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MCAMX2 Art Tutorial
MCAMX2 Art Tutorial
Art Tutorial
(Inch version)
May 2007
Mastercam X2 MR1
© 2007 CNC Software, Inc.
Mastercam® X2 Art Tutorial (Inch version)
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Table of Contents
1 Introduction......................................................................... 1
Hardware requirements ........................................................................ 2
Compatibility with other Mastercam products ................................... 3
If you need more help ........................................................................... 3
Resellers................................................................................................. 4
Technical support.................................................................................. 4
Additional resources............................................................................. 6
1 Introduction
Mastercam, the world leader in CAM software, brings its power and
experience to artistic relief design and cutting with Mastercam X Art.
Mastercam X Art is CAD/CAM software designed specifically for
specialty wood crafters, sign makers, cabinet makers, custom shops, ring
makers, and anyone else who needs to add artistic flair to their work. With
Mastercam X Art, you can create machinable models “by eye,”
experimenting until you get the exact look you want. Specifically, the
Mastercam X Art process takes you from flat art to a beautifully sculpted
piece. The result is a complex and detailed image that took only minutes
to produce, saving time and money.
You can import designs from a scanned bitmap, illustration program, another
CAD/CAM package, or you can create them in Mastercam X Art.
With Art, you can bring 2D sketches, clip art, photos, and CAD files to
life, by crafting them on screen and cutting them with specialized
toolpaths. What would have taken a sign maker, custom cabinet maker, or
other artisan weeks to do, you can do in minutes.
With Mastercam X Art, you can easily go from a graphic file to cutting this 3D
part.
This tutorial is designed to help you learn Mastercam X Art quickly. After
completion of the tutorial, you will have a good introduction to common
Art operations in Mastercam. (Note that the tutorial does not try to cover
every Mastercam X Art feature.)
Hardware requirements
The following are minimum performance specifications. To increase
performance, we recommend that you first increase the processor speed,
then the RAM, and finally the graphics card memory.
Click the help button in the current dialog box or ribbon bar to learn more
about that user interface element. You can also press [Alt + H] at any time
to open the online help.
Resellers
If you have a question about Mastercam and have not been able to locate
the answer in this tutorial or the online help, contact your local Mastercam
Reseller. You can locate your local Mastercam Reseller through
www.mastercam.com.
Technical support
If your Reseller is unavailable, you can contact CNC Technical Support
Services by phone Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m., USA
EST at (860) 875-5006 or by e-mail at support@mastercam.com.
When calling CNC Software, Inc. for technical support, please follow
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problem occurs.
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Services technician may require you to duplicate the problem while
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memory.
You can also leave a message for CNC Support Services twenty-four
hours a day, seven days a week via our e-mail or Web site addresses.
Please include the serial number of your SIM and a telephone number and
contact information where you can be reached. Keep the following
information on hand in case you need to reach us:
Important Information
Address CNC Software, Inc.
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Tolland, Connecticut, 06084-9970
USA
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Additional resources
For information on training, contact your Mastercam Reseller.
For an ongoing discussion of Mastercam-related topics, visit the
Mastercam online forum at http://www.emastercam.com.
With Mastercam X2 Art, you design “by eye” and get great results without
worrying about precise mathematical dimensions. You can enter precise
values, or use the mouse to dynamically enter values based on selected
geometry, surfaces, planes, or positions. Mastercam Art provides iterative
editing, letting you experiment with different settings until the model
meets your specifications. At any point, you can undo and redo your
modeling steps.
The Art Manager is a central place where you work with the Art model. It
records and displays a historical list of operations for every Art model.
Undo and Redo functions let you view the change history and, with a
single selection, roll back or restore one change or an entire series of
changes.
Once you have modeled your project, Mastercam X2 Art offers a variety
of cutting techniques to ensure that the finished part is exactly as you
imagined it. The software features a robust set of ultra-fast and accurate
toolpaths developed specifically for cutting artistic surfaces. Our tests
show that to create a toolpath on a complex model of 1,350,000 STL
patches (a measure of complexity for a CAD model) takes under one
minute. These toolpaths support flat, ball, and bull cutters.
Low resolution
Higher Resolution
Build a 3D model
To create a full, 3D sculpture from your 2D artwork, you select
elements of your flat art that Mastercam "puffs up" using a cross
section you select or create. You can add or remove one surface from
another, and modify the model by eye to make sure it represents
exactly what you want.
Create a toolpath
Choose one of Mastercam X2 Art's specialized toolpaths to cut your
project. You can experiment with these fast, reliable cutting
strategies, trying a variety of cut techniques to get the perfect result.
For the ant graphic below, we selected an organic surface from the Art
menu, and then selected the 2D geometry.
Basic features
Organic surfaces … Mastercam X2 Art’s backbone
The organic surface is the most used surface in Mastercam X2 Art. You create
an organic surface by selecting a closed chain of geometry and applying a
cross section to it. You can scale and manipulate the cross section for perfect
results. Shown below is the Organic Surface Parameters dialog box, along with
definitions of parameters that define the organic surface.
Application Styles
Mastercam X2 Art's application styles let you add, subtract, intersect, and
blend multiple organic surfaces.
You can test different results by choosing various application styles for
each shape. The following figure displays a few of the most-used
application styles.
Add Blend
Stacking surfaces
Art operations can be stacked (added or subtracted from each other) to
create sculptural models. The following example illustrates how you can
add and subtract surfaces to create the surface you want. Each element is
added to or subtracted from the other elements thus “stacking up” to make
a sculptured image.
3. Add the ears, snout, eyes, eyebrows, and the foot stepping out of the
dome.
Nested chains
Nested chains are boundaries within boundaries. For example, a triangle
inside a circle inside a square has three individual chains nested two deep.
Mastercam X2 Art understands nested chains, allowing the creation of
multiple complex surfaces in a single operation. Art can see all the chains
and identify which chain lies within which. It then puffs the first boundary
up, and the next boundary down.
Tip: If you get the reverse of what you want with nested chains, simply add or subtract an external
boundary to reverse the logic.
Art Manager
Similar to Mastercam’s Solids Manager, the Art Manager is a history tree
that tracks your model’s creation step by step. You can select a surface
operation and adjust, reorder, or edit it. The Art Manager gives you the
flexibility to change your design, fix mistakes, and try new design
strategies. You can also disable and enable individual surface operations.
This ability allows you to have multiple design options and/or machining
options in a single file.
Undo/Redo
Experimentation is productive if you can undo and redo your modeling
steps. You can create a base surface, view it, and then undo it or redo it.
Mastercam X2 Art saves a list of operations, so you can undo or redo
many operations at once. (Undo/redo is a linear process, so undoing or
redoing an operation also affects the operations that depend on it.)
To view the library, choose Art, Browse Classic Design Library. Select
a directory and then a piece of art from the viewer. The geometry will be
imported attached to the cursor, ready to be scaled, rotated, mirrored, and
placed.
Photo-to-surface conversion
The New Art Base Surface from Image function lets you create a 3D
model directly from a digital image. You scan a photo, and Mastercam X2
Art creates organic, sculpted art using the highlights and shadows as
guidelines for the height of the surfaces. With the New Art Base Surface
from Image function, you can convert bitmaps or photos into embossed
surfaces.
This process is also called 256 gray scale conversion. You set the height
range, and Mastercam X2 Art sorts the points by gray scale into the
correct Z level, creating a base surface. You can output the result to STL
or to Mastercam surfaces.
You can also achieve a magical effect by creating a surface from a photo
using this function, and then reversing it. After you create the toolpaths
and NC code, cut the model into a translucent colored piece of acrylic;
milky white works especially well. The model will look rough, but hold it
up to a light, and you see a near perfect rendering of the photo.
Resolution
With Art, you can model detailed work on a "high resolution" base section
and work more loosely on a "medium resolution" section. This technique
can speed your modeling and reduce programming time. You can also put
these base surfaces on different machining planes for added flexibility.
For example, you can have six different base surfaces on the six sides of a
cube. You can machine a cabinet door with a large, low-resolution base in
the center, and four small, high-detail bases in the corners. Because you
can machine just what you want, you could machine the detail with a
small cutter and tight toolpaths, and the large detail with a larger cutter
and looser toolpaths.
Radial up to corner
Supported cutters
Mastercam offers a powerful set of techniques or strategies to fit every
project. Roughing toolpaths use big tools for quick stock removal, while
finishing toolpaths use smaller tools to pick up the detail. You can use:
End mills: Flat, Ball, Bull Nose
Tapered end mills: Flat, Ball, Bull Nose
What’s Next
In the next chapter, you begin making a part by building Art surfaces.
This chapter provides an overview and exercises to get you started using
Mastercam X2 Art. It assumes you are somewhat familiar with
Mastercam. That is, the exercises describe general procedures, but reserve
in-depth explanations for later chapters. If you are unfamiliar with
Mastercam X, start with Chapter 4.
The first project, a house sign, offers an overview of the Art surface
creation process.
When you complete this chapter, you will understand the following
processes:
Starting Mastercam X2 Art
Starting the design process
Creating the base surface
Creating an organic surface operation
Viewing options
Saving the file
Creating an elliptical surface
Creating multiple surfaces
Creating swept surfaces
In this exercise, you use the Bolen house sign geometry to create an Art
base surface (ABS). The ABS defines the work area for the Art surface
operations you add to create a solid model of the part.
Opening a file
1. Select File, New to initialize Mastercam X2 Art.
7. Press the Page Down keyboard key. This keystroke reduces the
part display by approximately 20 percent, adding room on the
screen to work around the part.
3. Click OK in the Art Base Surface New dialog box to finalize your
entries. The ABS displays as a grid on the screen in the selected
color as shown next.
The following shaded graphic shows the organic surface you will create to
form the sign’s border. You will specify the surface cross section, which
defines its profile, as a one-inch arc and smooth it using arc high as the
ridge adjustment. You will apply a ridge adjustment to blend the shape.
