Wire EDM Features Overview

Introduction

Wire EDM features can be thought of as simply as you would the features of the final product itself. For any feature of the part itself, work will have to be done to create it. Any work you choose to do on a feature will be an operation that you add. To create a feature, right-click on the Machine Setup and choose one of the available features. Once the feature is chosen and the Wizard is launched, you will be able to select any number of operations needed to complete the chosen feature.

 

When the feature is finished, the feature is added to the Wire EDM Job in the CAM Tree. All of the information from the wizard can be viewed or modified using the feature in the CAM Tree. Each item of the feature contains a shortcut menu for you to access various functions and commands.

ClosedCreating Features

To create a Wire EDM feature:

 

  • In the CAM Tree, right-click Machine Setup, and select a wire feature in the shortcut menu.

 

The Wire Wizard displays.

Introduction

The Wire EDM Wizard contains multiple dialog boxes arranged to lead you through defining your Wire EDM features. This includes selecting feature geometry, defining the feature-level parameters, and then defining the operation-level parameters. When you add a Wire EDM feature in the CAM Tree, the Wire 2 (or 4) Axis Wizard displays. The setup process, navigation, and all parameters are explained in the Wire EDM Wizard help topics.

The Wire Wizard Overview

  1. Add a Wire EDM feature based on the target geometry.

  2. In the first page of the wizard, you assign the feature geometry.

    (After finishing the wizard, any changes to the feature geometry are made using the CAM Tree. The geometry item in the wizard is not available when editing a feature.)

  3. In the second page of the wizard, you define the feature parameters.

    The settings you define here are applied to all operations in the feature.

  4. In the third page of the wizard, the Machining Strategy, select a Template for the feature.

    Modify the Current Operations to contain the desired number and order of operations for the feature.

Note: When editing a feature, the Template of the Machining Strategy can't be changed. You can still add, remove, or reorder the Current Operations, it is only the template that can't be changed. This is done because the Template is used to set Cutting Conditions. You can update the operations used in the Default Strategy templates in the DMS Defaults Dialog, or create User Defined Templates with the Save to Defined Template option.

 

  1. The next step is to set the wire parameters.

  2. Following the Wire Parameters page, is the Posting page. This page allows you to adjust tolerance, work offset number, and posting order.

  3. In the remaining pages of the wizard, you define the operation-level parameters. This includes the parameters, leads, and cutting conditions for each operation that you selected for the feature.

  4. If, while moving through the wizard, you notice default values you believe should be updated to fit your needs better, you can select Save Defaults at the bottom of the wizard to save your values to a template. See The Default Parameter Templates topic for more information.

  5. After defining the feature parameters, compute the toolpath for the feature and examine the results.

    If any changes need made, edit the feature, and compute to add the changes.

ClosedExisting Features

To edit a Wire EDM feature:

 

  • In the CAM Tree under Machine Setup, right-click Feature Name, and click Edit.

 

(The Feature Name is the top-level item of the Feature in the CAM Tree.)

 

The Wire Wizard displays.

Introduction

When you create a milling feature and finish the feature in the wizard, the feature is added to the CAM job in the CAM Tree. All of the information from the wizard can be viewed or modified using the feature in the CAM Tree. Each item of the feature contains a shortcut menu for you to access various functions and commands.

Wire EDM 2 Axis Feature

   Feature EDM 2 Axis Inside     >>

           Geometry

           Stop Points

       2 Axis Rough Cut     >>

       2 Axis Tab Cut     >>

       2 Axis Skim Cut     >>

Wire EDM 4 Axis Feature

   Feature EDM 4 Axis Inside     >>

           Upper Geometry

           Lower Geometry

           Sync Lines

           Stop Points

       4 Axis Rough Cut     >>

       4 Axis Tab Cut     >>

       4 Axis Skim Cut     >>

The Feature Shortcut Menus

You right click each feature item in the tree to access a shortcut menu. The menus handle various software commands as explained next.

Feature Creation and Modification

The top level of the feature, which displays the feature name, is used to edit the feature, add features, and set the feature status using the following commands.

 

Note: When you insert a feature, it is added below the current feature.

 

Feature Type        >>

 

    • Edit - opens the Wire EDM Wizard for you to modify the feature parameters.

    • Update All Geometry - re-associates all geometry selected for the feature in case any changes were made.

    • Compute All Toolpath - computes all operations contained in the feature.

    • Insert 2 Axis Inside - opens the 2 Axis Wire EDM Wizard for you to create a 2 Axis EDM Inside feature. This handles closed internal (die) features with or without constant taper. The available operations are: Rough Cut, Skim Cut, and Tab Cut.

    • Insert 2 Axis Outside - opens the 2 Axis Wire EDM Wizard for you to create a 2 Axis EDM Outside feature. This handles closed external (punch) features with or without constant taper. The available operations are: Rough Cut, Skim Cut, and Tab Cut.

    • Insert 2 Axis Open - opens the 2 Axis Wire EDM Wizard for you to create a 2 Axis EDM Open feature. This handles open features with or without constant taper. The available operations are: Rough Cut, Skim Cut, and Tab Cut.

    • Insert 4 Axis Inside - opens the 4 Axis Wire EDM Wizard for you to create a 4 Axis EDM Inside feature. This handles closed internal (die) features with the available operations: Rough Cut, Skim Cut, and Tab Cut.

    • Insert 4 Axis Outside - opens the 4 Axis Wire EDM Wizard for you to create a 4 Axis EDM Outside feature. This handles closed external (punch) features with the available operations: Rough Cut, Skim Cut, and Tab Cut.

