[machineitright]

Hi,

Have a question about Sprut lathe features. Does it allow you to have stock like a casting or forging then use that to just remove the material needing to be removed or is it a bar stock only program like so many others? Does the standard lathe include the ability to do millturn functions like caxis with live tools that will do drilling and tapping? I do not need to do what I call multi tasking or Y axis lathe work.

Thanks for any information and help.

machineitright

[mountaindew]

You can import a iges model for both the part and the work piece / stock. All you need to do is draw the shape of the work piece / stock you want to start with then import that iges file into the work piece / stock section of the model tab tree. Then under the main machine window go to the work piece stock tab and click on primitive button. Then under definition method choose around geometrical model. It will display a file window. find the iges file that was drawn to represent the work piece / stock and click add. Then delete the box around part or whatever is in the work piece list that is no longer needed and your set. btw this works the same for mill, or lathe
Hope this helps

[machineitright]

Thanks for the reply, sounds like a lot of steps but doable! Can you machine 2D geometry? Can that 2D be created in SprutCAM? Will I be able to C-axis drill with just the lathe module?

[mountaindew]

I thought you needed some quick info to get something done. From my experience there is numerous ways to get results in sprutcam using 2d lines or 3d models or combinations of both, what ever you like this more depends on experience level. Reading the questions, sounds more like your evaluating the software. Im just an avid user and not qualified to answer those questions other than I see pictures of it controlling machines with live tools and a multitude of different axis to chose from . Last Time I looked, a machine with multi axis live tooling costs enough to make a 1200 $ cam program look cheap and in the long run I would look at high end software like mastercam or something more along those lines to get the most productivity. Unless of course its going to run the same program for years and years

[machineitright]

I am evaluating the software for the manufacturing market in this region of Texas for Amarillo College, they teach a manufacturing class which includes cnc machining. We have a lot of companies out here which machine castings and that prompted my question about the lathe module having the ability to have the stock material be in the net shape of the finished part, some claim they do this but on further evaluation it does not work at all or does not work well. As you know cutting air is not efficient and time thus money and they want the students to learn on systems that can reduce this. We at one point had been set up with an educational license but did not get it off the ground due to other things taking priority like getting a NIMS certification so we are revisiting this now. Would be nice if they had more ability to work with 2D geometry because the last time was on V7 and it pretty much required a model to do any machine work. Sorry will close for now but any help is greatly appreciated.

[mountaindew]

That was kind of the reason for my comment. Sounded like your using expensive equipment and all the schools around here teach mastercam. If you want people to be trained and productive I was thinking they would be hard to come by in sprutcam and it would take a while to get up to speed

[wtopace]

I definitely cannot comment on what is best for students going into industry as I am not even in the professional machining field, but I might be able to add a little bit with Sprutcam.

You can create custom auxiliary operations for anything that Sprutcam doesn't already offer. Doing this, you could specify a block of g-code to activate live tooling, issue special coolant commands or whatever else you might need to do. It has come in handy for me a few times even on my Tormach to customize how I want stops and other things to work.

[machineitright]

One reason for the re-look is that Sprut is a plug in for Geomagic design, it comes as the express version in that software but has no lathe functionality. The transfer is really good with the models but can not go beyond that due to it just being milling. The other alternative to this is Visual turn but they have no educational license or discount and demo will not let you save anything at all to test.