ECE415: NX CAM Handout

Liangliang Chen, Miao Yu

This tutorial teaches you how to generate numerical control (NC) code for milling operation
from solid models. To generate NC code for the next lab, you need to go through the following
steps. Note that these steps are also a summary for the subsequent detailed tutorial.
1. Setup the manufacturing task
a. Open a solid model you have built
b. Create a new manufacturing task
2. Define the manufacturing geometry
a. Define the part geometry
b. Define the blank geometry
c. Define machine coordinate system
d. Define the clearance plane
3. Define the cutting tools
a. Define the first tool
b. Define the second tool
c. ..
4. Create the cutting operations
a. Create the first cutting operation
b. Create the second cutting operation
c. ..
5. Generate the NC codes (Post Process)
6. Run the NC code on a Mill Machine
We will follow the previous steps in this lecture to manufacture a MSU block. In lab 4, you will
create a similar block with your initials on the block instead of the letters MSU.

1. Setup the manufacturing task

Step

1:Open

the

MSU

block

file

available
at
the
course
website
(http://www.egr.msu.edu/~chenlia5/ece415.html) using NX, which looks like in the following
figure

Step 2:Click File/New to create a new manufacturing task. After making sure your selections
are the same as follows, click OK;

Choose your M drive here

2. Define the manufacturing geometry

Then, we need to define the manufacturing geometry and coordinate system as follows:

Step1: Define the part geometry

Click the Operation Navigatortab

Click Geometry View

In the Operation Navigator, click the + sign to expand MCS_MILL.

GEOMETRY
Unused Items
MCS_MILL
WORKPIECE
Double-click WORKPIECE to edit the group.
GEOMETRY
Unused Items
MCS_MILL
WORKPIECE
Click Specify Part

Select the part body.

Step 2:define the blank geometry which is the machine block (3inch by 2 inch by 1 inch) we
will use in the lab:
In the Workpiece dialog box, click Specify Blank
Select Bounding Block from the Type list.

Bounding Block

This creates a block just large enough to contain the part geometry.

Type 0.1 in the ZM+ box, which adds a 0.1 inch stock to the top of the block.(This number depends
on the model you have built and the blank geometry you will use)

Click OK to accept the Blank Geometry dialog box.

Click OK to accept the Workpiece dialog box.

Step 3: define the machine coordinate system (MCS) which is a reference coordinate system
used by the machine
In the Geometry View of the Operation Navigator, double-click MCS_MILL.
GEOMETRY
Unused Items
MCS_MILL
The MCS origin is at the bottom face of the part. You will move it to the top corner of the part.
Click Specify MCS

Select the ZM axis arrowhead.

Type 1 in the Distance box and press the Enter key. The MCS moves up the ZM axis 1inch.

Click OK.
Question: Why do we move up the MCS one inch above the original position?

Step 4:define the clearance plane which defines a safe clearance distance to protect the part
from collisions during non-cutting moves.
In the Mill Orient dialog box, select Plane from the Clearance Option list.
Clearance Option Plane
Click Specify Plane

Select At Distance from the Type list.

At Distance
Select Entire Assembly from the Selection Scope list (1).

Select the top face of the part.

Click OK if the Interpart Copy dialog box displays.

Type 0.2 in the Distance box and press the Enter key.
Click OK.
Question: What is the distance between clearance plane and the top surface of the blank part?

3. Define the cutting tools

Then we need to define the cutting tools we will use in this manufacturing task. We will use two
cutting tools to fabricate this part: a 1/16 inch end milland a1/4 inch end mill and, which are
installed in our labs machine.
Step 1: Create 1/16 inch end mill
Click Create Tool

Click MILL

in the toolbar.

Select POCKET_01 from the Tool list.

Tool POCKET_01
Type MILL_0.0625_Inch in the Name box.
Click OK.
Then the Milling Tool-5 Parameters dialog box will pop up.Make sure your numbers are the same as
shown in the following figure. Leave the other parameters as it is.

