This tutorial guides you through the process of using CAM Assist's ‘3-Axis’ machining mode to compute a toolpath strategy for a part.
The tutorial uses CloudNC’s ‘Demo Part 1’. However, the same process can be used for any part that can be opened in Siemens NX.
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CAM Assist works with the Siemens NX manufacturing environment and manufacturing templates. |
Preparation
Before following this tutorial, you must have successfully completed the following steps:
Install CAM Assist - follow the instructions in Installing CAM Assist.
Open a part - follow the instructions in Opening a Part (this tutorial uses ‘Demo Part 1’).
Open the ‘CAM Assist’ menu - it contains the CAM Assist ribbon shown in the screenshot to the right.
Click CloudNC CAM Assist - in the CAM Assist ribbon.
Using the ‘3-Axis’ Machining mode
On completing the Preparation, you’ll see the CAM Assist user interface with ‘Demo Part 1.prt’ open, as shown below.
To use the ‘3 Axis’ Machining mode, you’ll take the following steps:
Specify the Machining mode
For Machining mode, CAM Assist provides you with two options: ‘3 Axis’ and ‘3+2 Axis’.
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Configure the Target setups
The content of the ‘Target setups’ section reflects the workpiece configuration of the part, as displayed in the ‘Geometry’ view of the Siemens NX Operation Navigator (see the following side-by-side screenshots).
as shown below).
Check the Setup
Within CAM Assist, the ‘Target setups’ are numbered sequentially, in the same order as in NX’s Geometry view.
You’ll notice that ‘Demo Part 1’ has two Target setups: ‘Setup 1’ and ‘Setup 2’.
If you want CAM Assist to create a toolpath strategy for a setup, ensure its respective checkbox (Setup 1/Setup 2) is checked.
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Set the Avoidance Geometry
This
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For ‘how to use’ details, see Avoidance Geometry, below).
For this Tutorial:
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If you want CAM Assist to create a toolpath strategy for a setup, ensure that the respective setup's checkbox (such as 'Setup 1') is checked.
For each setup that you’ve checked:
Avoidance geometry - (optional) see Avoidance Geom
etry, below.
Set the Workholding security
-CAM Assist will choose roughing tools suitable for the specified workholding.
Set the slider to the required position between
, or at,the two extremes:
Excellent - a more secure ('excellent') workholding, such as a vise with serrated jaws, will result in CAM Assist selecting larger tools or more aggressive cutting parameters. This will result in faster
toolpaths, but with more force on the workpiece.
Poor - a less secure ('poor') workholding, such as a thin part held by a soft jaw, will result in CAM Assist selecting smaller tools or less aggressive cutting parameters. This will produce slower toolpaths, but with less force on the workpiece.
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If you decide to check ‘Setup 2’, similar options for ‘Setup’ 1 will be displayed (that is, ‘Avoidance Geometry’ and ‘Workholding security’). |
Examine CAM Assist’s other tabs
Before clicking OK, it’s a good idea to examine the other tabs to ensure that the requirements for CAM Assist’s tool strategy are fully configured:
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On clicking OK, CAM Assist closes and computes a toolpath strategy, which is displayed within the ‘Program Order View' of Siemens NX’s Operation Navigator (as illustrated in the following screenshot).
Avoidance Geometry
This geometry ensures that machining operations do not occur in specific portions of the stock for this setup, such as the space under the part or between the vise jaws.
These blocked out portions (Avoidance geometry) are different from fixture bodies. While fixture bodies MUST be avoided, the Avoidance Geometry is considered part of the stock and may be gouged in specific cases. For example, drilling a through-hole may pierce the avoidance geometry but not the fixture.
Fixture bodies also require clearance from any tool, whereas all roughing tools may touch the surface of the Avoidance geometry.
Using Avoidance geometry
To use Avoidance geometry, take the following steps:
Click on the Avoidance geometry filled-block icon (to the right of ‘Avoidance geometry (0).
Click on the portion of the model/part to indicate avoidance geometry.
‘Avoidance geometry (0)’ changes to ‘Avoidance geometry (1)’
On clicking OK,CAM Assist generates the avoidance geometry and integrates it with the computed toolpath strategy.
