For growing shops that need 4 axis indexing, wrapping, and rotary capabilities, BobCAD-CAM’s powerful 4th axis standard add-on is available at an affordable and accessible cost.
The new 4 Axis Standard uses an index system that allows you to index a part using your 4th axis. Once the part is indexed to a defined value, you’ll have the option for 2D or 3D tool paths. For example: if you wanted to engrave 4 sides of a box, you would be able to create an index system for each face with the option to engrave on them.
Inside the BobCAD 4 Axis Standard software, you can load an index system by right clicking on your machine setup and choosing add index. Once you have an index system in your CAM tree, you need to locate the face or side of the part you want to machine on. Define the face or side of the part your 4 axis will index to by right clicking on the index system and choosing re/select. You can pick a surface on your part or you can pick a User Coordinate System (UCS).
The BobCAD website offers a quick step-by-step lesson setting up an index system.
Using a wrapping group requires you to lay your work out flat, and your tool paths will be wrapped to a defined cylinder. If you are working with a solid part to begin with, BobCAD software offers an unwrapping CAD feature that will automatically unwrap your 3D geometry and lay it out flat. You can setup multiple wrapping groups for different diameter cylinders you may be working with. Wrapping does just that – it takes your 2D or 3D tool paths and wraps them around a cylinder.
Visit BobCAD web help for an easy step-by-step tutorial on setting up a wrapping group.
Using a rotary tool path inside of BobCAD 4 Axis Standard allows you to program a 3D solid directly for your 4th axis. You will not need to lay your work out flat – just load a solid and program it.
Visit bobcad.com to learn more about the Standard 4 axis rotary tool path feature and its options, or download a free trial version of the software today.
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