The Wire EDM Ribbon
Introduction
This topic will explain the Wire EDM contextual ribbon, and all the options found on it.
The Wire EDM Ribbon
At the bottom of the ribbons, you will notice group names. Each ribbon, contextual or not, is divided by group to put like commands in easy to identify groups. The remainder of the topic is divided in the same manner to make the topic itself as easy to search.
Job Settings
Current Settings - opens
The
Job Current Settings dialog box for you to define various machine
and posting defaults as well as machine creation.
Stock Wizard - opens the
Lathe Stock Wizard for you to define the stock for the job.
Color - opens the Color dialog
box for you to change the color of the displayed stock geometry. Select
a color, or define a custom color, and click OK to close the dialog box
and update the color.
Transparency - opens the
Stock
Transparency dialog box for you to modify the transparency of the
stock geometry. Higher settings make the stock more transparent or see-through.
After adjusting the transparency level, you can set the system default
stock transparency by clicking Set Default.
Blank/Unblank - toggles the
visibility of the stock in the workspace. This hides or shows the stock
based on its current condition. Note that you can click the Stock
item in the tree to temporarily display the (hidden) stock geometry, until
you click another tree item.
Cutting Conditions - launches
the Edit
Cutting Conditions Database dialog box. This allows you to edit materials,
wires, and power settings to be used by the Wire EDM job.
Search Cutting Conditions - (shown
for Sodick AQ machines only) opens the Sodick
Cutting Conditions Search dialog box for you to search the Sodick
Cutting Conditions as a reference that you can use when setting values
in the Cutting Conditions dialog box of the Wire EDM Wizard.
Machine - Clicking on machine
will present a drop down of all available machines, and will allow you
to select one to use for the current job.
Material Library - opens
the Stock
Material Library for you to define the speeds and feeds used for all
materials.
Workpiece - opens the Workpiece
dialog in the
Machining Features
2 Axis Machining
2 Axis Inside - Launches the Wire
2 Axis Wizard with the default operations, assigned in the DMS Defaults
dialog, set for each 2 Axis template.
2 Axis Outside- Launches the Wire
2 Axis Wizard with the default operations, assigned in the DMS Defaults
dialog, set for each 2 Axis template.
2 Axis Open - Launches the Wire
2 Axis Wizard with the default operations, assigned in the DMS Defaults
dialog, set for each 2 Axis template.
4 Axis Machining
4 Axis Inside - Launches the Wire
4 Axis Wizard with the default operations, assigned in the DMS Defaults
dialog, set for each 4 Axis template.
4 Axis Outside - Launches the
Wire 4 Axis Wizard with the default operations, assigned in the DMS Defaults
dialog, set for each 4 Axis template.
4 Axis Open - Launches the Wire
4 Axis Wizard with the default operations, assigned in the DMS Defaults
dialog, set for each 4 Axis template.
Load Feature - Launches the Open
dialog to select a saved feature to be added to the machine setup.
Save Feature - With a feature
highlighted, this will launch the Save As dialog to save a feature to
be loaded at a later time.
Copy Feature - With a feature
highlighted, this will save the feature to the clipboard to be pasted
into the machine setup at a later time.
Paste Feature - When a feature
has been copied, Paste will place the feature in the machine setup.
Simulation
Start Simulation - Opens the simulation
window for you to view any computed feature operations set to Post Yes.
Stop Simulation - Closes the simulation
to return to the current job.
NC Code
Post - Creates the NC program
and displays it in the Posting Manager.
Post & Save As - Creates the
NC program and displays it in the Posting Manager, but first launches
the Save As dialog for you to name and save the file.
Machining Order - Allows you to
specify how the tool changes in the program are optimized.
Generate Setup Sheet - Opens the
Setup Sheet dialog box for you to select a template to format the output
of a setup sheet and define what information is included.
Generate Setup Sheet & Save as
- Opens the Setup Sheet dialog box for you to select a template to format
the output of a setup sheet and define what information is included, but
first launches the Save As dialog for you to name and save the file.
Toolpath Statistics - Launches
the Toolpath statistics dialog, which provides information on Time Data,
Toolpath Extents, Toolpath Data, and Speeds and Feeds for any operation
stet to Post Yes.
Additional Functions
Update All Geometries -
Reassociates selected geometry for all features in the job.
Compute All Toolpath - Computes
toolpath for all operations in the job.
Add Group - Creates a folder in
the CAM Tree in which features can be placed. This allows for more organization
and control over several features at once.
