Basic CAM.

[GWIZ]

Now we have to attach the tools to the program list.
CAM will use the information from the tool data's list and add the speeds and feeds to the CNC program for the block material you select.


Picture 1)
Click the "Startup" tab, click "tool Holders".
Select T01 with your mouse.
Click the attach button.
(Tool types) Click the arrow for the list.....End mills, Rough
Select the 3/4" endmill with your mouse then click OK.

** You should now see the 3/4" EM at the T01 spot
Now you may or may-not have to click the Ok button in the Attached tool window before you add the next tool,
I tried to add T02 without clicking the OK once and the 3/4" EM did not show up in the fine EM list.

If you get an "Unsuitable" remark error.
you may not have selected Aluminum for the "block at the start or you did not select 7.1 group when you defined the 3/4" end-mill.

Now repeat the same above and add the finishing endmill from the "End Mill, fine" list to T02.

Picture 2)
Just a screen shot of the two tools one for roughing, one for finishing.

[GWIZ]

Picture 1)
The "Make Parameters" button. the parameters were odd numbers so I rounded them off, probably converted from metric.
in the picture you can see what parameters I changed.
If you don't change them the CNC output program will be different then the one in the next steps.

Picture 2)
Now click the "Make G-Code" button
click Ok.

Picture 3)
Click the "Run G-Code" button.
What you see is the program that a CNC uses.
I used the "Single" button and cycled through the first 25 lines one line at a time.

The yellow line is the tool cutting around the Hex. the yellow also represents the set cutting feed rate.
The faint Red lines represent rapid travel (axis motors running at full speed ).

Picture 4)
Screen shot of full run.

Picture 5)
Changed view to show Isometric run.

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An over view.

Basically entered the dimensions off the print.
Block size 8"x8"x1"
Hex size 3.5" radius x 1/4" height, rotated 15º

Had to tell the program what tools too use and material.

Q) What did the CAM program do ?

A) It computed all the math.
It generated all the tool-paths,
Two passes with the roughing end-mill,
one finish pass just around the hex with the finishing end-mill.

If all you have is re-sharpened end-mills, another advantage is being able to change end-mill sizes with a few key strokes.

The time it took to enter the information for CAM, less then 10 minutes,
If the tools had been in the data base the time would be less then 2 minutes just to enter the block and Hex information.
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Notes:
I noticed that the cuts around the Hex went in the counter-clock-wise directions, that would be considered conventional milling around the Hex surface.
For CNC milling, 95% of the time you would program climb milling.
If your mill does Not have Ball-screws then you would stay with Conventional milling around surfaces.

This is all I did with the software and there maybe tricks or bugs that I have not encountered.

I have to say Thank You, to the person who wrote the software.


This concludes the Basics of CAM.