[airbrush]

Hi,

So i have my home machine setup for a 3 axis currently but eventually down the line I would like to add a 4th axis to it.

Can someone help me out with the proper machine definition for setting this up?

attached is an image of my definition for my 3 axis setup and and image of the default BC_4x_Mill which i'm assuming won't work for my machine....

thx

[mmoe]

You'll have to describe how your machine works pretty carefully. It sounds like (and looks like based on your own definition) the gantry moves on the table and is the Y axis? The X axis is moving across the gantry? The Z axis obviously must be moving up and down attached to the X axis?

I'm also not sure you can really create this machine definition without also creating a model of it. When I created my machine definition, modeling the components was a big part of the job. Are you running the Pro level simulation?

Here's a link to the thread where I worked out my machine simulation. There is a lot of information in there, but it's a long read as well. This was back when the Pro simulation was only a year old or so, so we were really all learning a lot as we went. Burrman did a great job helping out there, and it will probably save you a lot of questions to read through.

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/bobcad...imulation.html

Most of the guys here have mills, which just work different than routers do. Mine is different from yours, but I think that you'll get a good idea how a machine goes together.

[BurrMan]

I think you just need to put a rotational axis, then move the workpiece transform under it......

Zip your current machine file and attach it here.

Building the actual model parts/machine components will only be required if you want to see the machine in the sim (And you will need the pro sim for that) But you have to define the machine correctly for the posting engine anyway, even if you are not visualizing it....

[airbrush]

right...pretty much what i thought. since the rotational axis will be mounted to the table and the workpiece held by it....
i have 4 axis standard, so there is no full machine sim available to me , just shows stock and tool.

I think you just need to put a rotational axis, then move the workpiece transform under it......

Zip your current machine file and attach it here.

Building the actual model parts/machine components will only be required if you want to see the machine in the sim (And you will need the pro sim for that) But you have to define the machine correctly for the posting engine anyway, even if you are not visualizing it....

[mmoe]

right...pretty much what i thought. since the rotational axis will be mounted to the table and the workpiece held by it....
i have 4 axis standard, so there is no full machine sim available to me , just shows stock and tool.

Machine Simulation Pro is available to any level of product, you just have to get that module activated in your license in order to use it. In my opinion, it is one of the best values of the software. I use that feature as much as any other in Bobcad and would highly recommend it. It's the one feature that I miss the most when using other CAM products and one of the big reasons I'll probably always use Bobcad primarily.

[airbrush]

Machine Simulation Pro is available to any level of product,

Yes, of course....at a cost.

I had a call from bobcad recently since i just started getting into the software and bought it last year. I thought when i bought my package that nesting and tabbing were included as part of the software...it wasn't mentioned to me that it was an addon i had to buy separately.... so they wanted $xxx dollars to add it...half of what i paid for the original package....not worth it.

Can't imagine what they would want for machine sim pro....yes it would be nice, as a hobbyist user its not that important to me.

[BurrMan]

Well, if not interested in machine sim then just load the bc3axis and bc4axis machines and get to work....

[MikeC8]

I have machine sim pro at work, and I only turn it on 5% of the time. Mainly use it to verify the rotary is moving the way I want. But I can tell if its doing what I want just by looking at the code being posted.

[airbrush]

Well, if not interested in machine sim then just load the bc3axis and bc4axis machines and get to work....

well the machine definition is different than what i need..but it looks like i just need to add the A axis to my table and put the workpiece transform to that, for modifying my 3axis setup to 4....as you mentioned
looks like there is another collision check in there as well...will need to look and see what that one is.

[ShortTrack]

Airbursh;

I have a gantry router.. Here is what my 4 axis machine definition looks like. My 4th axis is bolted to the table and is parallel to the X axis. Z is mounted to Y which is mounted to X. The gantry moves forward and backward along the X axis (carrying Y and Z). If the rotary (A) axis is machining in the wrong direction, the workpiece_transform needs a sign change depending on what direction the rotary axis is parallel to. If possible, avoid using axis names such as "B" or "C" for rotary, as some software packages just don't like it, and won't easily display motion correctly. Hope this helps.

Attachment 297318

[airbrush]

yup, just my x and y would be reverse to what you have.
thx

[airbrush]

No collision checks in yours...not really needed for your usage?

Airbursh;

I have a gantry router.. Here is what my 4 axis machine definition looks like. My 4th axis is bolted to the table and is parallel to the X axis. Z is mounted to Y which is mounted to X. The gantry moves forward and backward along the X axis (carrying Y and Z). If the rotary (A) axis is machining in the wrong direction, the workpiece_transform needs a sign change depending on what direction the rotary axis is parallel to. If possible, avoid using axis names such as "B" or "C" for rotary, as some software packages just don't like it, and won't easily display motion correctly. Hope this helps.

Attachment 297318

[BurrMan]

But the point is also, if you don't have pro sim and see what you have setup, then you don't know what you have created with the machine definition:

https://youtu.be/cHsT5Wk4xL8

Setting up a custom machine definition will provide custom visualization of the machine moving. If you aren't doing that, then a default 4xbcmill will output xyza moves and your machine will read the code accordingly. The only thing you might adjust, is axis directional movements and travels, etc......

[RAF.]

good info