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Mill 5-axis parts

Func ons on the SolidMill Mold 5-Axis toolbar deliver fast, safe, and reliable programming for a variety of 5-axis applica ons. In this project, you will: Use 5-axis swarf milling opera ons to cut the lted walls on the inside and outside of a part by u lizing the side of the tool Create a 5-axis contouring opera on to cut a prole on a formed piece of sheet metal while keeping the tool axis perpendicular to the model surfaces at all mes Create ve dierent 5-axis milling opera ons with the Composite cycle by u lizing a variety of machining pa erns and tool orienta ons Like other ESPRIT cycles, the SolidMill Mold 5-Axis cycles are feature-based. All Mold 5-Axis cycles must be applied on a FreeForm feature. The FreeForm feature denes WHAT is cut, while the cycle denes HOW it will be cut.
Create 5-axis swarf operations .. 112 Create a 5-axis contouring operation ..............................................123 Create 5-axis composite operations .......................................... 127

The les for this project are available for download from ESPRITWeb File Library ESPRIT 2009 and from the ESPRIT CD. All dimensions in this tutorial are in millimeters. Make sure System Unit on the Tools menu is set to Metric. Before you start this lesson, you can review and simulate the completed les in the following folder: Milling - 5-Axis
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Create 5-axis swarf operations

In this lesson, you will start by crea ng two FreeForm features that dene the area to be machined. Then you will create two Ruled features that will guide the orienta on of the tool during the cut. The upper and lower proles of the Ruled feature set the limits of the wall to be cut while the match lines between the two proles are used for the tool orienta on. The 5-Axis Swarf cycle u lizes the side of the tool to cut lted walls. While the ank of the tool is removing material along a wall, the bo om of the tool can be in the air or moving along the oor of the part.

Open t he par t file

1. Open the le SwarfOpera on.esp Two chain features have already been created on the wireframe geometry. You will use these chains to create a Ruled feature. But rst, you will create two FreeForm features that dene the area to be machined.

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Create a FreeForm feature on t he inside of t he par t

1. Click the Layers icon and select 5 Solid to display the solid model. Close the Layers dialog. 2. On the Smart toolbar, click SolidMill FreeForm. 3. Click FreeForm Feature. 4. Click Grouping Proper es and set Face to Tangent Faces. Click the Proper es icon and set Maximum Tangent Angle Between Faces to 2 and click OK. 5. Hold down the Shi key and select any face on the inside of the part. All the inner tangent faces are added to the Part list in the Project Manager. 6. In the Project Manager, click inside the Check list to ac vate it. 7. Select the solid model to add it as the check element. 8. Click OK to create the feature.

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Create a FreeForm feature on t he out side of t he par t

1. Click FreeForm Feature again. 2. Hold down the Shi key and select a ver cal edge on the outer wall of the part. All the outside faces are grouped and added to the Part list. 3. Click inside the Check list and then select the solid model. 4. Click OK to create the feature. 5. Close the Grouping Proper es dialog.

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Create a Ruled feature from wireframe geomet r y

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Click Ruled Feature. Set Recognize From to Wire Frame Geometry. Click inside Upper Chain to ac vate it, then select the chain called UpperProle. Click inside Lower Chain and then select the chain called LowerProle. Click inside Match Lines and select all the segments that link the upper prole to the lower prole. 6. Change Name to Inside1. 7. Set Cu ng Side to Le and click OK.

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Create a Ruled feature from solid faces

1. Again, click Ruled Feature. 2. Set Recognize From to Solid Faces. 3. Click inside Faces to ac vate it and then hold down the Shi key and select a ver cal edge on the outside of the part to propagate all the outer faces. 4. Click inside Lower Edge and select one of the edges at the bo om of the outer wall of the part. 5. Change Name to Outside2. 6. Set Cu ng Side to Le and click OK.

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Create a 5 -A xis Swar f operat ion wit h floor sur faces

1. 2. 3. 4. In the Feature Manager, select the feature 1 FreeForm. Click 5-Axis Swarf Milling. On the General tab, select the tool EM6. Click the Tool Path tab.

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Set t he tool pat h parameter s

1. Set Tolerance to 0.1 and Stock Allowance to 0. 2. Click the selec on arrow next to Ruled Feature and select the feature Inside1. 3. Set the following parameters: Cu ng Side = Le Oset Tool Radius = Yes Stop At Floor = Yes Stock Allowance Floors = 0 Single Cut = Yes Invert Tool Direc on = No Loop Around Corners = No

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Set t he approach t y pe
1. Click the Retract tab. 2. In the Approaches list, click Add New Approach. 3. Add a Radius approach to the list. 4. Set Arc Angle to 45. 5. Set Arc Radius to 5. 6. Click OK to calculate the tool path.

