[cjdavis618]

I have Alibre Expert and Alibre Cam Expert.

I have created a part that I need to machine. It is a Laptop Screen swivel mount for a Tablet Pc. The part has been finished in the design function. At least with the limited knowledge I have of the program. This part was originally cast in pewter it looks like.


I can rough cut the part if I use the standard WCS center, but there is always a "sprue" in the cut that I can't get rid of. I also get a message stating that my part isn't on the X Axis center. I would like to take this peice and cut it using bar stock in AL first then steel for the final. Feeds and speeds do not matter right now. I have adjusted the WCS to be on the same line as the axis I want to cut, but it will not let me run the roughing op. It throws up an error when I do that. (Invalid Argument)

There are 2 holes that are on the ends of the part. I believe if I can move the entire part up .256 inches it will align with the center axis of ZX and the problem will go away. But I can't move the entire part for some reason.

If I could just get the thing to stop leaving material on the ZX axis, I would be fine to.


Another thing is that the version 5 cam doesn't include a 4th axis pocket tool and I have a hole that I need cut from the center and then I need 4 small pockets beside the ledge. I'm thinking I will need Visual Mill 6+ 4th for this part to be complete.

Any ideas? Would you cut the part differently than 4th axis?


I have added the part file and also some images of the problem.

[cjdavis618]

Anybody?

[tjones]

I do not use VM much since all I have is the free version included with Expert.

Anyhow there is a way around moving the part if you can not get the WPC to move where you want but requires a little work getting back to where you are.

Create a new part (empty) and then do a boolean add of your original part into the new empty part. With the boolean add feature you can move the part around just like in assembly. This will allow you to place it in any position or orientation needed.


Since I do not have too many features in the CAM I can not test any 4th axis tools and I would be limited to the 3 basic cuts.

[tobyaxis]

I do not use VM much since all I have is the free version included with Expert.

Anyhow there is a way around moving the part if you can not get the WPC to move where you want but requires a little work getting back to where you are.

Create a new part (empty) and then do a boolean add of your original part into the new empty part. With the boolean add feature you can move the part around just like in assembly. This will allow you to place it in any position or orientation needed.


Since I do not have too many features in the CAM I can not test any 4th axis tools and I would be limited to the 3 basic cuts.

This is the logical step.

[cjdavis618]

Thanks for the help. I am new to alibre and don't really have a full grasp of the software. It was quite a task for me to make this part.


I have a 3 axis license for Visual Mill 6 and I imported into there and there were some faces in the IGS file that weren't in the drawing. I think there may be some "trash" in the file. Now that I have worked out the dimensions from reverse engineering the part, I think I am going to re-create it with the right axis locations and try again.

I will try the Boolean also to see if I can figure that out.


Thanks again.

[tjones]

Tehre are quite a few tutorials on the internet as well as those from Alibre. Look at some and also check on making an assembly even if you do not intend to do assemblies. The reason is that doing boolean add/subtract has the ability to constrain just like assemblies. This way you can get the ideal of how it will work and the easiest ways to do what you want.

Dont forget about the push/pull and remove features in Alibre since you are importing dumb solids. They are very handy for making changings.

[cjdavis618]

I have the tutorials CD but I got version 9 at first. Now we are into version 11.2..

My problem seems more to be a cam issue though than a alignment issue. There are a good bit less instructions on the cam side. I am looking forward to when Alibre adds the VM6.

I admit I am pretty new to machining parts. Am I right in thinking this part would be best done in a 4th axis op?

[tobyaxis]

I have the tutorials CD but I got version 9 at first. Now we are into version 11.2..

My problem seems more to be a cam issue though than a alignment issue. There are a good bit less instructions on the cam side. I am looking forward to when Alibre adds the VM6.

I admit I am pretty new to machining parts. Am I right in thinking this part would be best done in a 4th axis op?

VM6 isn't that different. There are a few fixes and additional features.

[cjdavis618]

I've found it seems to work better though than the Alibre Cam that I have. There does seem to be some extra faces and things that get imported into VM6 from alibre though on complex parts. I did figure out how to remove those and adjust, but the one thing I hate about Alibre cam expert is no 4th axis pocketing.

Do you know any ways around that to achieve a pocket on a cylinder?

[tobyaxis]

I've found it seems to work better though than the Alibre Cam that I have. There does seem to be some extra faces and things that get imported into VM6 from alibre though on complex parts. I did figure out how to remove those and adjust, but the one thing I hate about Alibre cam expert is no 4th axis pocketing.

Do you know any ways around that to achieve a pocket on a cylinder?

I used VM5 some time ago. There might be a work-around. VM6 should be out mid-summer for Alibre. It is called AlibreCam V2.0.

[cjdavis618]

Thanks for the heads up. I am looking forward to that.