making your g code - mastercam question

[siavash_s_s]

hey all

im stuck arse first into mastercam trying to figure out how these bastard toolpaths work. anyone here designing and creating blocks using autocad -> mastercam -> gcode?

i need just a little help

btw if this is in wrong section srry

[mwolfman]

Originally Posted by siavash_s_s

hey all

im stuck arse first into mastercam trying to figure out how these bastard toolpaths work. anyone here designing and creating blocks using autocad -> mastercam -> gcode?

i need just a little help

btw if this is in wrong section srry

My tip is to download cncsimulator and make the code by hand.

[siavash_s_s]

then you have never used mastercam. it does the gcode of a project in 1/10 the time, and when you simulate it you seen an animation with a block of metal cut into ur final product. its extremely good all be it annoying for me to use

[mwolfman]

Originally Posted by siavash_s_s

then you have never used mastercam. it does the gcode of a project in 1/10 the time, and when you simulate it you seen an animation with a block of metal cut into ur final product. its extremely good all be it annoying for me to use

Well I got as far as you (I think)... Then it got to annoying for me as well...

Do you got Pro/E? It has its own CAM module.

[JFettig]

If you dont know how to program it, hows it suposed to take 1/10th the time

I honestly would rather write code by hand then use cam programs, conversational code is my second fav because of the ease of doing it.

I have done a lot of programming too, What kind of machine are you writing the program for?

Do you know if you have the correct post processors for mastercam(the things that write the g-code correctly)?

Have you tried drawing your toolpaths manually in autocad? do that, color them and import the drawing into mastercam and use contour with tool centered over the path.

to draw paths, offset the oustside of the lines in the radious of the tool.


Jon

[superart]

I swear. You kids and your fancy schmancy computerized G-code makers.

Back in my day, we used to have to draw our part out on graph paper and make g-code by hand from that.......up hill both ways through the snow



Have you tried BobCAD? Its not as robust as MasterCAM, but I think it would be better for making waterblocks, as its a 2D program.

You dont really need a 3D enviornments for making waterblocks, it just makes it harder. It takes a little bit to getthe hang of it, but once you do, its pretty fast.

[siavash_s_s]

the man im working for atm sits there writes his gcode and tests his code on a test piece of metal.. gets expensive timewise and material wise, especially if doing small quantities. anyway mastercam is pretty good so far i havent many problems but what i do need to is say machine the channels in a #rotor. well its easy enough to say drill the little holes but still i cant find a way to properly create a simple square spiral to the middle to cut the channels... anyawy ill take jfettiqs advice, i mean tricking in autocad is the first thing you learn so yeh, that should work, and i spose it is the end product that counts

still if anyone knows a porper way to just specify custom toolpaths say between points, without having to write your own code, plz say

thnx for the tip tho jfettiq

btw for superart: 3d doesnt make it harder... makes it easier imo. see that cup and spoon in my avatar, i did that in 3dsmax so im pretty adept at the 3d world of computers

[superart]

Originally Posted by siavash_s_s

btw for superart: 3d doesnt make it harder... makes it easier imo. see that cup and spoon in my avatar, i did that in 3dsmax so im pretty adept at the 3d world of computers

Yea, but a waterblock is different. A waterblock is really just a 2D design. Youre basicly just inscribing something. Adding in a 3rd demesnsion, in this case, just ads unnecisary complications.


Thats some nice 3dsm work, btw. Im currently trying to learn to use blender. Its some cool stuff.

[darren_21]

I may be a noob to this forum and a noob to watercooling but you just entered my world!!! If there's anything you want or need to know about mastercam i can give you the answers. 3D isn't really necessary if you have no 3D profiles you want to cut (eg. rad's, etc). Mastercam is the best program out there for 2D machining which what waterblocks are essentially.

If you want to send me your drawing/mastercam file I can try and make a program out of it for you. The picture is a block that was programmed using mastercam. At the bottom of the outer diameter is a radius shape to help the water flow better so that had to be programmed on 3D but like I said, eliminate that and you can easily just use the 2D which is much simpler.

I run a MA-550VB CNC machine at work so this is how I know all about this stuff. There's a picture of the machine too. It's about 10 feet tall!

peace

[siavash_s_s]

darren_21: you got msn or something? there is just a few little things i need to understand properly with mastercam. its actually an awsome situation for me. i can easily squeeze a couple of hundred per project from the shop owner and only have to do a couple hours a day work, and im only just out of highschool and all my little kiddie friends are working for minimum wage!

anyway aim, msn whatever you got it?

[siavash_s_s]

btw that is one clean workshop you goto see where im at... its a pig sty im going to fall over on something and crack my head soon.
btw that is one huge machine, 5axis methinks?

[darren_21]

Originally Posted by siavash_s_s

anyway aim, msn whatever you got it?

I pm'd u my msn