S imulate
Simulate to verify the tool path.

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Modif y t he tool pat h parameter s

1. Double-click on the Swarf opera on in the Opera on Manager and change the following parameters: Single Cut = No Incremental Depth = 2 Alternate Cut Direc on = Yes 2. Click OK and simulate the new tool path.

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Create a 5 -A xis Swar f operat ion wit hout floor sur faces
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. In the Feature Manager, select the feature 2 FreeForm. Click 5-Axis Swarf Milling. On the General tab, select the tool EM3. Click the Tool Path tab. Set Tolerance to 0.1 and Stock Allowance to 0. Click the selec on arrow next to Ruled Feature and select the feature Outside2. Set the following parameters: Cu ng Side = Le Oset Tool Radius = Yes Stop At Floor = No Bo om Wall Extension = 2 Single Cut = No Incremental Depth = 2 Alternate Cut Direc on = No Adapt Orienta on to Curvature = No Invert Tool Direc on = No Loop Around Corners = Yes

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Set t he approach t y pe
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Click the Retract tab. Add a Radius approach to the Approaches list. Set Arc Angle to 90. Set Arc Radius to 8. Click OK to calculate the tool path.

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Create a 5-axis contouring operation

In this lesson, you will create a con nuous 5-axis contouring opera on along a selected prole. The prole must lie en rely on the surface to be machined (it must belong to the surface at least within the machining tolerance). As the tool follows the prole, the tool axis is kept parallel with the surface normal on the model. For this lesson, you will use a chain feature as the drive prole for the tool. However, you can also use a solid edge, solid loop, curve, segment, arc, line, or circle as a drive prole.

Open t he par t file

1. Open the le ContourOpera on.esp This le already contains a chain feature that you will use as the drive prole for the tool.

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Create a 5 -A xis Contour operat ion

1. Click 5-Axis Contour Milling on the Mold 5-Axis toolbar. 2. Because a FreeForm feature was not selected rst, ESPRIT starts the crea on of a new FreeForm feature. 3. Select the en re solid body and click OK. 4. On the General tab, select the tool EM2. 5. Click the Tool Path tab

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Define t he tool pat h parameter s

1. Set Tolerance to 0.01 and Stock Allowance to 0. 2. Click the selec on arrow next to Drive Prole and select the feature 2 Chain. 3. Set the following parameters: Drive Feature on Edge = No Reverse Tool Direc on = No Cu ng Side = Le Drive Prole Oset = 1 (equal to the tool radius) Penetra on Distance = 1.5 (a distance bigger than the thickness of the sheet metal) Max Angle From Normal = 0

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Define t he links
1. Click the Retract tab. 2. Add a Lateral approach to the Approaches list. 3. Set Lateral Distance to 10. 4. Set Tool Length to 100. 5. Click OK to calculate the tool path. 6. Simulate.

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Create 5-axis composite operations

The concept of the 5-Axis Composite cycle is that any 5-axis machining func on, no ma er how complex, can be dened with a few simple steps. Instead of fragmen ng advanced 5-axis func onality into a dozen or more separate dedicated func ons with a limited set of op ons, the 5-Axis Composite Milling cycle combines every possible way to machine a complex 5-axis part while presen ng the op ons in the logical steps for machining any type of part. The 5-Axis Composite Milling func on separates the desired shape of the tool path on the area to be machined from the rules that govern the orienta on of the tool axis during machining. In this way, users can create their own customized tool path as a combina on of available choices. In other words, by choosing from the ve dierent machining pa erns and the four dierent tool orienta on strategies, you have twenty dierent ways to machine the part. The tool path pa ern denes the tool path ow along the part; the tool axis orienta on denes the orienta on of the tool while machining. Users also have the ability to limit a 5-axis cycle to 4-axis mo on by locking an axis. In the following lessons you will learn to use each type of machining pa ern on both milling and mill/turn machines.

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Create a composite operat ion from parallel planes

The Parallel Planes Intersec on pa ern creates curves by intersec on of the part with a set of parallel planes. The tool is then driven along those curves. The plane direc on is set from an exis ng work plane that must be previously saved. This work plane is used to control the direc on of the set of planes. The planes will be created in the direc on of the W axis. The posi on of the rst plane in the set is dened by selec ng a point or by entering X, Y, Z coordinate values. The posi on of the last plane is set by a user-dened distance. The distance is measured along the posi ve direc on of the W axis. The user then enters the incremental distance between each plane in the set. The step over of the calculated tool path depends on the distance between the planes.

