[jcr723]

Hi, I'm a teacher who moved from teaching science to CAD/CAM. I love it.

Autodesk Inventor -> Mastercam X5 -> Techno LC Series 3024

I'm learning Mastercam brute force so to speak.

Please see attachments, but I want to make a grove that runs around near the circumference of my stock using an endmill of the same width as the groove. Seems simple, right? But I haven't been able to do it.

I'm using a 1/8" 4F endmill.

Things I've tried:
Contour: contours only come in from the outside, right? So a "groove" can't be done, right?
Pocket: pocket does not allow an interior boss in the pocket, right? So a pocket toolpath won't work, right?
Slot Mill: "consist of 2 straight lines and two 180-degree arcs at the ends" per the help file. Not what I need
2D High Speed Toolpaths: I'm slowly grasping how to use these toolpaths. Many options but none do what I want. Some create strange appearing toolpaths to achieve the climb cut characteristic of 2DHS toolpaths but none make it all around the "groove loop".

My questions: Is there a way to use count or pocket to achieve my goal? Or another way. I've even thought of writing the G-code manually.

Many thanks in advance
John

[txcncman]

Just my opinion, but the best solution is to draw in your own geometry to drive the center line of the tool tip (the method I usually use is cases like this).

[txcncman]

Another way is to select contour. Switch to solid selection and select one of the edges of the groove. Then change it to ramp instead of 2D.

[txcncman]

Here is an example for you made in X3.

[jcr723]

Guys,

Many thanks for the quick response!

To txcncman: I tried your suggestion and it worked!

Some detail if interested:
(1) Changed the Contour Type on the Cut Parameters page from 2D to Ramp...this resulted in a nice groove except the end mill plowed through the side on EXIT ONLY (this was checked using Verify so no messed up stock)
(2) Next, I tried various things on the Lead In/Out page and finally found that if I deselected the "Enter" and "Exit" checkboxes, everything work as desired. The end mill went in and out "vertically form the top"

Note that on the Cut Parameters page my Compensation Direction was set to Left. Therefore, I had to select the inside edge of the "groove" since my chain ran CCW when observed from above. When I had the outside edge selected, the groove was displaced 1/8" toward the outside.

So, I'm good.

thanks again for the help everyone!

-John
(jcr723)

[cadcam]

So you are teaching Mastercam to students at this time?

[jcr723]

Yes. I'm teaching at a high school in the Bay Area.

I teach a class called Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM). This class is part the "Project Lead The Way" (PLTW) national engineering curriculum, if you've heard of that.

The "official" CAM software for the CIM class is Edgecam, but my predecessor already had been using Mastercam so I'm continuing. I think its a good choice as I have seen lots of posts on our PLTW message board about issues using Edgecam (don't mean to talk down to that product, tho...it seems the number of such posts have decreased)

At any rate, I love Mastercam but have found the learning curve steep.

cheers
John

[txcncman]

I always had difficulties with EdgeCam when trying to set new work coordinates (CPL). I like MasterCam much better.

[cadcam]

John , sounds great I teach for the local college myself.
What school is it I can have a associate by the teaches for Deanza college out there and owns MasterCam | MasterCam Tutorial Training | SolidWorks Tutorial | SolidWorks | Cad Cam you missed our free Mastercam webinar yesterday but there will be another next week.

This a great thing you are doing teaching the high school kids thank you for that.
Now lets get you up to speed please contact me if you have any questions please.