[CAN MACHINE]

I've got a solid model of a finished part. The customer wants us to make a vacuum mold for that part. It a little dome shaped plastic cover. I need to create the male shape that would go inside that part. Is there a easy way to do that from the existing model? I'm using X2. I've read something about Boolean Remove but have no idea how that works. Thanks.

[jolafson]

Can you post the file or? I have a couple ideas, I can't think of how to explain it, but there is a mold ability in there somewhere?

[John Bennett]

Boolean functions let you construct a solid using combinations of two or more existing solids. You can add solids together, remove solids from one another, and find the common region defined by overlapping solids. For a Boolean Remove or Common regions operation, you can choose whether or not to maintain associativity.

To initiate a Boolean operation that maintains associativity, choose Add, Remove, or Common regions from the Solids menu. To initiate a non-associative Boolean operation, choose Non-associative from the Solids menu, then choose Remove NA or Common regions NA from the submenu. A non-associative Boolean operation can be used whenever you want to keep the original tool bodies or target body as is, such as in mold-making.

Whichever function you choose, you must then identify a target body. This is the solid that material is added to, removed from, or overlapped. Next you select one or more tool bodies, which are the solids that are added to, removed from, or overlapped with the target body. To perform the operation, choose End Selection on the General Selection ribbon bar.

This I copied from mastercam X4 Help, but you are correct on the boolean remove action but I have no access to X2 but could try in X4

[John Bennett]

Ok Just played with boolean remove operation. Take a solid object, draw a rectangle around object,extrude....now you have a solid box with you solid oject embedded (half embedded is better for mold to start) Go to the solid menu-pick boolean remove- pick box first, then solid object and you have cavity. Maybe not the best explaination, but I am also a novice. By attaching a round tube to original object ,you would have a sprue, and by adjusting the plane you could easily create a multi part mold with a little thought. Hope this helps, maybe there is a better way.....keep me informed or if you wish send me the file to play with. Always learning!

[CAN MACHINE]

Great, I will play with it in the morning when I get to work. Thanks, at least now I know where to start.

[Superman]

A quick lesson would be to create a sphere inside a cube

-booleen remove- select the cube, then the sphere ( keep a copy of the original part shape on another level, as your "Master" )

you end up with a hollow cube
- then use the "Slice" function to cut this solid into two pieces ( remember to "Keep both" sides ), the "kite" symbol indicates the slicing plane, and the arrow on it indicates the side that gets removed "by default"

[CAN MACHINE]

I've tried a bunch of things and I keep getting an error:

Parasolid(R) Kernal Interface Error
Boolean Error
Face imprinting operation failed

[CAN MACHINE]

Here's the file if you want to have a look.

[CAN MACHINE]

I have been playing around some more. Now I get a error:

Parasolid(R) Kernal Interface Error
Boolean Error
Operation would result in a non-manifold body

[Superman]

Parasolid(R) Kernal Interface Error
Boolean Error
Operation would result in a non-manifold body

This is advising you that the resulting solid would be in 2 parts...a dis-jointed solid is not possible

You would have to alter your primary shapes so that the result would be 1 solid only,
eg. you could split the shapes, do the booleen operations, then do a booleen add to get the molds back as you want them.

[John Bennett]

Maybe what you are looking for ??? Opens with 13 "zero length arc" errors but......

[ObrienDave]

Try this...
Both sides in MC9 Format.

[CAN MACHINE]

Thanks for all your help. I finally received a e-mail from my Mastercam rep late on Friday. He made me a little tutorial video explaining how it is done. And yes the holes were what was causing me problems. I played around with it this weekend and I think I've got it now. Thanks again.