See the next illustration.
Viewport 1 displays top and isometric views of the part, as shown next.
You may rotate and zoom the views independently to achieve your desired
viewing requirements.
When you change the viewports, if the part is off the screen, place the
cursor in the viewport and right-click. Choose Fit from the drop-down
menu. Repeat in the next viewport if needed.
Note: The geometry and settings are shown independently in each
viewport. Change each viewport separately as desired.
2. In the graphics window, select the outside chains that define the
border. Specifically, select the lower left side of each border at the
points indicated in the following illustration (points 1 and 2). As
you select each point, Mastercam highlights the entire chain and
allows you to select another.
Note: To make the selection points easier to see, the figure shows the part
without the ABS grid displayed.
3. Click OK to indicate that chaining is complete. The Organic
Surface Parameters dialog box opens.
4. Create the border by entering the following values:
1.000 for the Radius
0.125 for the Base Height, which raises the border from
the bottom with a flat wall.
5. Click the Adjust Ridge down-arrow and select Arc High.
Next, you will view what you have created from different planes, with and
without shading. You will also change viewports and display the system
origin axes.
2. Choose Fit from the toolbar to view the entire part in the graphics
window.
Viewing the system origin and shading the part
1. Press [F9] to display the system origin and axes.
2. Choose Isometric Gview. The following illustration shows how
the part should look. (You might have to choose Fit again.)
House sign without shading and with the origin and axes displayed.
3. Press [F9] again to toggle the origin and axes display off.
4. Press [Alt + S] to toggle shading on, or choose the Shaded button
from the shading toolbar. Shading makes the surface appear solid.
7. Click at the top left corner of the dialog box to open the
Advanced Parameters - Organic dialog box.
8. Enter 200 for the Scale C-section. This setting stretches the cross
section toward the center of the surface by 200 %.
Make sure your settings match those in the following figure.
4. Select the center of the part to set the rotation point. Move the
cursor to rotate the part on the screen. You can turn the part in any
direction. When the part is in the position that you want to keep,
click again to freeze the view. Experiment with different views to
get a good mental image of the part.
5. Choose Zoom Window, and drag a window around the inside
corner to inspect the details.
Note: The Zoom Window function magnifies a portion of the
graphics window. When you use this function, Mastercam
prompts you to draw a rectangular selection window around the
portion of the graphics area that you want to magnify. The
graphics window then fills with the contents of the selection
window.
2. The file that you are working on is highlighted in the Save As dialog
box. Add your initials in front of Sign.mcx. (For example, enter JW
Sign.mcx.) This allows you to save without overwriting the original
file.
3. Choose OK to save the file with the new name.
Note: While working on this tutorial, you should save at the end
of each exercise. Consider adding the exercise number to the file
name so that you can return to that part of the tutorial later.
Make sure the graphic view is set to Top Gview to begin this exercise.
Creating the ellipse base
1. Select Art, Create Organic Art Surface Operation.
2. The Chaining dialog box opens. Make sure chain selection mode
is active, and then select anywhere on the ellipse geometry.
4. Select the icon for the Dynamic Cross Section Library and
select Convex Parabola.
5. Enter 2.0 for the Width and 0.625 for the Height.
6. For the Adjust Ridge parameter, choose Arc Medium.
In nested chains, the space from the outermost chain boundary to the next
inner boundary is considered positive space. The space from the inner
boundary inward is considered negative space. If you have multiple nested
chains, the pattern continues—positive, negative, positive, and so on.
Creating the letter and number surfaces in one selection
1. Select Art, Create Organic Art Surface Operation.
2. In the Chaining dialog box, choose the Polygon chain selection
mode. Polygon chain selection allows you to draw a polygon
around irregular geometry that would be difficult to select in a
rectangular window.
Note: The window selection mode also allows you to select a
group of chains at once by dragging a window around the chains
you want.
Note: Look closely at the circled area and note that the area is not carved
down into the floor. In the next step, you cut it out.
The surfaces you created up to this point have been organic surfaces. In
this exercise, you create swept surfaces using the scroll lines/splines under
the house numbers.
Unlike organic surfaces, swept surfaces can use both open and closed
chains. Swept surfaces also build the selected cross section to both sides
of the selected geometry.
1. Choose Top Gview to return to the top plane to create the swept
surfaces.
2. From the Art Manager, choose the Hide Geometry button. This
action toggles the setting off and displays the geometry.
3. Choose Art, Create Swept Surface Operation. The Chaining
dialog box displays.
5. Select the two splines shown in the following picture, and click
OK to indicate that chaining is complete. The Swept Surface
Parameters dialog box displays.
7. For the End Condition, select Round, which rounds the ends of
the geometry. (Flat would square off the ends.)
8. Make sure that your settings match those shown in the following
figure.
9. Choose OK.
10. Press [Alt + S] to shade the model. The part should look like the
following illustration.
You have now completed the surface creation example. You have a
complete part ready to begin the toolpath programming process.
Remember to save the file as (Your initials) sign.mcx.
The next two chapters lead you through part creation in more detail. You
will program the toolpath, create a solid model of the toolpath, and
produce the machining code.
Exercise 10 – Challenge
9. Open the original geometry and try to build the part. Use the
tutorial as little as possible. Also, experiment with the cross
section types, Application Styles, and Adjust Ridge functions
to create different effects.
Upon completing this chapter, you will have studied the following topics:
Mastercam X2 environment
Starting Mastercam X2 Art
Opening a file
Creating an Art base surface
Menu bar
For most Mastercam functions, use the General Selection ribbon bar to
select entities in the graphics window.
AutoCursor
Ribbon bars
Use ribbon bars to create and edit geometry. Click the function buttons on
the ribbon bars to perform the function or to open a field so that you can
enter values. You can undock, dock, and move ribbon bars.
Note that if an active function is unassociated with a ribbon bar, a blank
ribbon bar displays.
Operations Manager
The Operations Manager houses the Toolpath, Solids, and Art Manager
tabs. Click the tabs at the top to switch between the Toolpath Manager,
Solids Manager, and Art Manager.
Toolpath Manager Solids Manager Art Manager
Graphics window
The graphics window is the workspace in which you can view, create, and
modify your parts. The graphics window also displays information about
the current measurement system (inches or millimeters), the views in
which you are working (Graphic view, Cplane, Tplane, WCS), and the
coordinate axes for the current views.
Status bar
The Status bar is located along the bottom of the Mastercam window. It
provides quick access to functions that let you modify attributes, levels,
groups, and orientation (views and planes) of geometry and toolpaths in
the graphics window.
Controlling part display in the graphics window
Mastercam provides several different ways to control how parts
display in the graphics window. You use these controls throughout
this tutorial.
Repaint
Redraws the screen and removes remnants.
Fit to screen
Enlarges or reduces the display scale to fill the screen.
Zoom Target
Automatically scales selected entities to fit the graphics window.
Unzoom
Returns to the display scale before last zoom.
In the View Manipulation toolbar are buttons that control the graphics
view (Gview), which affects the view orientation of the part in the
graphics window:
Front view
Top view
Dynamic rotation
Use the mouse to rotate the part in the window.
Note: The graphics view does not affect the plane in which the part
geometry exists. In Mastercam, this is called the “construction
plane” or “Cplane.” Please refer to Mastercam’s online help for
more information on Cplanes and Gviews.
Note: Additional Art functions are available in the Art Manager tab, and
in its right-click menus.
Using end-of-page controls
At the bottom of many Mastercam X2 Art dialog boxes, you will see
the following icons:
Green check mark means OK. This button performs the actions
specified in the settings.
Red X cancels the action and closes the dialog box.
Question mark opens online help.
4. Select OK. Mastercam saves the current file, and you are ready to
begin a new one.
5. Choose File, Open to load this exercise’s file. The Open dialog
box displays.
6. Navigate to the tutorial files, and choose the geometry file named
medallion.mcx:
..\documentation\art tutorial parts\MEDALLION.mcx
Note: Select Preview to display thumbnail images of the files to
aid you in proper selection.
7. Choose OK to open the selected file.
Preview
1. Select File
2. Choose OK
8. Choose the Fit toolbar button. Your part should look like the
following picture.
10. Press [F9] to display the origin and axes so that you can see the
location of the origin.
In this exercise, you set up an Art base surface (ABS) on which to create
the medallion. An Art base surface represents an unaltered flat surface on
which to construct your sculpted model. Each time you start a new project,
you must define an Art base surface.
The Art base surface is a flat rectangular grid of points. You define the
base dimensions. Mastercam Art “grows” a sculpted model from the flat
grid (sheet) by raising and lowering the points.
Mastercam Art surfaces are different from Mastercam Mill or Router
surfaces, where you patch together individual surfaces of various types. In
Mastercam Art, you do all manipulations to a single base.
The position of the Art base surface in space corresponds to the position of
the part on the machine. An Art base surface represents where you create
the object, as well as the location of the part for machining. The standard
is to set the lower left corner of the Art base surface (the origin) at X0, Y0.
The upper right corner of the Art base surface is a second important point.
Its X coordinate defines the base width, and its Y coordinate defines the
height.
The machine and part origins are rarely the same position. Before machining,
the machine coordinate system has to be transferred to the part. This is known as
setting the zero point or home position.
The Z coordinate defines where on the Z axis the Art base surface plane
resides. The standard is Z0. The Art base surface dialog box defines the
base’s origin, the base’s size, and the part depth (Z).
Note: The Art base surface must extend beyond the part boundary to
program the toolpath to the surface’s full extent. If you do not provide this
extra space, the toolpath will be truncated at the base’s edge.
Creating a new base surface
1. From the menu bar, choose Art, New Art Base Surface
Rectangular. The Art Base Surface New dialog box displays.
Note: See Exercise 7 for additional information on creating new Art base
surfaces. Chapter 6, Exercise 6 contains detailed information on using the
Art Manager.
Medallion shaded
2. Click Art Surface Grid Density. The Grid Density dialog box
opens.
