[jaras]

I can't figure out how to create small bridges for holding my part during milling. Sounds like a common and simple thing to do but how you do it?

[Brakeman Bob]

The method I use is to ceate surfaces in the part called "CAM" that resides in the SolidCAM assembly.

I put the surfaces where I need and then machine around them. If I need to 3D machine around these tabs I create another reference geometry when making the 3D (or HSM) job that includes the parent solid and these surfaces. If you need some thickness to the tabs you can either (a) make them solids rather than surfaces or (b) set teb as check surfaces and put an offset in.

[mattpatt]

I'm with Bob on this one.

With this method you can make tabs for clamping, fill holes, pretty much what ever you want.

You can also sketch or model the clamps, vice, jig, bolts etc. I learned the hard way as a rather expensive 20mm carbide endmill just kissed the head of a socket bolt at full rapid. BOOOM! Now these parts are all in my models and selected as necessary to keep the tool away from them in 3D or HSM milling. Works a treat.

[pinguS]

I am assuming you cannot keep away from surfaces or solid added clamps/bolts in 2d milling.
Is this a HSM/3D thing?

sorry for the learners question.

[jaras]

Thanks for the answers, the operation I was working on was a simple profile and the nice facilities from 3D and HSM is not available here. So when I create a sketch that represents my 'bridge' I don't know how to keep it. I'd like to mark it and say dont cut this but there no such feature in the profile operation.

What I done now is one operation that I mill down to an added sketch, then an other operation that removes the last bit. That operation needs an other chain and it's not a closed one. I left it open for the bridge if you see what I mean.

[Brakeman Bob]

I have all my fixtures modelled in SolidWorks and I add them to the SolidCAM assembly. Then I right click "Operations" in the Job Tree and down near the bottom is "Define Fixture". If you click on that and pick the fixture models the fixtures will appear in SolidVerify and it will warn you if your tool or holder collides with any part of the fixture, even in 2D jobs.

Pingus, it is only HSM and 5 Axis that have tool collision checking built into the job and even then for what has been defined as the part geometry for that particular job. For 'old school' SolidCAM such as 2D and 'plain' 3D the only way (to my knowledge) of checking for collisions is the one described above. There are sure to be others.