[How do I?] 4th Axis Setup

[jbolt]

I also posted this on the CNCZone in the HSM forum but I like this place better so I'm also posting it here.

Hi All,

I'm feeling a bit stupid I cannot figure this one out. Google has not been my friend.

I will soon be setting up a 4th axis rotary head/table (A-axis) on my mill for some parts I have coming up where I need to cut 7 slots around the perimeter along the axis of a tube.

I'm using Solidworks Student Edition and HSMWorks Premium 2016. There must be a setting or configuration I am missing. In HSMWorks I don't see any drop down options for 4th axis. In my machine setup if I try to enable a rotary axis it does not take. Not sure what I am missing.

Secondly, on the job setup how should the UCS be orientated if the axis of the tube is parallel to the X-axis?

Other info:
3-axis mill
Mach3

Thanks,

Jay

 

[JimDawson]

I'm going to go out on a limb here. I'm thinking I heard a rumor that the 4th axis is disabled in the student version. Next time I hear from my son I'll ask him.

Since the A axis rotates about the X axis, the UCS would need to be in the normal orientation.

The workaround on running the A axis is just to manually write the G code to run it. That's what I do because I don't have any software that will generate 4 axis G-code. If the slots you want to cut are all the same, in the main code write the code that increments the A axis, then you can call a subroutine (M98 P xxxx) that cuts the slots.

The code would look something like this:
N 100 G0 A 0
N 110 M98 P 1000
N 120 G0 A 51.4286 [position in degrees]
N 130 M98 P 1000
.
.
.
M30

[cut slot subroutine]
N 1000
G1 X xxxx Y x.xxx
.
.
M99 [return from sub]
.
.

 

[countryguy]

I recently had to learn to write G-code for some things.... was surprised how easy it really was upon getting the hang of it. as a way off-base idea: Hate to drop the Fusion360 thing here but maybe it would do it? Of course, yet another learning adventure.
Sounds like a cool project! I am dying to play w/ our cnc 4th/ rotary someday.... tis just sitting there yelling my name when I walk by daily. Hearing curse words from him now. . depressing!

 

[JimDawson]

Hate to drop the Fusion360 thing here but maybe it would do it?

I think you have to have the full Inventor/HSM package to get 4th axis functionality. Big $$$$$

 

[Metal]

I checked fusion 360 and I have the tool orientation option in the hobby version, so it appears I have A axis functionality.

I used hsm, but moved to fusion, it gives you a LOT less control over the specifics of the operations, but lets you do more "stuff" overall.

 

[jbolt]

I'm going to go out on a limb here. I'm thinking I heard a rumor that the 4th axis is disabled in the student version. Next time I hear from my son I'll ask him.

Since the A axis rotates about the X axis, the UCS would need to be in the normal orientation.

The workaround on running the A axis is just to manually write the G code to run it. That's what I do because I don't have any software that will generate 4 axis G-code. If the slots you want to cut are all the same, in the main code write the code that increments the A axis, then you can call a subroutine (M98 P xxxx) that cuts the slots.

The code would look something like this:
N 100 G0 A 0
N 110 M98 P 1000
N 120 G0 A 51.4286 [position in degrees]
N 130 M98 P 1000
.
.
.
M30

[cut slot subroutine]
N 1000
G1 X xxxx Y x.xxx
.
.
M99 [return from sub]
.
.

I'm pretty sure the educator edition of Solidworks is full blown, just with an 18 month licence time and no support. I don't think it is a Solidworks issue. HSMWorks is the CAM plug-in (also an education licence) but it the full blown premium version with a 3 year licence.

All the other 3D tool path routines work fine. Unfortunately the documentation is written for people who know what they are doing. I really like theses programs and I'm fortunate enough to get to use them being a mentor for the high school robotics team. Maybe I should put one of the students on the problem. They are way smarter than me.

I have other more complex parts that will require indexing I would rather not code by hand for unless it is not possible with what I have.

 

[ChrisMacD]

In the geometry tab is an option called "Tool Orientation". There you can select a face or plane parallel to the face you want to work on.

 

[jbolt]

I got one piece of the puzzle solved. The use "Axis Substitution" only works if you have inserted an axis into the model. Operator error on my part as usual. This is fine for rotary operations where the Y axis becomes the radial movement and the X & Z move as normal.

What I need is to index the part and then run a standard contour path for the slots. Still working on that one.

 

[Tony Wells]

That part is going to take a lot of toothpicking, but is a good example of 4th axis work.

 

[JimDawson]

What I need is to index the part and then run a standard contour path for the slots. Still working on that one.

Based on what you said above, I'm curious also. Do I understand correctly that once the geometry created you can't switch back to standard coordinates?