6. Click Art Surface Grid Density, enter 99, and click OK.
The grid density setting affects the density in both unshaded and
shaded surfaces. This setting also affects the redraw speed. The
smaller the grid density number, the more ridged and broken up
the surface elements appear in the graphic window. After creating
the surface, you can set the resolution to a higher number to
improve the graphic for further inspection and for viewing
smaller details.
1. Choose the Isometric Gview toolbar button. From this view, you
can readily see the raised surface atop the concave surface.
Medallion shaded
3. Select Dynamic Rotation. Click the center of the part, and then
move the mouse to rotate the part on the screen. From this view,
you can turn the part in any direction. When the part is positioned
as you want, click again to freeze the view. Experiment with
different views to get a good mental image of the part. Use the
zoom and unzoom functions to inspect small details.
4. Choose the Isometric Gview and Fit toolbar buttons again.
Comparing resolution settings
You created this exercise’s model at a resolution of 200 pixels per
square inch. You can set a lower resolution and have almost instant
redraws. This lower setting encourages experimentation but makes
the model look grainy when shaded. Selecting a higher resolution to
inspect details, increases the redraw time.
5. Repeat steps 1-4 but change the resolution setting back to 200.
This exercise shows how to save your file, something you should do often
as you create your parts. Specifically, always save your part after
completing an operation and prior to beginning the toolpath
1. Click the File menu and choose Save As. The Save As dialog box
opens.
The Art Base Surface New dialog box contains controls and position-
selecting icons that allow you to enter values with or without typing.
These controls allow you to increase or decrease values with the mouse.
Following is an illustration of the Art Base Surface New dialog box.
Note: Chapter 6 presents additional exercises and information about base
surface parameters.
Note: Refer to this dialog box illustration when reading the next section.
Using Art Base Surface New dialog box controls
Controls
Click within the Number Field, and
roll the thumbwheel on the mouse to
increase or decrease a value.
Move the Slider with the mouse to Control
increase and decrease the value.
Click the Fine Increment Control
Buttons to increase and decrease the
values.
Click the large down arrow to select
preset values from a list.
Presets
Presets let you save existing dialog box
settings. After you fill a dialog page, Preset Box
click the down-arrow, choose Save as,
and enter a file name. When you reenter
the dialog box again, click the down
arrow, and select the file. The dialog box
repopulates with the saved values.
Graphic help box
The picture to the right depicts the Art
base surface origin, lower left and upper
right corners of the base, and the axis
orientation.
Note: The Z value represents the top of the base. Set the Origin Z to 0,
which is the standard position for the top of the part. When machining the
part, negative Z values cut into the part, and positive Z values orient out of
the part.
If you forget to create the part top at Z0, you can change Z with the Set
Active Base Surface Top to Z Plane function. Set Active Base Surface
Top to Z Plane is discussed in Chapter 8, Exercise 12.
The higher the number, the smoother the part, and the longer it
takes to redraw. The default resolution is acceptable for most
applications. You can increase or decrease the resolution at any
time.
2. Choose the Level on which to create the base.
The Level button opens the Levels dialog box and displays the
levels for selection. The default level is 10 and is acceptable for
the tutorial exercises. (A level is called a layer on some CAD
systems.)
Note: For more information on using levels, see Mastercam help
by pressing [Alt + H].
3. Click the Color button, and select the base’s color.
There are 16 basic colors and 256 expanded colors. Muted tones
in the middle of the 256 expanded color grids look best.
4. Enter the Rotation value.
You can enter this value into the control, or use the Position
Select button to get the desired angle from the geometry. This
value establishes the angle that the base is rotated around the Z
axis.
Common parameters
These Common Parameters (Application Style and Adjust Ridge)
apply to most surfaces and function the same regardless of the surface
type. Click the down-arrow to expand the drop-down list and choose
an option.
Application Styles
The nine mutually exclusive Application Styles determine how a
surface fits into the base. These styles also determine the fit to other
surfaces when you stack one surface on top of another. Add,
Sub(tract), and Blend are the most used styles.
The icons used to select a style illustrate the way the surfaces fit
together. The blue ellipse represents the base surface. The red bar
represents a surface stacked on the base surface. The red bar extends
beyond the blue ellipse to illustrate how the surfaces trim.
Add adds the red bar on top of the blue base, following
the shape of the base. Note the intersection of the red and
blue shape.
Sub subtracts the red bar from the base and cuts the red
surface out of the blue base following the shape of the
base.
Blend adds the red bar to the base. When it intersects the
blue base, the highest parts of each surface are displayed,
resulting in a blend.
Add-Cut adds the red bar to the base and ignores the blue
base, cutting right through it.
Add-Cut-Trim adds the red bar to the base, cuts through
the blue base, and then trims the red surface to the
boundary of the base.
Add-Cut-Trim Blend adds the red bar to the base, cuts
though the blue base, trims the red bar to the boundary of
the base, and then blends the edge of the red bar to the
shape of the blue base shape.
Sub-Cut subtracts the red bar from the base and ignores
the blue base, cutting through it.
Inverse applies the inverse of the operation to an existing
application.
Mask isolates the selected surface. In this graphic, the red
bar was masked. The blue base would not be affected in
the operation.
Tip: Use mask elements on a surface to add a texture to selected
elements by avoiding non-masked elements.
Adjust Ridge
Adjust Ridge options do not supersede the chosen cross section.
Instead, they blend an additional shaping parameter with the cross
section. There are nine options for adjusting the shape of the element
(surface).
The Adjust Ridge icons illustrate how the option affects the cross
section. The “Normal” icon represents the base cross-section shape to
which the other options are applied. They do not represent how a
specific cross section might look because the result depends on the
base shape. Concentrate on the dark front face and sides of the icon to
understand what shape results from applying an Adjust Ridge option.
Transforms
When you change a surface shape using the Advanced options, the
transform graphic on the Advanced Parameters dialog box updates to
reflect the change.
Transform setting Corresponding graphic
Scale C-section
Scale C-section scales or stretches the cross section by a percentage
toward the center of the element or chained boundary.
For example, a surface with an unwanted flat on the top is created
when the cross section specified is too short to reach across the
selected chained boundary. In the example below, a circle was
chained, and the selected cross section was not wide enough. This
problem can be corrected by stretching the cross section with Scale
C-section. In the following illustrations, the surface began with a flat
area across the top. The Scale C-section parameter was set to 200
(percent), and the shape was built toward the inside of the chain.
Scale Z
Scale Z scales or stretches the cross section height by a percentage in
the orientation of the Z axis, either in the positive or negative
direction. The illustration below shows a surface scaled in the Z axis.
The original surface is on the left. The center image is scaled by
150%, the image on the right by 200%.
Note: The higher the Z value, the taller the resulting surface.
Performance
Exercise 9 – Challenge
In some CAM programs, the toolpath cuts all the stock, whereas
Mastercam X2 Art can cut inside the circle and not the waste stock. See
the following illustrations.
When you complete this chapter, you will understand the following tasks:
Opening a saved file
Selecting the machine type
Defining the stock boundary
Changing levels and views
Creating a toolpath on an Art surface model (medallion
toolpath)
Creating a contour toolpath
Simulating machining (Verify)
Exploring with Verify
Part holding methodologies
In this exercise, you use the Art base surface you created in Chapter 4. In
the exercise steps, illustrations show each dialog box, with circles around
the parameters you must set. Make sure to set parameters as indicated in
the illustration before proceeding with the next step. (You might also want
to check that uncircled, default parameters match, as well.)
Starting a new file and clearing the database
Note: Starting a new file clears everything from memory and resets
the defaults in the software. It is important to do this before starting a
new part or opening a different file.
1. Open Mastercam X2 if it is not already open, and save your file if
you have one open. (Choose File, Save, enter the filename, and
choose OK. See Chapter 3, Exercise 1 or Chapter 4, Exercise 2
for instructions.)
2. Choose File, New.
You are now ready to start a new operation.
Opening the file
1. Choose File, Open.
2. Navigate to the file named (your initials) medallion.mcx.
(Remember that you saved the file with your initials in front of
medallion.mcx), or open Chap 4-medallion.mcx, which is
provided for you.
3. Choose Isometric Gview and then Fit. If your part is shaded, it
should look like the following picture; if your part is unshaded,
press [Alt+ S] to shade it.
4. Press the [Page Down] key until the part display is small enough
to permit working around it.
Machine groups have four sets of properties: file, tool settings, stock
setup, and safety zone. Each set has a separate tab in the Machine Group
Properties dialog box.
Files tab
Use the Files tab to see and change file names and data paths used by the
operations in the group. These settings affect default values, posting, and
tool and operation libraries. Also use this tab to edit the machine
definition or to select a new one.
Use the Tool Settings tab to control NC file numbering, tool offsets, feeds
and speeds defaults, and material selection.
Use the Stock Setup tab to create a stock model for the machine group or
to select a file that contains the stock model.
Use the Safety Zone tab to define an area outside the work envelope to
which the tool can retract to avoid collisions with fixtures, etc.
Stock boundaries help you visualize the part you are machining. Also,
Mastercam uses stock boundaries during toolpath verification. The lines
that define the stock are phantom lines and are not selectable as geometry.
Defining a stock model smaller than the physical stock can result in high
feed rates through material. Such high feed rates can lead to a broken tool,
a damaged part, or increased risk of personal injury.
Defining a stock model larger than the physical stock can create
unnecessarily slow feed rates through areas with no stock. These slow
feed rates increase machining time and use too much RAM.
In this exercise, you define the stock boundary from which the part is cut.
You use this information in a later exercise when you program and
simulate machining of the toolpath.
Stock setup
1. From the Operations Manager, click the Toolpaths tab, expand the
machine’s Properties group (if necessary), and then click Stock
setup. The Machine Group Properties dialog box opens to the
Stock Setup tab. If not already selected, set the stock’s shape to
Rectangular.
