Using 'Multi-file support'

Owned by Kevin Strider (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Oct 25, 2024 by Geoffrey Brennan
3 min read

CAM Assist provides multi-file support for your Siemens NX parts.

The Multi-file support section contains two features, exposed via checkboxes:

  • Use additional .prt file - enables you to compute toolpath strategies for multiple consecutive part files.

  • Import finished faces - enables you to compute a toolpath strategy for a multi-file part where the first part has finished faces and the second part requires the data for those finished faces.

Both of these features are detailed, below.

image-20240705-113649.png

Using additional .prt files

In order to use this feature, you need to have at least two part files open in the current active Siemens NX session.

The part files must not have had a toolpath strategy computed for them.

The following step-by-step instructions provide guidance on how to use ‘additional .prt files’: to provide an example, CAM Assist’s ‘Demo Part 1’ is used.

Step-by-step instructions

Within Siemens NX:

  1. Open the part (.prt) files for the multi-file setup.

  2. Click on the tab for the ‘first’ part, to make it active.

    • The following side-by-side screenshots shows Demo Part 1 split into two workpieces.

image-20240705-121940.png
Demo Part 1 (Top) - WORKPIECE

You can magnify any image in this User Guide by clicking on the image.

Within CAM Assist:

  1. Open the Setup tab.

  2. Check the box for Use additional .prt file

    • It’s drop-down will contain the name of the second part file (as illustrated in the screenshot to the right).

    • Select the second part.

  3. Complete any other configuration within CAM Assist.

    • Ensure IPW settings are configured in SiemensNX.

  4. Click OK.

The following screenshots show the results of CAM Assist’s computation of a toolpath strategy for the multi-file parts.

Importing finished faces

In order to use this feature, you need to have at least two part files open in the current active Siemens NX session.

The ‘first’ part file must contain computed toolpaths for finished faces,

The following step-by-step instructions provide guidance on how to use ‘additional .prt files’: to provide an example, CAM Assist’s ‘Demo Part 1’ is used.

Step-by-step instructions

Within Siemens NX:

  1. Open the part (.prt) files for the multi-file setup.

  2. Click on the tab for the ‘second’ part (the one that does not have finished faces), to make it active.

    • The following side-by-side screenshots shows Demo Part 1 split into two workpieces.

Within CAM Assist:

  1. Open the Setup tab.

  2. Check the box for Import finished faces

    • It’s drop-down will contain the name of the part file with finished faces (as illustrated in the screenshot to the right).

    • Select the part with finished faces.

  3. Complete any other configuration within CAM Assist.

    • Ensure IPW settings are configured in SiemensNX.

  4. Click OK.

 

 

 

 

Â