    • Insert 4 Axis Open - opens the 4 Axis Wire EDM Wizard for you to create a 4 Axis EDM Open feature. This handles open features with the available operations: Rough Cut, Skim Cut, and Tab Cut.

    • Add Toolpath Pattern - adds a Toolpath Pattern to the selected feature. When added from this location, the defined pattern is applied to all of the operations in the feature.

    • Save Feature - opens the Save As dialog box for you to save the current feature information to a file.

    • Load Feature - allows you to locate and add a previously saved feature to the tree after this feature.

    • Copy - copies the feature so that you can duplicate it by pasting it into the Machine Setup or another feature.

    • Paste - is used to insert (paste) a copied feature into the job after this feature.

    • Post Yes/No - sets all operations in the feature to post or not post in the NC program.

    • Blank/Unblank Toolpath - allows you to hide or show all toolpaths in the feature.

    • Suppress Toolpath Patten - prevents the child toolpath patterns from being added to the Operation Tree, and does not allow the pattern to be posted.

    • Unsuppress Toolpath Pattern - allows the child toolpath patterns to be added to the Operation Tree, where its individual pattern instances can be set to post, or not post.

    • Lock/Unlock Operation - locks and unlocks all operations in the feature to prevent or allow the operations from being computed.

    • Delete - completely removes the feature from the job.

    • Rename - enables editing of the feature name in the CAM Tree. Type the new name for the feature.

    • Add Note (F3)  - opens the Add Note dialog to allow you to create a message that can be accessed as a tool tip by hovering over the icon next to the item. Click OK to create the note, and use Add Note (F3) again if the note needs to be edited. Editing the note, removing all text and clicking OK removes the note from the item.

Editing the Feature Geometry and Setting the Feature Start Point and Chain Direction

The feature geometry item of EDM features is used to modify the geometry selected in the wizard as well as setting the chain start point and direction of the feature and operations.

 

Geometry/Upper Geometry/Lower Geometry

 

    • Re/Select - enables selection mode for you to modify the current feature geometry selection. The currently selected geometry displays in the Workspace using the Selection color (Settings Default/Part.) After making the selections, click OK () to confirm them.

    • Remove - eliminates the geometry assignment for the feature. This does not delete the actual geometry, it only removes the assignment of the geometry to the feature.

    • Modify Start Point - displays the start point indicator on the feature geometry for you to click a new location to set the start point (the geometry must be visible in the Workspace). After modifying the start point location, click OK () to confirm the selection.

    • Reverse Direction - flips the current direction of the chain start point to force cutting in the opposite direction.

Select or Modify Stop Point Locations

Wire EDM features support stop points that are used to output a stop command (usually M00 or M01) when the wire reaches the selected point along the feature geometry. One or more points can be created anywhere on the feature geometry and selected together. After assigning Stop Point geometry and computing the wirepath, lines are added to the wirepath display to represent the stop locations. You use the Stop Point feature item to select or remove the stop point geometry as explained next.

 

Stop Points

 

    • Re/Select - enables selection mode for you to select the point geometry in the Workspace. After selecting one or more points, click OK () to confirm the selections. When the wire reaches the point, the stop point command as defined in the post processor is output in the posted NC program.

    • Remove - eliminates the association of any previously selected stop point geometry. This only removes the assignment and does not delete the geometry.

 

Tip: After selecting or editing the Stop Point geometry assignment, compute the wirepath to update the changes to the feature. Be sure to select the Apply Stop Points check box in the Wire EDM Wizard Parameters for each operation that you want to output stop codes.

Setting Sync Lines for 4 Axis EDM Features

For 4 Axis EDM features only, you can create lines between the upper curve and lower curve to define how the wire is synced (or aligned) at various locations along the feature. You use the Sync Lines feature item to select geometry or remove the assignment of previously selected sync lines. (There are three Sync Options found in the Feature settings of the Wire EDM 4 Axis Wizard that can be used with or without selecting Sync Line geometry.)

 

Sync Lines

    • Re/Select - enables selection mode for you to select the line geometry in the Workspace. After selecting one or more lines, click OK () to confirm the selections. The toolpath calculation uses the selected sync lines to align the wire between the upper profile and lower profile.

    • Remove - eliminates the association of any previously selected sync line geometry. This only removes the assignment and does not delete the geometry.

Compute or Modify an Operation

Each operation that is contained within a feature contains the following commands for the operation.

 

Operations

    • Edit - launches the wizard and sets the opening page to the toolpage of the particular operation it was launched from.

    • Compute Toolpath - calculates the toolpath for this operation only.

    • Backplot - launches the Backplot option in the Data Entry Manager to allow you to visualize the tool movement of the specified operation.

    • Copy - copies this operation so that you can duplicate it by pasting it into this or another feature.

    • Paste - inserts a copied operation below this operation in the feature.

    • Color - opens the Color dialog box for you to change the color of the operation toolpath in the graphics area.

    • Blank/Unblank - hides or shows the operation toolpath in the graphics area.

    • Post Yes/No - controls whether or not this operation is included in the posted NC program.

    • Lock/Unlock Operation - locks and unlocks an operation in the feature to prevent or allow the operation from being computed.

    • Rename - enables editing of the operation name in the CAM Tree. Type the new name for the operation.

    • Add Note (F3)  - opens the Add Note dialog to allow you to create a message that can be accessed as a tool tip by hovering over the icon next to the item. Click OK to create the note, and use Add Note (F3) again if the note needs to be edited. Editing the note, removing all text and clicking OK removes the note from the item.

 

Tip: You can click some of the CAM Tree items to view a preview in the Workspace. For example, click Geometry to confirm the assigned feature geometry, or click an Operation to confirm a computed toolpath.

Related Topics

The CAM Overview