6. Click the upper left corner of the stock graphic, as shown in the
following figure. The arrow moves from the center (the default
origin) to the corner.
You designed the part with this corner at X0Y0. The stock
definition requires the same orientation.
7. Ensure that the XYZ stock origin coordinates are all set to 0.0.
Change them, if necessary.
Instead of cutting the entire art base surface, you can create a boundary
that contains the toolpath. This is called a containment boundary. Unlike a
stock boundary, a containment boundary encloses geometric entities. In
this exercise, the tool containment boundary has been created for you and
placed on level 2. All levels are visible by default.
In this exercise, you explore the Level Manager, which allows you to turn
levels on and off, as well as name levels. You also change the graphics
view to prepare the part for toolpaths.
The Level Manager sets and displays the main level you want to work
with in the graphics window. The main level is the current working level,
where Mastercam places geometry that you create. There can be only one
main level at a time. The main level number appears on the Level button
in the Status bar. In the Levels Manager dialog box, Mastercam highlights
the main level in yellow.
3. Click All on. A check mark displays in the Visible column for all
levels.
4. Click OK. All levels are now visible on the screen.
5. Press [Alt + S] to toggle shading on / off. When shading is off,
your part should look like the following figure.
In this exercise, you program a toolpath for the medallion surface. The
toolpath machines out the dish shape and raises the letter, producing a
carved effect.
Medallion toolpath
The real world has constraints, so in this exercise, you apply constraints to
make the exercise more realistic.
You must program a toolpath for the machine on which the part is cut. The
machine that cuts this part lacks an automatic tool changer, so this
toolpath uses a single tool. If the machine had a tool changer, you might
use three or four tools to create this part. The ideal situation is to use both
roughing and finishing tools.
The part size and material determine the cutting tools used. For more
information on this subject, consult Machinery’s Handbook or catalogs
from the various tooling and materials vendors. These publications contain
cutting speeds and feeds and other information used to determine proper
cutter usage.
In this project, you use a 0.125-inch diameter ball nose end mill. The
material for this project is a 3-inch square block of cherry wood, 0.250
inch thick.
Creating the toolpath
1. Choose Art, Toolpath Active Art Base Surface. The Machine
Art Base Surface dialog box opens. (If the Enter new NC name
dialog box opens first, click OK to save the NC file under the
current name.)
2. Right-click in the large white area of the dialog box. A menu
displays.
Tip: For more help on toolpath parameters, see Mastercam online help.
2. Check Z Plunge Angle On, and enter 45 for the Z Plunge Angle.
When activated, a Z plunge angle makes the cutter plunge into the
stock at the specified angle instead of straight down.
Note: Retract at top height, when activated, machines only
geometry that is below the Z0 plane. In the case of the medallion,
Retract at top height cuts just the inside of the medallion, not the
entire model because all cuts should be below Z0. In the
medallion application, you could have used Retract at top height
instead of creating and selecting a containment boundary. Do not
check the Retract at top height checkbox.
3. Check Accelerate roughing calculation.
4. Check Smooth Toolpath.
5. Click OK to close the Advanced Settings dialog box.
2. Ensure that you have the default settings shown in the following
figure.
Medallion backplot
4. Click Display tool to toggle it on, and select Play again. The
toolpath displays with the tool visible.
5. Choose OK to exit the Backplot function.
This completes the medallion surface toolpath. Next, you create the
toolpath for the part’s outside diameter.
You have now programmed the medallion’s surface details. Next, you cut
the round medallion out of the square stock. To perform this task, you
select the inner circle as the drive geometry, and you keep cutter on the
circle’s exterior. You make depth cuts at 0.125 and 0.145 on the last pass.
The last pass cuts the last 0.020 of the part and 0.125 into the sacrifice
plate.
Do not forget that the outside cuts must be deeper than 0.250 inch. This
depth allows the end mill’s tip radius to clear the part, producing a flat
wall on the side of the part. Keep in mind that you cut this entire project
with one end mill.
Caution: You will cut completely through the stock, so ensure the part is
sitting on a base into which you can cut. This base is called a sacrifice plate.
Talk to your instructor before continuing with the exercise.
Selecting a contour toolpath
1. Right-click in the white area of the Toolpath Manager, and choose
Mill toolpaths, Contour.
2. The Chaining dialog box opens. Select the lower left quadrant of
the smaller circle as shown. Mastercam highlights the selected
chain.
14. Ensure that your settings match those shown in the previous
figure.
Setting depth cuts
1. Check the box beside Depth cuts, and then click Depth cuts. The
Depth cuts dialog box opens.
In Isometric view and with shading off, the toolpath should look
like the following illustration.
Note: If the toolpath does not display on the screen, press [Alt + T]. This
is a toggle that turns the toolpath on and off.
You have now finished both programs. The next step is to verify the
toolpath using a solid model to simulate machining of the part.
Now that you have created the toolpath, you can verify it using the stock
that you defined in the stock setup exercise. To do this, you use the Verify
function in the Operations Manager. The Verify function allows you to
use solid models to simulate the machining of a part. The model created
by the verification represents the surface finish and shows collisions, if
any exist. Using Verify, you can identify and correct program errors
before they reach the shop floor.
Backplotting and verifying the toolpath
1. Choose the Verify button from the Toolpath Manager. The Verify
dialog box opens.
8. Select the Turbo button. This is the fastest option and does not
display a tool during verification.
9. Check Update after each toolpath.
10. Select Stop on collision to pause the verification if there is a
collision in the toolpath.
11. Select Verbose.
During verification, this setting opens the Verify ribbon bar. The
Verify ribbon bar displays additional details about the current
machine state as you step through each move or when the
verification pauses or stops. Information displayed varies with
toolpath content and machine type.
13. Drag the dialog box over to clearly display the Toolpath Manager.
Then hold the [Shift] key, and, in the Toolpath Manager, click on
the first toolpath to select it for verification. The check
signifies selection for verification.
All variables are now set, and you are ready to run the simulation.
Do not click OK until you have run the simulation as described
next.
Running the simulation
1. Choose the Machine (play) button in the Verify dialog box.
The tool begins cutting the surface. When it is finished, your
screen should look like the following picture.
This selection specifies that you are selecting the piece to remove.
You have now completed the verification exercise. However, before you
continue to the setup and machining of this part, you explore another
application of the Verify function.
The Verify function lets you to capture the verified toolpath as an artistic
representation of the finished part. You can import the toolpath
verification image into another graphics application for enhancement.
Then use the finished image as art, for example, in product literature.
Art-part-Art process
1. Scan and import the initial bitmap into Art.
2. From the 2D graphic, create organic 3D surfaces in Mastercam
Art.
3. In a graphics program, capture and modify the graphic used to
verify the toolpath, thus completing the cycle.
A critical issue with a part like the medallion is how to hold the part
during machining. This part requires that the entire outside of the
medallion be machined. To complete such a cut, the tool must cut below
the part bottom and so you probably requires a sacrifice plate. You can
hold the part in a vice on a sacrifice plate or clamp the part to the table on
a sacrifice plate. Following are pictures of sacrifice plates and fixtures that
you can use to hold the part for machining.
Sacrifice plates
Clamping fixtures
Medallion mounted
Think about how to hold this part for machining. Discuss with someone
who has machining experience about how to hold the medallion.
1. Devise at least three different methods for holding the part.
2. Determine which method you think would be best and state why.
3. Make a sketch of the setup.
Exercise 10 – Challenge
Faster production times mean more profit. The medallion part takes a long
time to cut. Now that you have to redesign and remachine, you want to
know how to do it more efficiently.
1. Discuss with others how to cut this part faster.
2. Experiment with different toolpath cutting methods, and speeds and
feeds.
3. Observe and record the cutting times for each different type of
toolpath.
4. Compare the different cutting methods and decide which is better for
machining the medallion.
What’s next?
This chapter outlined how to create the Art base surface and its
toolpath, how to verify the toolpath on the screen, and also provided
setup tips for machining. The next chapter describes how to adjust
organic surfaces.
In the preceding chapters, you created the surfaces on a part that formed a
medallion. You then created a toolpath, set up the job, and verified the
program.
In this chapter, you will respond to a change order as you might receive it
from a customer so that you can learn how to edit and adjust surfaces.
Change orders often come after a design is finished. In this case, the
customer wants the letter “S” cross-sectional shape curvier, less flat on the
top, and more fluid, perhaps more like the figure on the right.
This is not a technical description but a common one. People know how
they want a design to look, but seldom know the dimensions or how to
describe them.
Mastercam X2 Art lets you edit the existing design instead of starting from
scratch. You can visualize the finished part, show it to your customer, and
refine the design without spending the time to actually cut it.
When you complete this chapter, you will be familiar with the following:
Modifying the convex arc shape
Modifying the parabolic shape
Using Undo and Redo
Changing the parabolic shape to an angle
Documenting surfaces
Art Manager
For this exercise, you will use medallion-edit.mcx, which is provided for
you. The medallion is 2.500 inches in diameter and is made from three-inch
square stock. In this exercise, you will adjust the cross-sectional shape to
make it smoother, curvier, and more fluid.
You will make these changes using the Art Manager, which is a history
manager of the Art model. The Art Manager allows you to open each Art
operation and alter any of its parameters. The Art Manager is a powerful and
useful tool in designing and modifying artistic shapes.
Renaming the surfaces
You will first rename the surfaces to make them easier to identify.
4. The Art Manager opens. To choose the elements you will modify,
click + beside Art Base Surface # 1 to expand its history tree, if
necessary.
5. Click + beside Organic Surface – Sub and Organic Surface –
Add. The complete history tree opens.
The Organic Surfaces Parameters dialog box opens. The fields are
populated with the selected surface’s parameters.
Note: This is the second surface you created. The first surface was
subtracted from the Art base surface and the second operation adds
the letter. If there were too many entries, you could also tell the
surfaces apart by the number of chains displayed at the end of the
sub category “Geometry” line. The first surface was defined by a
single contour, a circle, while the letter was made up of six
contours.