Open t he par t file

1. Open the le Composite_ParallelPlanes.esp 2. Start by crea ng a point at: X = 20, Y = 0, Z = 0. This point will be used for the tool orienta on.

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Create a FreeForm feature

1. 2. 3. 4. Click FreeForm Feature on the Mold 5-Axis toolbar. Use the Shi key and grouping proper es to group all the internal tangent faces of the part. Select the solid model as the check element. Click OK to create the feature.

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Create a 5 -A xis Composite operat ion

1. Select the FreeForm feature and click 5-Axis Composite on the Mold 5-Axis toolbar. 2. Select the tool UN10. 3. Click the Tool Path tab.

Define t he tool pat h parameter s

1. Set Tolerance to 0.2 and Stock Allowance to 0. 2. Set Machining Pa ern to Parallel Planes Intersec on. 3. Set the following parameters: Tool Posi on = Contact Point On Curve Loop Around Corners = No Work Plane = YZX (this is an exis ng work plane in the document) Start Point X, Y, Z = 0,0,0 Ending Distance = -80 (a nega ve ending distance will go in the opposite direc on of the W axis of the selected work plane) Pass Movement = One Way Change Pass Start Posi on = Yes Step Increment = 3
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Define t he tool a xis orient at ion

1. Set Orienta on Strategy to Through Point. 2. Click the selec on arrow next to Through Point X, Y, Z and select the point in the work area. 3. Set the following parameters: Toward Through Point = No In-Line Angle = 0 Cross Angle = 0 Angle Limita on = No Limit

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Define t he links
1. Click the Retract tab. 2. Add a Ver cal approach with a 60mm Ver cal Distance. 3. Add an Adap ve Cubic feed link and set the Maximum Link Distance to 20mm. 4. Click OK to calculate the tool path.

S imulate
Simulate to verify the tool path.

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Create a composite operat ion from planes along a cur ve

The Planes Intersec on With Spine Curve pa ern is similar to the Parallel Planes Intersec on pa ern except that the set of planes are created perpendicular to a spine curve. The spine prole can be a chain feature, an edge, a face loop, a curve, a segment, an arc or a circle. The rst plane in the set is located at a point along the curve. The point should belong to the selected curve, but it does not necessarily need to be the ini al point of the curve itself. The last plane in the set is also located at a a point along the curve. Like the start point, the end point should belong to the selected curve, but it does not necessarily need to be the ending point of the curve itself.

Open t he par t file

1. 2. 3. 4. Open the le Composite_PlanesWithSpineCurve.esp. In the Feature Manager, select 1 FreeForm. Click 5-Axis Composite. Select the tool BM20.

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Define t he toolpat h parameter s

1. On the Tool Path tab, set Tolerance to 0.1 and Stock Allowance to 0. 2. Set Machining Pa ern to Planes Intersec on With Spine Curve. 3. Set the following parameters: Tool Posi on = Contact Point On Curve Loop Around Corners = No Spine Prole = 1 Chain Start Point X, Y, Z = click the selec on arrow and digi ze the start point of 1 Chain. Then change the X value to 2. End Point X, Y, Z = digi ze the end point of 1 Chain Pass Movement = Op mized Direc on Change Pass Start Posi on = No Step Increment = 3

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Define t he tool a xis orient at ion

1. Set Orienta on Strategy to Perpendicular to Drive Surface. 2. Set the following parameters: In-Line Angle = 0 Cross Angle = 0 Angle Limita on = Fixed Angle With Reference Axis = X-Axis Fixed Angle = 75 The Angle Limita on se ng is used to lock the B-axis at -15 degrees. The Reference Axis is set to X-Axis because the reference axis is in the global XYZ system.

Define t he links
1. Click the Retract tab. 2. Add a Ver cal approach with a Ver cal Distance of 10mm. 3. Add a Fluent Cubic feed link with: Maximum Link Distance = 10 Start Arc Angle = 30 Start Arc Radius = 5 End Arc Angle = 30 End Arc Radius = 5 4. Click OK to calculate the tool path.

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Create a composite operat ion from a drive sur face

Parametric Pa ern generates the tool path from the parametric curve of a selected drive surface. When more than one surface is being cut, the curves are propagated side by side to the next surfaces. The propaga on tries to keep a uid ow to the tool path. The drive surface must belong to the model being cut. A er the drive surface is selected, the U and V cu ng direc ons are displayed on the selected drive surface. A white arrow shows the normal direc on of the drive surface. The U direc on is displayed with a red arrow and the V direc on is displayed with a green arrow. The direc on of the cut can be set to either the U direc on or the V direc on of the drive surface. By default, the tool moves in the same direc on as the arrow but an op on is provided that lets the user cut in the opposite direc on.

