SolidCAM/WRKS troubles

[25ncjimmy]

I want to make 3 pairs of beams all the same but slightly different. Ideally I would like to mill them from one plate in one session to save tool changes.
I can get round SW at about fair to crap. With SC I am at the watch the solidprofessor videos do that bit then watch the next one and so on.

In SW I could create three configurations taking care of the differences, or just draw three different beams in one go and save and copy to create six I guess. That would give me six I could lasso with a stock box in SC.
Then in SC I could watch all the vids and create a load G code for each beam and each operation. The only saving being the tool changes. So I am guessing I could get it done but surely there is a more elegant solution than this? I am pretty certain I am not the first guy to want to make more than one, so which tab-menu-solid professor vid have I not seen?
Jim

[M250cnc]

25cncjimmy,

I think you should break your question into two parts.

1: How do i make multiple similar parts

2: How do i do this in SW

Post a picture of what you are trying to make. I can only help on the first part

Phil

[25ncjimmy]

Phil,

I did try posting a picture but explorer crashed every time I selected computer as the source. I am home at the weekend and will try putting up a snap on my website then liking that to this post.


Jim

[25ncjimmy]

Phil


The beam in question

[M250cnc]

Hi Jim,

Starting from the bottom/easy and working your way up then. :lol:

Those parts doesn't lend themselves to a simple setup and especially making from a plate.

I will guess the dimensions at 180mm long x 25mm thick at each end x 40mm across the width.

Any piece of material is gonna warp when that much is machined away, which may be OK depending on your tolerances.

I would make them from bar section in this order

Op1: Cut to length
Op2: Rough out centre section on side one
Op2: Rough out centre section on side two

You are gonna leave plenty on for a second roughing op as the parts may curl up so leave 1.5mm min on

Op3: Finish thickness at each end
Op4: Machine the three holes "these will be used to locate other ops"
Op5: Rough out & finish side one locating & fixing using the holes at the end
Op6: Rough out & finish side two locating & fixing using the holes at the end you can also rough and finish profile the outer shape as the width is greater than the thickness this will not warp

A vice would be used for all the above work holding

To fixture you will need a piece of the same flat bar with counter bored and tapped holes at the outer hole positions. I would also put a hole at the centre which i would use to locate/ref the jig plate

To locate you will need a pair of buttons/washers that fit in the counterbore and the part's hole

To screw the part down you will need a pair of conterbored top hat bushes these will keep the screw heads out of the way

There is no need to worry about Solidworks now. :whistling:

For cutters you could get away with using one, but two would be better this excludes how you would machine the holes

Square cornered for all roughing and outer profile and a BULL mill "NOT BALL MILL" for the filleted sections and inner flat faces. A bull mill could be described as being 12mm diameter with a 2/3mm radius this will allow good step over on the fillets and good bottom machining.

HTH
Phil