2. Click the Dynamic Cross Section button to change the cross
section profile, and then choose Convex Parabola from the
drop-down list.
3. Enter 0.250 for the Width and 0.125 for the Height.
4. Leave the Application Style set to Add.
5. Make sure your settings match those as shown next.
Note: If the cross section graph does not fit in the grid, click Zoom
to Fit to adjust it.
Tip: Notice the red checks. They indicate that the parameters have been changed
and that the file must be regenerated to reflect these changes. The operation is
referred to as “dirty” in this state.
The letter now has a ridge on the top as a result of the choice of
parabola as a cross section. Next you will create a smoother, more fluid
shape.
This exercise will modify the cross-sectional shape of the letter by using the
Adjust Ridge feature. Adjust Ridge morphs the original cross section,
changing it into a new shape. This exercise continues with the same file.
Using Adjust Ridge to change the surface profile
1. Click + beside Art Base Surface # 1 to expand the history tree, if
needed.
Note: When an operation has a + beside it, click to expand it to
reveal editable elements. When it has a –, click to collapse it.
2. Double-click Parameters under Initial – Add.
6. You will see your changes displayed on the model. The part should
look like the one shown next.
The part is smoother, but still has a ridge down the middle of the letter.
You will eliminate the ridge in the next step by using the Adjust Ridge
option along with the advanced scaling options.
Scaling and adjusting the cross-sectional shape
You will adjust the shape by stretching the arc and scaling it towards
the center to make the shape even smoother.
1. Click + beside Organic Surface Initial – Add, if needed.
2. Double-click Parameters to open the surface’s Organic Surface
Parameters dialog box.
3. Change the Adjust Ridge option to Arc Low.
4. Click at the top of the Organic Parameters dialog box to open
the Advanced Parameters dialog box.
5. Enter 150 in the Scale C-section field. This will stretch the cross
section shape 150% (1.5 times) to reach across toward the center of
the element. Make sure your settings match those as shown next.
This part is definitely more fluid in its cross-sectional shape. Next you
will compare the shapes.
Original
shape
Which part do you think looks more curved? Keep in mind that the
focus of Mastercam X2 Art is on how the design looks as opposed
to exact geometric coordinates. Although Mastercam X2 Art can be
both artistic and precise, the power of this new technology is to
quickly adjust the look when you don’t require or know exact
dimensions. With Mastercam X2 Art, you design to accomplish a
specific look.
OR
3. Click to Undo the next action. The change is processed and the
graphic reflects the changes.
The modified graphic with the ridge is shown below.
Your customer may feel that angled sides might add an “old world”
craftsmanship look to the medallion, so you need to design both looks. In
this exercise, you will create different design options by enabling and
disabling Art operations. First, you will disable the initial Art operation, and
then you will create a new operation with an angled cross section. When you
disable an element, the Art Manager ignores the operation when it next
regenerates. This allows you to hide designs or operations but have them
available for display at your discretion. This exercise will also lead you
through the process of changing the cross section to an angle.
For this exercise, you will use the file created in the preceding exercise
named (Your Initials) medallion b.mcx, or you may use medallion b.mcx,
which is provided.
Disabling an Art operation
1. Use the file you just saved or open
[C:\mcamx2]\documentation\art tutorial parts\medallion
b.mcx.
2. In the Art Manager, click + to expand elements, if needed.
3. Right-click Initial – Add and choose Suppress from the drop-down
menu. (Be careful not to choose Delete.) Suppress will make this
element unavailable and it will not be included when the model is
regenerated. It also makes the model “dirty.”
9. Choose the Zoom to Fit button to fit the line to the grid. Notice that
the numbers on the grid axes update to reflect the values just
entered.
10. Make sure your settings match those shown next.
12. Enter 200 for the Scale C-Section to stretch the cross section 200%
toward the center.
13. Verify that your settings match those shown next.
Tip: You can add multiple Art operations and enable and disable them as needed.
16. Press [Alt + S] to shade the part. Your part should look like the one
shown next.
Comparing shapes
You now have three additional parts to present. Which one do you
think is the most visually appealing? Can you look at the shape and tell
if it was made with an arc, parabola, or angle cross section? Can you
tell if it was smoothed using an Application Style or with Scaling C-
Section? Visualization and ease of design editing are powerful tools in
Mastercam X2 Art.
Original part
You edited the original part to create the three shapes shown next.
You then disabled the Art operation that contained the “S” and created
a new version shown below.
The customer has requested that you print a copy of each of the designs for
consideration. Use the File, Print function to print them.
Printing designs
1. Open the file [C:\mcamx]\documentation\art tutorial
parts\medallion all.mcx provided for you.
2. Change the view to Isometric.
3. Shade the part.
4. Choose File, Print. The Print dialog box is displayed.
5. Choose the appropriate settings for your specific printer.
The Art Manager tab is a central location where you manage the elements of
the current Art model. It is a very powerful tool that keeps track of all your
operations in a list called the history tree, which is listed in a tree format.
You can edit any element of the operation from the Art Manager as you
design. In this exercise, you will explore each of the Art Manager
components. Some of the material has been introduced in previous exercises
but is reviewed here.
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Regenerate
Click Regenerate to regenerate and rebuild the Art model to reflect changes
or deletions made to an Art base surface or its Art surface operations. Art
surface operations, Art base surfaces, and the Art model that require
regeneration are “dirty” and are marked with a check mark. They must be
regenerated before toolpathing. Regenerating returns them to a “clean” and
machine-ready state.
Hide geometry
Click Hide geometry to temporarily hide the geometry in the graphics
window, providing a clear view of the Art model. Click again to display the
geometry.
Analyzing surfaces
Click Analyze to display XYZ surface coordinates for any point position
you select with the cursor in the graphics window.
Surface Statistics
Click Statistics or right-click Art Base Surface in the Art Manager and
choose Statistics to display the dimensions, coordinates, and scale of the
model. The display contains read-only information on the current Art model
extents. This information updates each time you modify the Art model.
Tip: For accurate statistics, set the graphics view to Top. To edit this information, use
options in the Art Manager right-click menus, or functions in the Mastercam Art, Edit and
Xform Art menus.
The report provides the following information:
Grid Density
Click Art Surface Grid Density to make the point grid larger when you
have trouble seeing geometry through the grid. To see a surface in more
detail, tighten the grid. You may change settings as often as needed.
After you have unloaded the Art model, select this function again to add the
Art data back to the Mastercam part database.
A check mark indicates that the Art model, Art base surface, and one or
more of its Art operations are "dirty." This occurs when:
Parameters for an Art base surface or Art surface operation have
been modified.
The underlying geometry for an Art surface operation has changed.
An Art base surface or Art surface operation was deleted
(represented by an X).
Use the Art Manager Regenerate function to rebuild a “dirty” Art model
based on its current parameters and settings and restore its status to “clean.”
When you regenerate an Art model, Art base surfaces and surface operations
marked for deletion are removed from the Art Manager history tree.
The Art model represents the highest level of the Art Manager hierarchy.
Each Art model can include one or more Art base surfaces and, for each Art
base surface, one or more Art surface operations. The Art model also
includes a historical record of all events that have occurred since the model
was first created.
The Art base surface (ABS) is a 2D point grid or 3D point cloud surface that
defines the extents of a single Art surface area. The first step in creating an
Art model is to define an Art base surface. Then you can use Art surface
operations to manipulate this single surface.
Each Art model can contain one or more Art base surfaces. To work with an
Art base surface and its operations, you must make it active by selecting it
in the Art Manager history tree.
Art surface operations can include organic, swept, swept 2-ended, and
others. Art surface operations allow you to manipulate an Art base surface
by adding surface features, often using geometry to build the Art model.
You can create 3D elements from 2D geometry, import designs from
external files, create textures, and modify and transform existing Art surface
operations. Many Art surface operations require you to define the
operation's boundaries by chaining geometry in the graphics window.
Art surface operations are indented under their "parent" Art base surface in
the Art Manager history tree. You can view and modify each operation’s
parameters and, if applicable, re-select the geometry used to create it.
Different right-click options are available for surface operations and their
components:
Delete—Marks the selected Art operation, or Art base surface and all of its
operations, for deletion. The deletion is not processed until you regenerate
or rebuild the Art model.
Rename—Lets you rename the Art base surface or Art surface operation.
Attributes—Lets you change the Art base surface parameters. This opens
the Change Art Base Surface Parameters dialog box to allow you to edit the
size and attributes of the Art base surface.
Toolpath Art Base Surface—Reads all the data in the selected Art base
surface and opens the Machine Art Base Surface dialog box. Use this dialog
box to define toolpath parameters and create toolpaths for all operations in
the selected Art base surface
Tip: You change can change the cross section and the toolpath parameters here.
Exercise 7 – Challenge
The object of this challenge is to allow you to make changes on your own,
without step-by-step directions. It is designed to give you a better
understanding of the effect of modifications to surfaces created from
identical geometry. Note the difference in each modification you create.
Experiment as well with the grid size and shading tolerance.
A file named medallion c.mcx is provided for this exercise. You may use
the file you created or use the one provided.
1. Start Mastercam Art, and open the file named medallion c.mcx.
2. In the Art Manager, access the parameters for the organic Art
surface operation that was applied to the letter geometry. Change
Adjust Ridge to Normal.
3. In the Advanced Organic parameters, set the Scale C-Section value
to 200% and Regenerate.
4. For each new shape you create in steps 5-13, Save the file with a
new name. (Suggest continuing with adding the next letter for the
filename, medallion d.mcx and continue.)
