This tutorial guides you through the process of using CAM Assist's ‘3+2 Axis’ machining mode, with a ‘User-defined' machining mode, to compute a toolpath strategy for a part.
When using the ‘User-defined’ machining direction:
The tool orientation that CAM Assist uses to create the toolpath strategy can only come from the +X, -X, +Y, -Y, and +Z axes.
The tool then operates on the part from a fixed orientation, which means that the orientation cannot change during cutting.
This tutorial uses CloudNC’s ‘Demo Part 1’. However, the same process can be used for any part that can be opened in Siemens NX.
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’).
Using the ‘3+2 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+2 Axis’ Machining mode with a ‘User-defined’ machining direction, you’ll take the following steps:
Specify the Machining direction
Specify the Machining mode
For Machining mode, CAM Assist provides you with two options: ‘3 Axis’ and ‘3+2 Axis’.
Check the box for 3+2 Axis
Specify the Machining direction
For machining direction, CAM Assist providers you with three options: ‘Aligned to X, Y, Z axes’, ‘User-defined’, and ‘Automatic’.
Check the box for User-defined
Configuring 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 (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.
Check the box for Setup 1
Same direction for roughing and finishing
The checkbox could be:
Checked - indicates you want to machine the part in the same direction for both roughing and finishing operations.
Unchecked - indicates you want to machine the part using different directions for the roughing and finishing operations.
If unchecked, the 'Select machining directions' option is replaced with both ‘Select roughing directions’ and ‘Select finishing directions' (see the bottom screenshot to the right).
For this tutorial:
Check the box for Same direction for roughing and finishing
Refer to Specifying the same direction for roughing and finishing, below.
Specifying the same direction for roughing and finishing
As it’s name suggests, if 'Same direction for roughing machining directions' is checked then the following steps apply to both the roughing and finishing machining directions.
The ‘Select machining direction’ icon (see the image to the right) is used to indicate the roughing and finishing direction by clicking on the model/part's face, within Siemens NX, that is perpendicular to the machining direction.
Click the Select machining direction icon
Specifying a different direction for roughing and finishing
Next, for this tutorial:
Uncheck the box for Same direction for roughing and finishing
The ‘Select roughing direction’ icon (see the image to the right) is used to indicate the roughing direction by clicking on the model/part's face, within Siemens NX, that is perpendicular to that direction.
Click the Select roughing directions icon
Within CAM Assist:
Click the Select finishing directions icon
Set the Avoidance Geometry
Specifying Avoidance Geometry is an optional step
For details and step-by-step instructions, see the tutorial ‘Using Avoidance Geometry’.
Keep roughing order
The checkbox could be:
Checked - tool orientations will be ordered in the same sequence as they are selected (this applies to ‘Select roughing directions’, see below).
Unchecked - tool orientation will be sequenced by CAM Assist but may not be in the order selected.
Check the box for Keep roughing order icon
Set the Workholding security
CAM Assist will choose roughing tools suitable for the specified workholding.
Set the slider to the required position between 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.
Set the Workholding security slider to 'Excellent’.
If you decide to check ‘Setup 2’, you will have the same choices as for ‘Setup 1'.
Examining 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:
Click OK.
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).