical mill for sweeping, contour driven and pencil operations and also for rework areas. Roughing New: You can now choose whether or not you want to contour the rough stock before milling. This option is intended for use with zig-zag tool path style only. ZLevel New: You can now use variable offsets in ZLevel operations. What's new http://dsfr2e/itprm/doc/CXR7doc/doc/online/smgug/smgugwn.htm (1 of 2) [5/17/2001 3:06:30 PM] Tool Path Editor New: You can now create multiple transformations of a tool path. All of the tool paths now appear in the specifications tree under the operation they belong to. Enhanced: If a tool path is not closed (for example, if you have cut an area out of it), you will be informed of this by the word open after its name in the specifications tree. Enhanced: When you reverse a tool path, a message now tells you that it has been reversed. New: You can now add approaches or retracts to a tool path via an item in the tool path contextual menu. What's new http://dsfr2e/itprm/doc/CXR7doc/doc/online/smgug/smgugwn.htm (2 of 2) [5/17/2001 3:06:30 PM] Getting Started Before getting to grips with all of the Surface Machining capacities, here are two short step-by step tutorials that will help guide you through the key functionalities. You will learn how to use the functions listed below and learn how to define areas on the part to machine, use specific machining operations on the part and output data. There are two ways of defining your machining program, you can either base it on operation definition or on area definition. Try both tutorials to see which method suits your working techniques best. The tutorials should take you 30 minutes each to complete. Operation-oriented machining Area-oriented machining Getting Started http://dsfr2e/itprm/doc/CXR7doc/doc/online/smgug/smguggs01.htm [5/17/2001 3:06:36 PM] Operation-oriented Machining Operation-oriented machining is a method where you define each operation one-by-one. When you define an operation you decide (using the geometry tab) which areas of the part you want to machine with that particular operation. This tutorial teaches you how to: define the operations necessary for the machining of the part below, run the program to create the tool paths, check for residual material, rework the unmachined areas, and produce an APT file and a workshop document. Entering the workbench Rough machining the part ZLevel machining of the outside of a part Zlevel machining of the inside walls of a part Sweeping Checking the results of the operations Creating a rework area Reworking the part Generating an output file Generating workshop documentation Operation-oriented machining http://dsfr2e/itprm/doc/CXR7doc/doc/online/smgug/smguggs25.htm (1 of 2) [5/17/2001 3:06:38 PM] . industry. 3 Axis Surface Machining offers easy-to-learn and easy-to-use shopfloor-oriented tool path definition for 3-axis manufacturing. 3 Axis Surface Machining. demonstrates operation-oriented machining and another which demonstrates area-oriented machining. Before starting work with Surface Machining, please ensure