5. Change Adjust Ridge to Angle Low and Regenerate.
6. Change Adjust Ridge to Angle High and Regenerate.
7. Change Adjust Ridge to Angle Radius and Regenerate.
8. Change Adjust Ridge to Arc High and Regenerate.
9. Change Adjust Ridge to Arc Medium and Regenerate.
10. Change Adjust Ridge to Arc Low and Regenerate.
11. Change Adjust Ridge to Parabola High and Regenerate.
12. Change Adjust Ridge to Parabola Low and Regenerate.
13. Change Adjust Ridge to Flat Sides and Regenerate.
The next chapter will lead you through more adjustments. You will perform
several adjustments using the Art Manager and the Undo and Redo
commands.
7 Reshaping Surfaces
In this chapter, you will create a base surface and add three surfaces to the
base. The added surfaces will overlap each other, requiring you to control
the intersections. The examples will use common geometry to demonstrate
how different Application Styles affect intersecting shapes. Surface
intersections can be quickly and easily edited to produce different looks.
When you complete this chapter, you will be familiar with the following
tasks:
Defining the Art base surface
Creating and stacking base surfaces
Stacking surface details - Celtic knot
Modifying the Celtic knot – Model 1
Modifying the dish surface
Modifying Celtic knot – Model 2
Reversing your changes
In this exercise, you will create an organic surface as a base for creating
other surfaces. One surface forms a radius around the edge of the base.
The base consists of two surfaces blended together to attain the desired
shape.
3. Select the lower left side of the outer circle as shown next.
6. Verify that your settings match those shown above, and click OK
to close the dialog box.
7. When the new surface has been created, choose Isometric Gview
and Fit.
Tip: Pressing the Page up and Page down keys will scale the part up and down
on the screen.
8. Press [Alt + S] to shade the part. The part should look like the
following illustration.
Note: Shading covers the whole base, including the surfaces and the flat
part of the base.
9. Press [Alt + S] again to turn shading off.
10. Choose the Front Gview to view the depth (thickness) of the part.
Note that at this point that the top of the part is flat, but has a
radius on the edge.
11. Choose Top Gview to begin adding the next surface to the base.
Creating a blended surface
In this exercise, you will add the second organic surface to the base
surface using the Blend Application Style. Blend will ignore the
surface you just created and build from the base level up. The blended
surface will seem lower than you might expect because it is not added
on top of the base surface. The surface will be convex (creating a
dome shape) and is defined by a parabolic cross section. The blended
surface will complete the base.
1. Choose Art, Create Organic Art Surface Operation.
2. Click the lower left side of the inside circle as shown next to
chain.
7. Choose Zoom to Fit in the dialog box to view the entire parabola
in the Cross Section window. Check to verify that your settings
match those shown and click OK twice to close both dialog
boxes. The finished surface is displayed on the screen.
8. Right-click and choose Isometric Gview.
9. Press [Alt + S] to shade the part.
Blended surface
10. Choose Front Gview to view the depth of the part. Notice that the
part is not flat on top and has a radius on the edge, which is the
desired effect.
Note: You can move a blended surface up by entering a positive
number in the Base Height field. Entering 0.125 would lift the
surface 0.125 above the base level; entering a negative number
would lower it below the base level.
You have completed the base surface. In this exercise, you will add the
surface operations that create a Celtic knot. These operations are
“stacked” on the top of the dome and on the top of the convex base
surface.
Chaining the details
1. In the Art Manager, choose Hide Art Model to hide the surface
and leave the geometry visible.
2. Make sure your settings match the preceding illustration, and click
OK twice to close both dialog boxes.
3. Change the view to Isometric.
4. Click the Hide Art Model button to redisplay the Art model. The
completed surface is displayed on the screen. Notice how the
intersections are ignored (not puffed up). This occurs when
intersecting boundaries are selected in a single chaining operation.
See the following illustrations.
In this exercise, you will use the Art Manager to modify the Application
Style of the part you created in the preceding exercise. You will modify
the knot that protrudes from the part so that it is carved into the part.
Modifying the organic surface parameters
1. In the Art Manager, click + to expand the surface history tree if it
is collapsed.
5. Click OK to close.
Applying changes
The red check mark on the surfaces in the Art Manager indicates that
the Art model must be regenerated to apply the changes.
Compare this part with the previous one. Remember that with Mastercam
X2 Art, the emphasis is the look of the part.
In this exercise, you will use the Art Manager to disable and undo the
domed base surface. This will leave the base surface with the flat top. The
knot details will no longer conform to the domed surface; they will be on
top of the flat base surface.
The procedures in this exercise are in a simple list form. If you have
completed the previous exercises, you should be able to complete them
without additional instructions. If you find you have trouble completing
them, go back and repeat some of the exercises.
6. View the part from the Front view. The finished part should look
like the following illustration.
In this exercise, you will open a file that contains a base surface. You will
then add the Celtic knot details and modify the intersections using
Application Styles. This will demonstrate the many ways to create
different shapes from the same geometry.
The main difference between this example and the preceding one is in the
way the geometry is selected. The knot will be created as three separate
surfaces rather than as a single surface, which will have different effects
on the intersections.
Initializing and opening the file
1. Select File, New to initialize. (Save your file, if you haven’t
already.)
2. Navigate to the file named Celtic-Blend Mod.mcx and Open the
file.
Creating the surface (Celtic knot, part 1)
In this file, the Art base surface and the first surface operation are
already complete. You will add the Celtic knot surface details for
part 1.
1. Choose Art, Create Organic Art Surface Operation. The
Chaining dialog box opens.
2. Select contour 1 as shown next.
Note: For the remainder of this exercise, the part is shown in a shaded
isometric view. Change to Top view, unshaded, as necessary for easier
selection.
Creating the surface (Celtic knot, part 2)
You will now add the Celtic knot surface details for part 2.
1. Choose Art, Create Organic Art Surface Operation. The
Chaining dialog box opens.
2. Select contour 2 as shown next.
3. Choose OK.
4. Choose the Presets down-arrow, scroll down, and select Celtic
from the list. The Organic Surface Parameter fields are
automatically populated with the saved information:
Radius = 0.156
Base Height = 0.125
Application Style = Blend
Adjust Ridge = Arc High
Advanced Parameters, Scale C-Section = 300%
5. Click OK to close the dialog box. Surface segment 2 is now
displayed on the screen as shown next.
Notice how the intersections blend with each other. Creating the surface
elements separately produced this effect.
Creating the surface (Celtic knot, part 3)
1. Choose Art, Create Organic Art Surface Operation. The
Chaining dialog box opens.
2. Select contour 3 as indicated in the graphic shown next.
3. Choose OK.
3. Choose OK.
4. Enter the following information in the Organic Surface
Parameters dialog box:
Dynamic Cross section = Convex Parabola
Width = .400
Height = .290
Application Style = Add
Adjust Ridge = Arc High
Advanced Parameters, Scale C-section = 350%
5. Click OK twice to close both the dialog boxes. The completed
surface is displayed on the screen.
6. Change the Application Style for surface 3 – Add Cut Trim back
to Blend and regenerate the Art model.
Modify Application Style – Sub
1. Double-click to open the parameters for Dome – Add surface.
2. Change the Application Style to Sub.
3. Choose OK to close the parameters.
4. Regenerate the part. The part should look as shown next. The
surface now has a concave shape.
You have just been through a series of changes of the part. You can undo
the changes in reverse order of their creation. In this exercise you will
continue working in the Art Manager to undo the changes, and return the
Art model to its original shape.
Undoing changes
1. In the Art Manager, click next to Undo to open the action list
as shown next.
3. Continue undoing actions from the top until you have a part shaped
like the one shown next.
Redoing changes
You have used Undo to make modifications to the part. You have
changed your mind and want to get the part back to the following
shape.
Exercise 8 – Challenge
In this exercise, use the knowledge you have gained to modify this model
into what you consider beautiful, or try and imitate the following graphic
as closely as possible.
The next chapter will focus on creating Border and Plane surfaces.
In this exercise, you will make a novelty chocolate mold with a nautical
theme, a task that is usually considered expensive and time consuming.
Without Mastercam X2 Art, creating artistic molds requires an
experienced CNC programmer. Most CAD/CAM software does not
facilitate this type of modeling. With Mastercam X2 Art, even a novice
can create this mold.
In this chapter, you will add a sand texture to the top of the base
surrounding the seahorse. After the base is created, you will add art (the
seahorse) to the top of the Border and Plane surface. Instead of spending
time drawing the seahorse, you will convert a scanned image.
When you finish this chapter, you will be familiar with the following
tasks:
Converting a file with Trace Image
Dragging to position
Scaling geometry
Working with levels
Creating Border and Plane surfaces
Creating the part’s base
Using the Blend application style
Smoothing surfaces
Adding textures
Modifying a texture
Converting a part to a mold
Setting Art base surface top to Z0
Exporting to STL format
In this exercise, you will open an existing Art file containing the drawing
of the base of the Art model. You will convert a bitmap file of a seahorse
to a Mastercam X2 Art file, scale it, and move it to the proper position on
the base. Shown next is a graphical overview of the process.
Initializing
1. Choose File, New to initialize the screen and database.
2. Choose File, Open, navigate to the Art tutorial part file named
Seahorse Base.mcx, and open it.
3. Fit the geometry to the screen.
4. Click Unzoom Previous / .5 to reduce the screen display by 50
percent.
Convert the file from raster to vector format
1. Choose Art, Trace Image - Rast2Vec to open the raster-to-
vector converter.
9. Click Create outlines, and then choose Optimize for: Spline fit.
Spline fit converts the geometry to smooth splines that are
connected. (Closed chains are very important in Mastercam X2
Art.) Rast2Vec also lets you convert raster files to lines, arcs, and
splines.
10. Choose Spline Parameters as shown in the preceding illustration.
The Spline Parameters dialog box opens.
15. Note that the converted seahorse image is much smaller than the
base part. Right-click and choose Fit to expand the geometry to
the screen. The seahorse is located in the lower left corner of the
screen.
After you click the second point, the graphic should look like the
image shown next.
The seahorse has been converted into usable geometry. The next step is to
move the seahorse geometry to the center of the base. In this exercise, you
will use the Xform Drag function to position it.
