Application Tutorial: Simple Impeller 5-Axis Roughing

Double click the SolidWorks Icon.

Browse to open the SolidWorks part Impeller Rough.SLDASM.

Click SolidCAM > New > Milling.

Accept the default part file name and path and Click OK.

Select NTU_MAZAK_MPOS as our post processor. Leave the fields of Program Number & Subroutine number with the default settings.

Click Define button in the Coordinate System tab to set the coordinate system for this part.

In the Place CoordSys origin to section, select Top center of model box from the drop down.

Select the face as shown in the image.

Click

Change the Tool start level and Clearance level values in the CoordSys Data pop up shown in the image.

Click OK.

Click

Click

We will now define the stock.

Go to the Feature Manager Design Tree.

Select STOCK > Show Components.

Select the SolidCAM icon.

Click Stock > Define.

Select 3D Model from the drop down in the Defined by section. This will clear the previously defined solids.

Select the solid as shown in the image.

Click

We will hide the stock now.

Go to the Feature Manager Design Tree > Stock > Hide Components.

Click the SolidCAM Manager icon.

Right click Operations > Machine Setup.

Enter a value of 175 in Z column.

Click OK.

Right click Setup > Add Milling Operation > Sim 5 Axis Milling.

Select Parallel to surface in the Technology section.

Click Geometry.

Select the new icon under Drive surface.

Select the highlighted faces.

Click

Select the new icon under Edge surface.

Select the highlighted faces.

Click

Select the Type as Determined by number of cuts.

Click Margins.

Enter the values as shown in the image.

Click OK.

Enter 1 in the Drive surface offset field.

Click Tool > Select.

Click

icon to add a new tool.

Select TAPER MILL as our tool.

Enter the tool parameters as shown in the image.

Select the Holder check box.

Select BT40 ER 32x40.

Click Select.

Click Tool path parameters.

Enter the tool parameters as shown in the image.

Click Tool axis control.

Enter the parameters as shown in the image.

Click Advanced.

Enter the parameters as shown in the image.

Click OK.

Click Gouge check.

Enter the parameters as shown in the image.

Select faces1 from the dropdown in Check surfaces 1.

Click Link.

Select Use LeadIn and Use Lead Out from the drop down lists.

Click -In.

next to Use Lead

Unselect the Use default Lead-In check box.

Enter the parameters as shown in the image.

Click OK.

Click -Out.

next to Use Lead

Enter the parameters as shown in the image.

Click OK.

Click the Save & Calculate icon.

Click the Simulate icon once the tool path is calculated.

Click the Play icon.

You can see that 2 passes have been created.

We will change it for the roughing operation.

Click the Exit icon.

Click Roughing and More.

Note: If you are using SP1, you need to click Transformation as Roughing and More is changed to Transformation SP1 onwards.

Click Area roughing.

Enter the parameters as shown in the image.

Click OK.

Click Link.

Select the Links sub-tab.

Enter the parameters as shown in the image.

Click the Save & Calculate icon.

Click the Simulate icon once the tool path is calculated.

Click the Play icon.

The tool path looks like this:

As this toolpath has created a single pass, we cannot use this.

We will now create the roughing strategy for the entire stock that has to be removed.

Click the Exit icon

Click Geometry.

Select the Type as Full, start and end at exact surface edges.

Click Link.

Select Use Lead-In/Out in the Links between slices section.

Click

Enter the parameters as shown in the image.

Click OK.

Click the Save & Calculate icon.

Click the Simulate icon once the tool path is calculated.

Click the Play icon.

The tool path looks like this:

Click SolidVerify for 3D.

Switch off the Holder.

The simulation looks like this:

Click the Exit icon.

Let us now run the simulation using Host CAD.

This is how the tool path looks: