[single phase]

When you load a new tool with "load from open mind tool database", what does it mean when you see the "linked symbol" on all of the feeds and speeds for a given material type? I see you can change the 1.00 multiplier to say 1.05 and it adds 5% to the value. Does the link only imply that you can use the multiplier feature? Then if you unlink it, it then lets you type in an override value or select the formula?


Cheers
SF

[speedydumpster]

SF,
When you load a tool from the tool database in hyperMILL, the feeds and speeds will be "Linked" by default. You can change the feeds and speeds for that particular cycle by "Unlinking" the feeds and speeds for that cycle. If you don't "Unlink" the feeds and speeds before modifying them, then all the changes that you make to the feeds and speeds for that tool will apply to any other cycles that use that tool.

Example: If you have two cycles that use the same tool, and you change the feeds and speeds in the first cycle, the feeds and speeds in the second cycle will automatically be changed.

Note: If you edit the feeds and speeds by going into the cycle parameters then clicking on the "Edit Tool" button, you have the option to read the feeds and speeds back into the tool database which saves any changes you make permanently in the database. This option is called "Export NC-Tool to Tool Database".

If you have any further questions, please contact us at hyperMILL Technical Support directly at [email protected].
Regards,
Dave

When you load a new tool with "load from open mind tool database", what does it mean when you see the "linked symbol" on all of the feeds and speeds for a given material type? I see you can change the 1.00 multiplier to say 1.05 and it adds 5% to the value. Does the link only imply that you can use the multiplier feature? Then if you unlink it, it then lets you type in an override value or select the formula?


Cheers
SF

[single phase]

Thanks for the response. Much of this makes sense to me and I have used some of that functionality before.

However My question is, what is the link for while you are still in the tool database. All the feeds and speeds have a "1X" with them. It is the "link" there that I am having difficulty understanding the intended use. Along these same lines I can pick a formula for some of the cells but they do not persist when I come back into the tool at a later time. Why does the formula not stay active in the cell? There are a lot of devils in the details here.

A very detailed video on the use of the tool database functionality would be great to have. Posted to YouTube so all can finally understand this very complicated tool. It has changed a lot over the years and I use it without fully understanding all of its functions.




Cheers
Dave

[speedydumpster]

Dave,
What you are looking at is actually a formula. In the Technology tab you can change the feedrates/spindle speed by a factor. (Example: feedrate is multiplied by 1.5) So you don't necessarily have to change all of your feedrates individually, you can do them as a group. The "NC Tool" is linked to the actual "Tool". Thus, if you change the spindle speed in the "Tools" tab then the spindle speed in the "NC Tools" tab would change as well.

Also, you need to distinguish modifying the tool database directly vs going into a job and modifying a cutter that you have read in from the tool database. If you modify some tool parameters in a job, they will not be saved to the Tool Database without using the "Export NC Tool to Tool Databse" icon. I have attached a couple of pictures for you to look at.

Please Email us at [email protected] if you have further questions.
Regards,
Dave

Attachment 204850
Attachment 204848

[single phase]

Dave,

Speaking of formulas, why do they not stay active? I pick the formula for the spindle speed and it calculates from surface speed and cutter diameter, then later when I go back to adjust the surface speed, I have to select all the formulas again in all the parameters (spindle speed and the three feeds). I bet I have done this a thousand times. :O

So with the "factor spindle" parameter you can have a different speed in the "NC Tools" tab than you have in the "Tool" tab. (BTW, the "tool" tab should have been called the "cutter" tab). With this mechanism I suspect some users would have two different NC Tools using the same cutter and one could have an adjusted speed for a slightly different application. That is of course on top of all the variations in cutter materials (HSS, Carbide, Cobalt) and variations in stock material (aluminum. steel, titanium). You could have a set of tools based on using a more aggressive surface speed verses a play it safe surface speed. Ok, I buy it. As we all know this is a very capable and complicated application.

Why do some of the tool icons in the tool list (inside of an inventor part file) show aqua in color and others are simply black?

What is the difference between usage Default and Invariant? Or why use one over the other? I tend to set up material types for steel titanium and aluminum. Then I select the one I am cutting.

Thanks, this is one of those rare threads in this forum where I actually learned something. You clearly know this application very well. It is so good to have you contributing to our forum.

Cheers
SF

[speedydumpster]

Dave,
You asked several questions.
1. Q: Why do the formulas not stay active? Typically you will just use the standard formulas/feeds and speeds given to you in your tool suppliers manual to get the feeds and speeds. This provides a baseline for you to use after which users will typically just modify the value itself, fine tuning the tool to the machine and material.
2. Q: Why do the tool icons show up differently in the Tool tab? A tool accessed from the Tool Database will have a different icon in the tool tab than a tool that is created on the fly directly in the Tool tab when defining the parameters in your cycle.
3. Q: What is the difference between usage Default and Invariant? Invariant is used when you don't define a material in the job list. You need to define your material in the job list and then pick the usage in the Tool tab in the cycle. Sometimes you can use the same cutter for roughing and finishing, thus you can accommodate for roughing vs finishing without having to define two different tools. You can set up the feeds/speeds/stepovers/stepdowns for both roughing and finishing in the same cutter using the usage functionality in the Tool DB.

For more information on defining tools and using the Tool Database, go into the Tool Database and bring up the help documentation by hitting F1. You can find a lot of information concerning adding tools, usages, etc in the help documentation.
Thanks for the kind words.
Regards,
Dave

[single phase]

Dave,

Thanks for the TDB lesson.


Cheers