Note: To place the seahorse in the exact center of the part, you can create
a bounding box and translate (move) it to the center of the part. A
bounding box creates a rectangle around the perimeter of the part and a
point in the center. (See the Challenge at the end of this chapter for an
example of this procedure.)
In this exercise, you will use the Xform Scale function to make the
seahorse larger so that it becomes the focus of the part.
1. Fit the geometry to the screen.
2. Choose Xform, Xform Scale.
3. Click and drag a selection window around the seahorse, clicking
again to set the opposite corner of the window
4. Press Enter to complete selection. The Scale dialog box opens.
5. Click Move to apply the scaling to the seahorse instead of
creating a copy of it at a new scale.
Define scaling
reference point
In this exercise, you will turn off the level where you created the seahorse
to make surface selection easier.
1. Click Level in the Status bar to open the Level Manager.
Border and Plane surfaces consist of two surfaces—a border (the outer
ring in the next illustration) and a flat plane on the interior (the inner
plane). You create a Border and Plane surface by selecting a single closed
boundary (the purple circle geometry). This type of Art surface operation
is often used to make a base on which to start an Art model.
The border surface is created on both sides of the chained geometry and is
defined by a cross section. The plane is a flat surface created on the
interior of the border surface. It may be moved up and down on the Z axis
using the Height parameter. The Border and Plane function trims the two
surfaces together.
Border and Plane surface, Border and Plane surface, Border and Plane
plane at Z=0 (bottom of plane at Z=4mm (half way surface, plane at Z=8mm
border), border 8mm high up border), border 8mm (top of border)
high
In this exercise, you will create a Border and Plane surface to serve as a
base. You will create other surfaces on top of the base in a later exercise.
The base is created from two Border and Plane surface operations. The
first is shown below.
4. Click OK.
4. Choose OK.
5. The Border and Plane Parameters dialog box opens. Enter the
following parameters:
Radius = 0.0625
Application Style = Add
Build Shape to = Inside
Plane Height = 0.0625
Note: This Border and Plane surface operation looks like an Organic
surface. You could also use an Organic surface to create a base if the
plane height is the same as the border height.
Creating Border and Plane surface 2
1. Choose Hide Art Model from the Art Manager. This hides the
surface and leaves the geometry displayed, making it easier to
see the geometry for chaining.
5. When all the arcs have been selected as shown, choose OK.
6. Enter the following information in the Border and Plane
parameters dialog box.
Radius = 0.0625
Application Style = Add
Build Shape to = Inside
Plane Height = 0.0315
7. Click OK to close the dialog box and create the surface.
8. Click Hide Art Model again to toggle the setting and display
the surface. The part should look like the following image.
Note: Notice the differences between the first and second Border and
Plane surface operations. In the second surface, the plane is lower than
the border. You can adjust the plane height of a Border and Plane
surfaces; you cannot adjust the Organic surface height.
You have completed the Border and Plane surface operations for
this Art model. Next, you will create an Organic surface on top of
this plane.
This exercise will lead you through the process of creating Organic
surfaces as part of the base for the chocolate mold.
Turning off levels
Begin the process by turning off all the levels except level 2 and 5 to
make the chaining process simpler.
1. Choose Level from the status bar. The Level Manager opens.
2. In the Number column, click level 2 to make it the Main level.
The row is highlighted yellow.
3. Click in the Visible column to turn off all levels except levels 2
and 5.
4. Choose OK.
Creating Organic surfaces
1. Choose Top Gview, and Fit to screen.
5. Choose OK.
In this exercise, you will add the seahorse surfaces to the base using the
Blend application style, which was used in the Celtic knot project. The
Add application style adds the new surface on top of the previous one and
conforms to it. The Blend application style builds the surface on the base
floor, which may be below the base surface, ignoring the surface that it is
on top of. You can “lift” a Blend surface into position by using the Base
Height parameter.
Turning on levels
The seahorse geometry (on levels 1 and 2) must be made visible in
order to create the surfaces.
1. Choose Level from the status bar to open the Level Manager.
2. Make levels 1 and 2 visible.
3. In the Art Manager, choose Hide Art Model.
4. Choose Top Gview. The part is displayed as shown next.
Notice that the seahorse body is flat and does not follow the
organic surface contour because it uses the Blend application
style. The 0.200 base height raised the seahorse above the base
floor and through the organic base.
After viewing the part, press [Alt + S] again to turn shading off.
Creating the main body surface
1. In the Art Manager, select Hide Art Model to remove the Art
model from the graphics window display.
2. Right-click in the graphics window, and choose Top Gview.
3. Select Art, Create Organic Art Surface Operation. The
Chaining dialog box opens.
4. Choose Area. Click the inside fin outline as shown next.
9. Press [Alt + S] to shade the part. After viewing the part, press
[Alt + S] again to turn shading off.
The main body surface is completed. The next step is to create the
outline of the eye.
The seahorse would look better if it were smoother. In this exercise, you
will use the Mastercam X2 Art’s Smooth function to modify selected
surfaces in the Art model.
1. Click Hide Art Model in the Art Manager to remove the Art
model from the graphics window display.
2. Choose Art, Edit, Smooth.
Use the functions in the Art, Create Texture menu to add different
textures to existing Art surfaces. In this example, you will add the sand
texture to the area around the seahorse.
Adding a texture to the Art surface
In this exercise, you will smooth the texture using the Filters function.
4. Click OK to close the dialog box. The part should look like the
following image.
3. Choose Mirror Z and click OK. The Mirror & Rotate Parameters
dialog box closes. The part should appear as follows.
In this exercise, you will move the Z0 plane to the top of the part. Placing
Z0 at the top of the part is the commonly accepted standard and makes
machining setup easier. When the customer receives the part, it will be
ready for programming the toolpath.
4. In the Set Active Art Base Surface Top to Z Plane dialog box,
choose Surface Top to. Then enter 0.000 as shown next.
5. Choose OK to close the dialog box and move the part. The part
should look as shown next. Remember that this is now the mold.
The bottom of the part is now the top of the part.
This exercise leads you through the process of exporting the file you just
created to an STL format. STL files can be read by many different CAD
and CAM systems.
1. Save the file using the name (Your Initials) Seahorse (Done or
Fin for Finish).mcx. You now have two versions of the file—one
file containing the base surface and another containing the whole
part. Saving the base surface as a separate file allows you to reuse
the base surface and add a different motif to it.
2. Choose Art, Export Active Art Base Surface. The Save As
dialog box opens.
Note: If the filename you entered in Step 3 does not appear in this
dialog box, click Browse and re-enter it.
4. Click STL CAD, and then click OK. You have saved your file as
an STL file.
5. Save the file using the name (your initials) Seahorse All.mcx.
This completes the seahorse project.
In this exercise, you will recreate the model using different methods of
placing the part in the center of the base and creating a different texture.
Creating the bounding box
1. Open Seahorse Base.mcx, which contains the base geometry.
2. Use the Art, Trace Image – Rast2Vec function to import the
seahorse outline (seahorse1.jpg), using the same parameters as in
Exercise 1.
3. Choose Create, Create Bounding Box.
7. When the Translate dialog box redisplays, choose OK. The part
should look as follows.
A Machining Practices
Tool selection
Use these guidelines when selecting a tool:
Match the tool to the material and application.
Select a tool with the shortest cutting length that will cut through
the material.
Use a tool with a diameter that will give the best rigidity based
on the desired feed rate.
Select a tool that takes into consideration the part holding
method.
Cutting
Peripheral and plunge milling are the most frequently used milling
processes for cutting 3D parts.
In peripheral milling, the tool cuts a surface that is parallel to the end
mill axis. Side and face milling are examples in the next picture.
In plunge milling, the tool sinks directly into the workpiece and
moves directly through the workpiece along the center line.
Milling processes
Easier chip removal. Chips are tossed behind the cutter, resulting
in faster and easier chip removal.
Decreased power requirements. A higher rake angle can be used
on the cutting tool, resulting in lower power consumption. This
is particularly applicable in smaller milling machines.
Low temperature (long tool life).
Smoother surface finish.
Disadvantages of climb milling
Rigid setup is required because the cutter pulls the workpiece
along.
In routing, the material can be pulled out of your hands or the
fixture if not handled carefully.
Advantages of conventional (up) milling
Preparing to machine
Before you can start machining on the milling machine, the part must be
firmly attached to the machine table. In milling, setting up the workpiece
is usually the most difficult part of the job. Setups require critical thinking.
It is imperative that the part be fastened to the table and positioned so that
the intended surfaces can be machined without obstruction. It is also
important that the part is registered/squared using the correct features of
the workpiece for positioning. When a setup is not properly planned and
made, the part will probably end up as scrap.
Setup considerations
How a part (the workpiece) is fastened to the table and how far the cutter
is extended from the spindle make up the majority of the setup. To ensure
a higher quality cut, maximize the life of the tool, and minimize breakage,
the part must be held securely during machining. The parts may be held by
mechanical means or by vacuum devices. The rigidity of the setup should
always be maximized for productivity and safety sake. When the tool is
overextended and the part can only be clamped in a limited number of
places, the depth of cut and the feed rate are directly affected. A higher
metal removal rate is directly proportional to a more rigid setup. The
closer the tool is to the support, the higher the metal removal rate.
Machine capability
When machining, it is important to select the machine best suited for your
particular part. You must understand the capabilities of the machine to
properly program it and utilize its full potential. The machine must have
the necessary rigidity to minimize spindle deflection and sufficient
horsepower to perform at the recommended speeds and feeds.
When choosing feeds and speeds, keep in mind the amount of chip room
for the end mill you are using. Underestimating the importance of
allowing room for the chips can lead to clogging (packing) and breaking
the cutter. Proper chip room and its subsequent evacuation is an important
factor in successful cutting.
