Hello!
I have solidworks/cam 2020 and a 4-axis cnc, the rotary axis aligns with the Y-axis... its a vertical mill (spindle is Z-axis).
I am having a nightmare of a time trying to get a pocket cut on the face of a cylinder.
A cubed object works just fine... If i design a cube with pockets on different faces, it will rotate the A-axis, cut the pocket, rotate A-axis again, cut the pocket... the whole job completes properly.
But, if I make a cylinder and wrap a debossed pocket on it... no matter how I set it up (machine definition is set for 4-axis, rotary axis is set to Y-axis, coord system has Y-axis down center of cylinder)...
The simulation shows that it will rotate the A-axis to the center of the pocket... but from then on it just treats it as a 3-axis machine and I get no rotation like I'm expecting it to do while it's milling.
So instead of the endmill following the face of the cylinder, the rotary axis doesnt move and it does as a standard 3-axis mill does.
I have tried 2.5-axis, 3-axis and multi-surface, part perimeter feature, multi-surface feature in solidworks cam.
I just dont get it... what am I doing wrong?