Tutorial 3 – Parâmetros de Acabamento – Cimatron NC

TUTORIAL 3 Parâmetros Cimatron NC

Acabamento (“Surface Milling”)

3.1) Horizontal Faces – (Maquinação de Planos/Superficies Horizontais)

Load the Finish.elt file Part: Finish.elt

1º Criar um novo NC_mm
2º Load Model “Finish.elt”
into the NC application.

Create a 3-axis toolpath with a clearance of 75.

3º
4º Create Toolpath (Z Clearance) = 75mm
Create a Finish procedure, by selecting the Finish 5º Procedure - Surface Milling – Finish Horiz Planar Areas
Horizontal Planar Areas technology.

Import the Cutter Library and select the Flat 8 Cutter for use within this procedure.

Select All Displayed Part Surfaces.

Set the following Parameters:

Parâmetros:
- Surface Tolerance;
- Horizontal Step;
- Preferred Corner Radius;
- Consider Previous Stock

By not considering the remaining stock, previous procedures are ignored.

The Round Corners parameter enables faster machining.

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Save and calculate the procedure.

Nota final: Neste exercicio utiliza-se uma estratégia de acabamento (“Surface Milling”) apenas de
planos/superficies horizontais, selecionadas automaticamente a partir de todas as superficies da peça.
Esta estratégia é tipicamente utilizada com ferramentas de topo plano em grandes áreas horizontais.
O uso de ferramentas planas permite um melhor aproveitamento dos incrementos laterais (ae) obtendo-
se melhores acabamentos superficiais sem “cristas”(“scallop”).

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3.1.b) Bumping
Vertical areas will now be machined using bumping machining technology. This is used mainly for
semi-finish/finish operations to quickly remove material using vertical motions.
Edit the procedure and change the technology to Finish Mill by Limit Angle.

Select the Flat 30 cutter (FLAT30-H). – Ferramenta da Cutter Library

Part: Finish.elt
Pick the following boundaries:

Select the contour, exit, set the parameters, and click Apply to select the second contour.

Surface Milling – Bumping

Definir Fronteiras (Boundaries):

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Click on the Part Surfaces parameter and select Reset All.

1º Deselecionar todas as superficies da peça;
Click on the Check Surfaces parameter and pick the three faces highlighted below: 2º Selecionar superficies de controlo;
3º Selecionar todas as superficies (Parts Surface)

Click on the Part Surfaces parameter and select All Displayed part surfaces.

Set the following parameters:

Vertical Machining Method - Bumping

Uncheck the Entry - Beyond Boundary Limits option.

Click on the link below to learn more about the various bumping options available.

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Save and calculate the procedure.

When a part has near vertical walls and a large diameter cutter is used, bumping technology saves machining time when compared to layers technology.

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3.1 c) Limit Angle

Using the Limit Angle technology, both horizontal or vertical areas (divided by a slope angle) can be milled using different machining technologies.

Edit the procedure and select the BN10R2-H cutter.

Reset the Boundary selection and pick the following boundary:

Surface Milling – By Limit Angle

Reset the Part Surfaces and Check Surfaces selection, and pick the following 4 check surfaces:

Select All Displayed Part Surfaces.

Definição de:
- Part Surfaces (Superficies a maquinar);
- Boundaries (fronteiras);
- Check Surfaces (Superficies de control);

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Set the following parameters:

The limit angle is the maximum angle between the machined surface and the reference (horizontal or vertical) plane.

Save and calculate the procedure.

Vertical machining is performed on surfaces with an angle of 45 degrees or more.

Horizontal spiral machining and vertical layer machining can clearly be seen in the above picture.

The Z value constantly varies using the horizontal machining method, while the vertical machining method maintains a constant Z value at each machining layer.

Edit the procedure and change the limit angle to 25.

Save and calculate the procedure.

Now vertical machining is performed on surfaces with an angle of 25 degrees or more.

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3.2) Mill All

Part: Mill All.elt
All areas of the Mill All.elt file will now be machined.
1º New NC_File mm
Create a new toolpath, accept the default values and load the Mill All.elt file into the NC application.
2º Load Model

Copy and Paste the Finish procedure into the second toolpath.

Edit the procedure, reset the boundary selection, and pick the following boundary.
3º
4º Create Toolpath
5º Procedure – Surface Milling –> Finish Mill By Limit
Angle

Reset the Check Surfaces selection.

Reset the Part Surfaces selection and select all Part Surfaces from the Mill All part, except for the one indicated below.

5º Procedure – Surface Milling –> Finish Mill By Limit Angle

Uncheck the vertical areas.

Save and calculate the procedure.

Edit the procedure, change the procedure type to Finish Mill All, and check the True Spiral parameter.

The difference between true spiral and spiral toolpaths is the connection between the offsets.

 A spiral toolpath has an S connection between the offsets.

 A true spiral toolpath does not have any connection between the offsets, as a true spiral is created. A true spiral toolpath decreases milling time.

Save and calculate the procedure.

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Finish Mill All technology is used on models with small horizontal geometric variations.

True Spiral

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3.3) Layer Connection

Load the LayerConnection.elt file.
Part: LayerConnection.elt
Observe the Finish Mill All procedure in the second toolpath.

The connection between the layers spirals down on the surfaces.

Edit the procedure. Change the layer connection type from Basic to Advanced.

Save and calculate.