Open t he par t file

1. 2. 3. 4. Open the le Composite_ParametricPa ern.esp. Select the FreeForm feature. Click 5-Axis Composite. On the General tab, select the tool BM20.

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Define t he tool pat h parameter s

1. Set Tolerance to 0.1 and Stock Allowance to 0. 2. Set Machining Pa ern to Parametric Pa ern. 3. Set the following parameters: Tool Posi on = Tool Center on Curve Drive Surface = click the selec on arrow and digi ze the face shown on the solid Cu ng Direc on = V Direc on Reverse Cu ng Direc on = Yes Reverse Step Over Direc on = Yes Pass Movement = Op mized Direc on Change Pass Start Posi on = No Step Increment = 1

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Define t he tool a xis orient at ion

1. Set Orienta on Strategy to Perpendicular to Drive Surface. 2. Set the following parameters: In-Line Angle = 0 Cross Angle = 0 Angle Limita on = No Limit

Define t he links
1. Click the Retract tab. 2. Add a Bridge feed link with: Maximum Link Distance =5 Ver cal Distance = 2 3. Click OK to calculate the tool path.

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Create a composite operat ion from a projected sur face

Project Parametric Pa ern is similar to Parametric Pa ern except that an auxiliary surface that does not belong to the model is used. The shape of the tool path is created by projec on of the parametric lines of the drive surface onto the model. The projec on is normal to the drive surface. A er the drive surface is selected, the U and V cu ng direc ons are displayed on the selected drive surface as red and green arrows respec vely. A white arrow shows the normal direc on of the drive surface. The direc on of projec on is, by default, the opposite direc on of the natural Normal direc on of the drive surface. That means that if the normal of the drive surface is poin ng towards the model, points will be projected in the opposite direc on. If the Normal direc on arrow is poin ng towards the model, check Reverse Projec on Side to make sure points are projected onto the model. The projec on distance controls the maximum distance that points are projected from the drive surface onto the model. The projec on distance can be used to prevent points from being projected onto undesired surfaces behind the target surfaces.

Open t he par t file

1. 2. 3. 4. Open the le Composite_ProjectParametric.esp. Select the FreeForm feature. Click 5-Axis Composite. Select the tool BM5.

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Define t he toolpat h parameter s

1. Set Tolerance to 0.25 and Stock Allowance to 0. 2. Set Machining Pa ern to Project Parametric Pa ern. 3. Set the following parameters: Tool Posi on = Contact Point on Curve Loop Around Corners = No Drive Surface = click the selec on arrow and digi ze 2 Nurb Surface Cu ng Direc on = V Direc on Reverse Cu ng Direc on = Yes Reverse Step Over Direc on = Yes Reverse Projec on Side = Yes Projec on Distance = 10 Pass Movement = Zigzag Change Pass Start Posi on = No Step Increment = 2

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Define t he tool a xis orient at ion

1. Set Orienta on Strategy to Perpendicular to Drive Surface. 2. Set the following parameters: In-Line Angle = 0 Cross Angle = 0 Angle Limita on = No Limit

Calculate t he toolpat h
1. Click OK to calculate the tool path. 2. Simulate. No ce how the tool stays perpendicular to the drive surface and not to the model.

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Create a composite operat ion wit h a constant of fset

The Contour Oset pa ern uses a progressive oset of the boundary of the surfaces to be machined. This produces a somewhat concentric tool path. The progressive oset can start on the inside of the area to be machined, proceeding outward toward the external border, or it can start at the external boundary and proceed inward toward the center of the area to be machined. If the area to be machined contains islands, the oset can be calculated in an alterna ng inner-outer order.

Open t he par t file

1. 2. 3. 4. Open the le Composite_ContourOset.esp. Select the FreeForm feature. Click 5-Axis Composite. Select the tool BM5.

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Define t he toolpat h parameter s

1. Set Tolerance to 0.25 and Stock Allowance to 0. 2. Set Machining Pa ern to Contour Oset. 3. Set the following parameters: Tool Posi on = Contact Point on Curve Loop Around Corners = No Use Approach Point = No Pass Movement = Inside Out Change Pass Start Posi on = No Step Increment = 1 4. Set the following tool axis orienta on parameters: Orienta on Strategy = Perpendicular to Drive Surface In-Line Angle =0 Cross Angle =0 Angle Limita on = No Limit

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