Getting started with 4 axis Surface Milling in Creo 4

[razmosis]

Hello,

I am trying to put together a tool path for a Makino A71 with the part rotating about the B axis while surface milling.  I have a pretty good understanding / experience with using this machine with sequences that reference individual coordinate systems that result in the B Axis being locked in different rotations under the same operation.  What I'd like to do is surface mill around a part that actively rotates while milling.

I've dabbled with some theoretical parts that were simple and everything appears to work OK in Vericut.  The part I'd like to machine has a very irregular surface and cannot be cut with a helical or trajectory path.  There doesn't seem to be much guidance available on this, through PTC, this site or youtube.  I am certain that there are PTC users out there that can do this with their machines.  If I accomplished it, it'd be a first for a user at my company.

Does anyone have any advice on how to make this sort of situation work, or can you point me to a good tutorial?

Thank You,

Matt

[razmosis]

I am to a point where things look OK in Moduleworks.  Vericut tells another story though.  The Roughing looks OK in Vericut, but the finish Surfacing reduces the workpiece down from a roughed out irregular part to a smooth spindle looking thing that a lathe might cut.  I suppose it may be possible something is not quite right with the Vericut control file, but I have never had an issue with it before.

[KenFarley]

Have you found any useful tutorials or other information about this? I, too, was looking for info on how to do the programming and post-processor writing for a 4th axis. I wasn't too successful, mostly because the "official" sources only want to write the post-processor(s) for me and didn't want to give me any info on how I could write them myself. The programming I was doing was only what you described as your previous experience, the "rotate axis, lock, do sequences, move to next axis angle, lock, etc." We couldn't attempt to do any actual simultaneous 4-axis motions, because doing so requires one to have a 5-axis license, which we don't.

[razmosis]

No good leads yet.  Are you saying that I would need a 5 axis post processor to use the simultaneous motion on a 4 axis machine?  That would explain why the roughing sequences work for me and the finishing does not.  I am hoping that the Post Processor is not the issue.

Like I mentioned prior, things do look OK in play path / Module Works and the roughing looks good in Vericut, so it might make sense to think that the post processor is my issue.

Thank you,

Matt

[KenFarley]

They seemed to imply that if I wanted to do actual simultaneous 4-axis milling I'd need to have 5-axis capabilities in the manufacturing module. This was Creo 2.0, maybe it is different now?

[razmosis]

simultaneous 4axis motion in a simple partI made up a simpler part and able to achieve simultaneous motion on that part, so I do not believe I have a 5 axis licensing issue.  That part I made up in Creo 2.0 a year or so ago.  The machine was defined as a 4 axis.  I am currently using Creo 4.0, but I don't see much different compared to Creo 2.0.

That part was much simpler.  The part I'm on now is more of a challenge that was presented to me.  Its a model that was converted from a point cloud to an iges.  The surface is very irregular.

[SteveLucas]

I wonder if it might be that the model is not a solid surface model. I have trouble with that sort of thing here with just regular 3 axis milling some times if there are gaps and such in the model. It will look like a solid model but it really isn't. I know IGES files are about the worst there is as far as importing them into Creo from my experience.

[razmosis]

It might be an issue with the model.  It looks OK to me, but it does take forever to open it.  The file size is pretty huge.  I don't doubt there are some self intersecting surfaces.  The thing I don't understand is that it seems like I can surface mill it in several indices, but not in simultaneous motion.  This thing was given to me as sort of a challenge and I was hoping to learn a thing or two from it.

[VSN_PRASAD_K]

Dear Sir, Can you please help me in getting the G Codes? I mean can you please share the Post Processor u used for 4th Axis ? My machine is HAAS. vsnprasadk@mechoptronix.com Please help me sir.