[viroy]

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?

[wendtmk]

So your 4th axis is on the A axis or your Y axis? Is your post set up for a 4 axis machine? Almost sounds from the way you've posted your Y axis is set up to be your A axis? Or am I just confused? If you've got a true 4 axis setup you should have your post set up to do X,Y, Z and A axes.

Mark

[viroy]

I have a true 4-axis machine.... the 4th axis is a rotary... the rotary axis runs down the Y-axis.
So if you are mounting a pole 3-feet long in the rotary, the distance between the ends of the pole, is on the Y-axis.
I.e.... for a 3-foot by 2-inch pole... the Y-axis travel is 3-feet, the X&Z-axis travel is 2-inches... the A-axis travel is the circumference of 2-inches
machine definition is set for 4-axis, rotary axis is set to Y-axis, coord system has Y-axis down center of cylinder

[wendtmk]

And your post processor reflects all four axes correctly? Ie, X, Y and Z in inches or mm, and the Z axis in degrees or radians?

Mark

[viroy]

Maybe I misunderstand this... but before I even generate code, the simulation is all wrong.
But how do I check the post processor?
I am using the default ones in solidworks/cam 2020... see the pics below
I use metric... some of my designs and engravings are very small, so metric is much easier to deal with

[viroy]

ok im officially getting burnt out on this
I have exhausted all resources I could find.... tutorials, help files, web searches, youtube, forums...
I dont know what do... Why is it so hard to figure out how to make a cut on a revolved face with a 4-axis cnc in solidworks cam?
Any advice is greatly appreciated, I simply do not see a next step or anything else to try.... im missing something fundamental.

For now I guess I'm just going to have to do a ridiculous unwrapped designs in 3-axis and swap the X-axis controller step/pulse with the A-axis.

[viroy]

I cannot get the "Wrapped Feature" in CAM to show up... any idea why?

[Vlod]

I think you missing something in defining machine or job/process in the setup,
I use “Mach 2/3-WrapY2A ATC(mm)(*.txt)” post processor , where it substitute Y axis with A axis, so in gcode there is an A coordinats instead Y when you open a file. And in Mach3 I need to specify it as well in the process that it’s A instead Y.