Click OK to finish the first tool setup.

Step 2: Create 1/4 inch end mill

Click Create Tool

Click MILL

in the toolbar.

Select POCKET_02 from the Tool list.

Tool POCKET_02
Type MILL_0.25_Inch in the Name box.
Click OK.
Then the Milling Tool-5 Parameters dialog box will pop up. Make sure your numbers are the same as
shown in the following figure. Please change the tool number from 2 to 3. Leave the other parameters as
it is.

Make sure these

numbers are 3
instead of 2!!!

Click OK to finish the second tool setup.

4. Create the cutting operations

After the setup, we can create operations to manufacture the part. You can create as many operations as
you want. In this tutorial, we will just create two of them to illustrate the idea.
Step 1: Roughing the part: the following steps specify the operation type and the parameters that define
essential information for roughing the part.
Click Create Operation

in the toolbar.

Be sure mill_contour has been selected from the Type list.

mill_contour
Click Cavity Mill

Cavity Mill is a roughing-type operation that removes material in planar cut levels.
Specify the following.
Program

1234

Tool

Mill-0.25-INCH

Geometry WORKPIECE
Method

MILL_ROUGH

The operation will be placed in the 1234 program. It will use the part and blank geometry you specified in
WORKPIECE and use the MILL_0.25_Inch tool you created. The MILL_ROUGH method allows the
operation to leave block for finishing.
Click OK. Then the Cavity Mill Dialog Box will pop up.

Click Specify Cut Area

. Select the ten surfaces we want to cut as shown in the following figure:

Click OK to return to the Cavity Mill Dialog Box

Click Feeds and Speeds

Type 2500 in the Spindle Speed (rpm) box, and then click the calculator on the right side of 2500.00
to generate the Surface Speed and Feed per Tooth shown at the right figure.

Click OK to return to the Cavity Mill Dialog Box

Click Generate

at the bottom of the dialog box.

Select the Dont display this message again check box in the Operation Generate dialog box.
Dont display this message again

Click OK. Now you will see the generated tool path.

Click Verify

at the bottom of the dialog box.

Click the 3D Dynamic tab.

Click Play

Step 2: Mill the letters: the following steps specify the operation type and the parameters that define
essential information for machining the letter M, S, and U.
Click Create Operation

in the toolbar.

Be sure mill_planar has been selected from the Type list.

mill_planar

Click Floor and Wall

Specify the following.

Program

1234

Tool

Mill-0.0625-INCH

Geometry WORKPIECE
Method

MILL_FINISH

Click OK.
Click Specify Cut Area Floor

Select the three faces indicated below.

Click OK to return to the Floor Wall Dialog Box

Select Follow Periphery from the Cut Pattern list.
Cut Pattern

Click Feeds and Speeds

Follow Periphery

. Set up the Spindle Speed (rpm) the same as Cavity Mill in Step 1

Click OK to return to the Floor Wall Dialog Box

Click Generate

Click Verify

at the bottom of the dialog box to generate the tool path.

at the bottom of the dialog box.

Click the 3D Dynamic tab.

Click Play

10

5. Generate the NC code (Post Process)

To post process, operations must contain generated tool paths. Each operation should display a Repost (
) or a Complete ( ) status symbol.
Click Program Order View. It should look like the following figure.

In the Operation Navigator, click the program 1234.

1234
Click Post Process

in the toolbar.

The generic postprocessors provided by the system are displayed in the Postprocessor list box.
ClickBrowse for a Postprocessor and select the one on the course website
(http://www.egr.msu.edu/~chenlia5/ece415.html) with the name eXpertMill VMC-0600, which is the
postprocessor for the machine in our lab.
Click Browse for an Output File and specify a directory in your M drive.
Click OK to postprocess, and the NC codes will appear.

6. Run the NC code on a Mill Machine

This is the task for Lab 4. You will mill a block with your initials on the block.

11