Duplicate the procedure. Edit the duplicated procedure.

Set the parameters as shown in the picture below:

The connection method has two options: On Surf and Tangent.

Execute the procedure.

Note that Shift Distance controls the stretch of the connection spiral motion.

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Rerun the first procedure. Change the Overlap Distance to 2.

Hide the first procedure. Edit the second procedure.

Set the Layers Connection to Tangent and the Shift Distance to 0.

Save and calculate. Note that all connections are lined up on a vertical line.

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3.4) Finish Parallel Order

Load the Finish_Parallel_By_Pass.elt file.

Part: Finish_Parallel_By_Pass.elt

Double-click the procedure. Note that the Horizontal Machining Method is Parallel, and that the Horizontal Machining Order is set to By Closest, which is the default
option.

Select the Navigator icon, and press the Next block arrow.

When an obstacle is encountered during machining, the machining continues either along the same pass or on a different pass, whichever is closest.

The tool moves along the direction indicated by the arrow. When it reaches the vertical wall (point 1), it may retract and continue in the same pass to point 2 or continue to
the closest pass (in this example, point 3).

Note that the tool continues its movement to point 3 as it's closer than point 2.

Re-run the procedure and set the Horizontal Machining Order option to By Pass.

Note that now the tool retracts when it reaches point 1 and continues to point 2.

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3.5) App-Ret_control

Approach-Retract Control - Step 1

The Approach-Retract Control function enables you to have some control over the size of the approach/retract motions and entry feed in all Finish functions.

Load the App-Ret_control.elt file.

Observe the Optimized mode of the Entry and End Points twig, and the resultant approach and retract motions of the procedure.

Part: App-Ret_control.elt

Notes:

• The Entry and End Points twig has a 2-option dropdown list: Optimized or Advanced.

• In optimized mode the behavior and results are the same as they were in previous versions.

Change the Entry and End Points dropdown list to Advanced.

Change the Preferred Approach Radius to 5 and the Preferred Retract Radius to 2.

Save & calculate.

Check the results.

The approach motion size has increased and the retract motion has remained the same size as it was before.

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Approach-Retract Control - Step 2

Edit the procedure.

Change the Preferred Approach Radius to 12.

Execute and check the result.

The approach type was changed to Z-down approach.

Note that the radius specified by the user only replaces the first automatic size that the system uses in Optimized mode.

Cimatron applies the user's input going through the regular fall-back options. The last option, if nothing else is possible, is Z-Down as shown here.

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Approach-Retract Control - Step 3

Edit the procedure.

Change the Entry and End Points dropdown list to Optimized.

Change the Machining Method to Layers. Change Layers Connection to Advanced.

Notice that in the Preferred Approach and Retract Radius parameters you are directed to the Entry and End Points twig.

The Entry and End Points dropdown list was automatically set to Advanced, enabling you to set the preferred radii.

Switch to Machine Parameters.

Notice the Entry Feed parameter.

Execute the procedure.

Activate the Information bar.

Use the Navigator for this procedure and position yourself by picking on one of the approach motions.

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Notice the approach feed as set in the procedure.

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3.6) Horizontal Planes Approach

Machining the horizontal layer using rough technology enables you to control the Approach motion. The Approach motions are performed through the air and not through
the stock.

If a pocket was defined, the tool plunges in the spiral approach.

Horizontal Planes Approach - Step 1

Before loading the file, ensure that the Rough - Horizontal Planes Finish option is checked in the General NC Preferences.

Load the Horizontal Planes Approach.elt file.

Notice that the approaches are performed through the stock.

Part: Horizontal Planes Approach.elt

Copy the toolpath.

Edit the procedure. Change the technology to Volume Milling Rough Spiral. Change the Vertical Step Type to Horizontal Planes Finish.

Set the following parameters. Execute the procedure.

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Horizontal Planes Approach - Step 2

The approach motions are now performed through the air and not through the stock.

Zoom into the area marked with a red circle.

Edit the procedure. Change the parameters of the Entry and End Points as shown in the picture below:

Execute the procedure.

If a pocket was defined, the tool plunges in the spiral approach.

Delta Z: This parameter will set the delta Z value above the horizontal plane to start the approach.

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3.7) 3D Step

3D Step is a milling methodology in Finish Mill All that mills the part in spiral-like motions when the distance between the motions is a fixed 3D distance.

Load the 3D-Step.elt file into the NC application.

Here we used the Finish: Mill All procedure in a situation that was not suited to the option.

Look at the M-Views.

The walls are too steep for a spiral cut.

View 1

View 2

View 3

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3D Step 2

Copy the procedure, and change it to Finish: Mill By Limit Angle. Keep the default values. Execute the procedure.

Check the problematic areas to see how the results have improved.

View 1:

View 2:

View 3:

The smoothness of the toolpath along the surfaces is much better. But there are many rapid motions that connect the layers (vertical areas) and the spiral cut
(horizontal areas).

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3D Step 3

Copy the procedure again. Change back to Finish: Mill All. However this time select 3D Step as the machining method.

Execute the procedure and check the problematic areas again.

View 1:

View 2:

View 3:

Not only is the toolpath smooth, but we have avoided the connections between the layers and spirals.

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Use 3D-Step to complete the part. Create appropriate cutters. Hint: The square area (marked by the red arrow above) should not be milled with the rest of the “out” set.

View the result in the 3D-Step-done.elt file.

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