A tool’s most important part is the cutting edge. This is the part that
actually does the work. A tool with more cutting edges will last longer
because it has more edges to share the load and wear. A cutter that has two
or more cutting edges runs truer than a single-flute cutter. The more
cutting edges there are, the smaller the chips become, so you will get
smoother surfaces. Therefore, selecting a cutter with the appropriate
number of cutting edges is important.
2-flutes
3-flutes
Cutter types
Following is a sampling of some of the miniature cutters and engraving
tool types that lend themselves to cutting intricate 3D shapes. Each of the
types shown is available with a 0.250 or smaller shank, and can be used in
miniature milling machines.
Cutter types
Gravers
Runner cutter
Carbide blanks
Clearance cutter
When you use one of Mastercam’s tool types, you can change the
dimensions of the tool to customize it. Mastercam then scales the profile
so that cutter compensation displays correctly in Backplot and Verify.
About chips
It is important to clear chips from the cutting area immediately to avoid
packing and clogging. Re-cutting chips dulls the cutter prematurely and
can affect the surface finish of the part.
Warning: Metal chips from machining operations are very sharp and are a serious hazard.
They should not be handled with bare hands. Gloves should be worn for
handling chips. Do not attempt to remove chips while the machine is running.
Continuous chips with a built up edge still look like a long ribbon, but
the surface is no longer smooth and shining.
Continuous chips
Continuous chips are not always desirable, particularly in automated
machine tools, because they tend to get tangled around the tool, and the
operation then must be stopped to clear away the chips. Continuous chips
are less likely to form if the workpiece is brittle. However, a continuous
chip usually results in a good surface finish. The optimum kind of chip for
operator safety and producing an acceptable surface finish are shaped like
a “9” and are usually produced with a chip breaker. The following chip is
considered to be the perfect or ideal shape.
Discontinuous chips
The discontinuous or segmented chip is produced when brittle metal,
such as cast iron or hard bronze, is cut. Discontinuous chips consist of
segments that may be firmly or loosely attached to each other. Some
ductile metals can form a discontinuous chip when the machine tool is old
or loose and a chattering condition is present. It can also happen when the
tool form is incorrect.
Interpreting chips
Your chips tell you a story. They are report your cutting conditions,
providing you have learned to read them. It is important to monitor the
chips while machining because they can contain information about your
cutting conditions. For instance, needle shaped chips, chips that have
several colors, or irregular shaped chips are indicative of improper cutting
conditions. These conditions are indicative of inefficient cooling, a dulling
tool, or excessive vibration.
All milling chips should be basically the same color for similar cuts. For
instance, a deep blue chip (in steel) indicates extreme heat. The following
refers to milling operations.
Chips formed from milling are spiral shaped.
An end mill produces an interrupted cut and governs the chips
length.
The tool diameter and width of cut controls the chip length.
The larger the tool, the longer the chip.
A chip’s width depends on the depth of cut.
A chip’s thickness is directly related to the combination of feed
per tooth and the width of cut.
Milling chips should have a regular and consistent shape.
To show the relation of the chip thickness to the cutting process, look at
what happens at the cutting edge:
A chip is being removed from the part.
The RPM of the spindle and the feed rate of the tool are
controlling the size and thickness of the chip.
The chip load is equal to the amount of material cut by one
single edge during one revolution of the cutter.
The cutting action produces heat, and the most effective way to
remove heat is to have it removed with the chip.
Note: The total chip load is the same on multi-flute cutters except that the
chip load is equally spread over the number of flutes. More flutes create
less chip load per flute.
Tool holders
The appropriate holder must be selected for each tool used for machining.
It is important that tool holders and collets provide good concentricity
between tool and machine spindle. If not, tool life will be shortened
considerably.
Note: Always be sure the surface of the collet is clean and burr free before
inserting it into the machine.
Note that some tool holders utilize a collet, while in others the tool shank
is inserted directly into the holder. Tool holders that use collets allow you
to hold a variety of cutter sizes in a holder. An endmill holder holds only
one size shank. Some collets are inserted directly in the machine’s spindle,
while others are inserted into a chuck that is then inserted into the spindle.
Following are examples of some tool holder configurations available:
Collet types
Workpiece/work holding
Before you can begin the chip-making process on the milling machine, the
workpiece (part) must be fastened to the machine’s table. Frequently in
milling, the setup is the most difficult part of the job. Without proper
fixturing, you will break more tools, produce more scrap, and tasks will
take longer to complete than necessary. To make a good setup, the
operator must understand the types and proper uses of the work holding
devices.
Fixturing types
There are several different approaches to fixturing. Some basic methods
are explored next.
Adhesives
Adhesive fixturing uses double-sided tape of various sizes and strengths to
hold the workpiece in place. This type of setup can be quick and cheap.
The disadvantage is that it can be hard to remove the workpiece when
finished. Cleanup is also problematic.
Glues
Another method is to use one of the many types of glues available. There
are glues and compounds formulated specifically for holding parts during
machining. This method has virtually the same disadvantages and
problems as using tapes. Smaller and thinner parts are sometimes
destroyed while trying to remove or to clean after machining.
Clamps
Clamps are a popular method of holding parts during machining. During
production machining, they are especially popular. Many clamp
configurations are commercially available. The disadvantage of clamps is
keeping them out of the way of all moving parts of the machine, including
the cutter.
Mechanical
The most common approach is to use mechanical fixtures. This category
includes vices. Some mechanical fixtures require more upfront planning
than any of the other methods. Following are examples of different
devices for holding the workpiece on the machine. This is just a few of
those available and is by no means intended to be an all-inclusive list.
Regardless of how the parts are held, your end product will be no more
accurate than your setup. Consequently, the setup of both the machine and
the part are important considerations in the machining process.
Make sure the table is clean and free from burrs before clamping the part
in the vice or directly to the table. When clamping a workpiece to the table
or on parallels, the placement of the clamps is important. If the stud is
placed too far back, clamping pressure is greater on the step block than on
the workpiece. Following are examples of right and wrong setups.
Parallels placed too close to the center cause the workpiece to bow.
Tool offsets
The Z0 position must be set for each tool used by the program before
beginning to machine. The Z0 position tells the program where the end of
each cutter is located in relationship to the part. Follow the directions
specific to the machine controller you are using for this procedure.
Tip: Prior to using a test indicator, use a machinist’s square to get the head roughly aligned. This
makes the process easier and quicker to complete.
Rough alignment
1. Begin by placing a machinist’s square on the mill table.
2. Slide the square to the quill in the X direction.
3. As the square and quill come together, look for a gap between the
quill and square.
4. Begin rotating the head until the gap is closed. Snug the bolts at
this time. This is demonstrated in the following graphics.
Tramming considerations
Consider the guidelines in this section when tramming the head. The next
illustration defines terms.
How far you place the indicator from the spindle influences the
accuracy of the setup. As an example, a reading of + .001 over 8
inches is more accurate than +.001 over 6 inches.
The greater the distance between the indicator and the spindle,
the greater the skill required to get a zero indicator movement
from each sweep.
When adjusting the swivel and knuckle, leave a little tension on
the clamping bolts. This will help prevent the head from moving
when you fully tighten these bolts.
2. Position the machine about an inch in from the edge of the table.
You should be able to rotate the indicator 360° on the table.
3. You may use parallels or 1-2-3 blocks to slide under the indicator
for the reading or use the table alone.
5. Set zero on the indicator and sweep the indicator to the opposite
end. The indicator reading will change as you sweep from left to
right.
6. Move to the left and set the indicator reading to zero.
7. Use a dead blow or rubber hammer to tap on the head until the
indicator moves approximately halfway back to zero.
8. Adjust the head in the X axis to get zero readings at both positions
from left to right. Sweep back to the other side again and repeat
the above steps until the indicator reads zero on both ends.
9. Retighten the four bolts that hold the head in the longitudinal
rotation direction and test once more.
10. Now swing the indicator to the front position, and adjust the
knuckle joint in the Y-axis to get zero readings from front to back.
Front to back
Note: It is harder to get the head into position from front to back (Y) than
in left to right (X). This is because the pivot point is not as centered as in
the Y direction as it is in the X direction.
11. At this point the head is closely aligned. When the indicator reads
within + 0.001 in all four directions, the head is aligned in both
axes.
12. Finish tightening the bolts and double check to confirm that no
movement occurred during the final tightening.
You are ready to proceed to the next process, aligning (squaring) the vice
with the table travel.
2. Attach the test indicator on its holder and mount in the mill
spindle. Orient the spindle and adjust the indicator to the back
(solid) vice jaw.
3. Adjust the table until the indicator is placed near the left end of
the back vice jaw. Raise the table until the indicator tip is roughly
¼ inch below the top of the jaw.
4. Change the machine into back gear so that the spindle will not
easily turn. Use the table crossfeed to move the table until the
indicator needle moves roughly one quarter of a revolution. Set
the indicator bezel to zero, taking care not to rotate the spindle.
Edge finders
6. Enter this value in the control and repeat the process for the Y axis.
Locating a point
A rough method for quickly finding a location is by using a wiggler. This
method can find a location within .003.
1. Mount the body in the spindle and center the probe with your
fingers. Make sure nothing is in the area that the pointer could
strike. Turn spindle on at approximately 1000 RPM. The pointer
will spin off center making a large diameter as depicted in the
following graphic.
3. The wiggler is running aligned with the spindle. Move the axis to
align the spindle to the desired location. This could be a centerline
or the edge of a part.
4. Enter the location of the center of the spindle in the control.
Repeatability
One of the challenges in making setups entails accuracy as well as
repeatability. When multiple parts are required, a stop may be used to
locate the part in the same position. A stop attached to the table may be
used in a vice or fixture. The shape of the part and the method of holding
dictate the type of stop used. Following are a couple of examples.
Challenge
Read this chapter and answer the following questions.
1. What is wrong with the two setups shown next?
Setup 1 Setup 2
2. What is the cutting speed and feed per tooth for soft stainless
steel?
3. Name three things that increase chip thickness.
4. Study the setup and discuss what is right and wrong about it.