Support "Golf Club" and other tools with spindle o

vhubbard · 2005-01-05 20:28:37

There are some tools that are positioned on a machine in a "Spindle Off" condition. These tools often look something like a golf club. The spindle is off and oriented to allow positioning the tool through a hole. This hole is too small to position through with the tool turning. Then the spindle is turned on and the tool mills a recess, back counter bore etc.

We need to check for collisions in spindle off and on modes. Currently Vericut just cuts through the initial hole as if the spindle is on, this does not happen at the machine.

Another class of tools that is similar are tools that have a pop out cutter. These can be passed through a hole and then when the spindle is activated/reversed the cutting edge pops out.

Currently Vericut does not allow defining a tool to do this correctly. The current support for BORE tools will not do this. It was designed for bore cycles not milling.

A suggested method would be to allow creation of sub/secondary tool definition added to the standard tool definition. This sub/seondary defition would define the tool shape and axial orientation when In Spindle Off mode. If the secondary definition exists, use it in spindle off mode. This would then allow us to adapt Vericut to whatever style the cutter is. This secondary definition would do collision/cut checking with the stock when moving.

Kantha · 2005-01-06 15:42:50

Hi,
I have seen in a user meet last year similar to what you are asking. Mr.Ely had a demo file that had similar to what you are asking. Ely told me that the trick was to create the tool using turing and not milling. I did not try that as we did not come across a situation like that.

Regards
kanthavelan.

vhubbard · 2005-01-06 23:06:08

Kantha wrote:

Hi,
I have seen in a user meet last year similar to what you are asking. Mr.Ely had a demo file that had similar to what you are asking. Ely told me that the trick was to create the tool using turing and not milling. I did not try that as we did not come across a situation like that.
Regards
kanthavelan.

Defining a turning tool is how you setup a BORE tool to support Stop/move away simulation. The Control macros that support this are primarily for CYCLES. I tried to make it work for "golf club" milling, it had problems with arc moves and collision detection of the cutter with spindle off. I have been told the current macros were not designed to support general milling operations of this type.

For fun see software rule #9 :wink:

Kantha · 2005-01-10 20:00:08

Hi,
You are correct. That was bore tool.

Regards
Kanthavelan.

jsmillett · 2005-02-25 19:27:59

We use two tool definitions for Back Spot Facing. The primary definition, 123, is just the holder and shank. A secondary definition, -123, is of the complete tool. Since the Back Spot Facing Head is manually changed by the machine operator for each operation, we use the message blocks directing the operator to Attach or Remove the head as commands to the Vericut Simulation to do the same. The original load tool block saves the ToolCode number in a variable. We set up the ATTACH_HEAD message to be interpreted by Vericut to load the negative of the active tool. REMOVE_HEAD reloads the active tool. This works very well for us and gives a proper Vericut machine simulation.

Jerry

BillH · 2005-03-30 19:13:42

We implemented the on/off spindle state a few releases ago in order to specifically satisfy a request to support boring-stop-orient cycles. This included both "macros" to interpret and simulate the cycle, and a method to remove material for the boring operation.

The biggest development problem is the material removal algorithm. Typically when you spin a boring tool (or inserted end mill or face mill) you create a toroid shape, void in the center (a "dougnut" for you Homer Simpson fans). Currently VERICUT has very limited material removal capability for this shape: linear cuts along Z, linear cuts perpendicular to the tool axis (typically XY plane). We use a "turning" tool, but that's only because at the time it was implemented it was the only tool VERICUT had that could represent both the stopped and spinning state of the boring tool.

In VERICUT 6.0 we've created milling material removal algorithms that support virtually any milling tool shape, specifically focused on supporting insert tools (but also any weird revolved profile as well). The only restriction is that the insert or revolved profile may not cross itself. Multiple inserts can be described for a tool. The revolved profiles or insert sweeps do not have to connect to the tool CL or to each other.

The algorithms apply to all milling motions VERICUT understands, including complex 5-axis motions. This is all new code, all new algorithms we've invented. We've invested over 12 man-months on these material removal algorithms alone, leveraging 20 years of experience from developing VERICUT's current material removal logic.

vhubbard · 2006-09-08 17:51:07

This appears to be working well now in 6.0x, when insert tools are used.

VERICUT Users' Forum

#1 2005-01-05 20:28:37

Support "Golf Club" and other tools with spindle o

#2 2005-01-06 15:42:50

Re: Support "Golf Club" and other tools with spindle o

#3 2005-01-06 23:06:08

Re: Support "Golf Club" and other tools with spindle o

#4 2005-01-10 20:00:08

Re: Support "Golf Club" and other tools with spindle o

#5 2005-02-25 19:27:59

Re: Support "Golf Club" and other tools with spindle o

#6 2005-03-30 19:13:42

Re: Support "Golf Club" and other tools with spindle o

#7 2006-09-08 17:51:07

Re: Support "Golf Club" and other tools with spindle o

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