5-Axis Rotation Help Needed.

[ptc-220311]

Dear Pro/NC Experts:

I have a 5-Axis Mill and need help with a problem... By default it acts like a standard 3-Axis Vertical machine. It has a C-Axis Platter laying on the XY table. And the head has an A-Axis that can rotate from Vertical to Horizontal.

The machine has a physical limit on the Y-Travel such that the machines spindle while vertical can't go past the center of the C-Axis.

I have a tombstone with parts on each face. I start the first part with the C-Axis at 0.0 degrees and the A rotated to horizontal (90.0). Then I do the next part and it requires the C-Axis to rotate 90.0 degrees. Then a Third at 180.0 degrees.Next I have some holes on top of the first part that I need to go back to. And need the Spindle Vertical and I need the C-Axis back at 0.0 degrees to reach all the holes.

I need the machine at C0.0 and A0.0
But the machine is at C180.0 A90.0

Is there something I can do to force Pro/NC to output the correct rotations to the post.

I know if I did the parts in order that would resolve it. But the machine has a manual tool change and I am focused on minimizing tool changes. Else I would focus on 1 part at a time.

I am using CAM-Post 15 and suppose I can do some things with that. But I am hoping either an Auxiliary Sequence or something magical could be used to force the rotation back C0.0 degrees.

If anyone has any ideas to help it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Randall Kopf
rkopf@rmb.com
Tooling Manager
RMB Products
Fountain CO USA

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[ptc-220311]

FYI... I am using Wildfire 2.0 M120

[cfarah]

Hi Randall,

First make sure that you are programming your part in Pro/E using a 5-axis
workcell with MULTAX output. For these 5-axis machines, you must have MULTAX
output and let CAMPOST deal with the ratary axes. That would explain your
C180A90 rather than C0A0.

But even with that, you can encounter cases where you want to force a
secondary rotary position (in multi-axis, every tool position has 2 rotary
solutions barring barring machine limits). For example, if you were at
C180A90, and you want to machine the top of the tombstone, the post will
take you to C180A0. It sees no reason to rotate back to C0, since that would
be an unnecessary longer rotary move. You can force a C0A0 instead using the
CLAMP command:

CLAMP/OFF,CAXIS,0

I am guessing that the MULTAX is the issue here, because, based on your
description of the machine, C0A0 is not the same orientation of C180A90.

I hope this helps,

Charles



<http: www.sigmaxim.com=" assets=" images=" autogen=" clearpixel.gif=">
Charles Farah
Sigmaxim, Inc. www.sigmaxim.com
1895 Centre St, Suite 102, Boston, MA 02132
(Tel) 781-329-5235 877-SIGMAXIM
(Fax) 781-329-9511

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