Lathe Features Overview

• Lathe Features Overview
  • Introduction
  • Turning Features
  • Creating Features
    • Introduction
    • Navigation
    • The Lathe Wizard Overview
  • Existing Features
    • Navigation
    • Introduction
      • Lathe Turn Feature
    • The Feature Context Menus
      • Feature Creation and Modification
      • Editing the Feature Geometry
      • Compute or Modify an Operation
      • Changing Direction
      • Operation Stock
  • Related Topics

Introduction

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

Navigation

To create a Turning feature:

 

• In the CAM Tree, right-click Machine Setup, and select a Lathe feature type in the context menu.

 

The Lathe Wizard displays.

The Lathe Wizard Overview

1. Add a Lathe feature based on the target geometry.
   
   
2. In the first page of the wizard, you assign the feature geometry.
   
   

Note: 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.

 

5. The next step is to modify the Posting parameters for the feature as needed.
   
   
6. In the remaining pages of the wizard, you define the operation-level parameters. This includes the tool data, patterns, parameters, rapids, leads, advanced feedrates, and MDI for Mill Turn jobs, for each operation that you selected for the feature.
   
   
7. 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.
   
   
8. 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.
   

Navigation

To edit a Lathe feature:

 

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

 

Note: The Feature Name is the top-level item of the Feature in the CAM Tree.

 

The Lathe Wizard displays.

Introduction

When you create a lathe 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 context menu for you to access various functions and commands.

 

Lathe Turn Feature Feature Lathe Turning      >>  Geometry  Default Chain Start Point   Rough      >>   Operation Stock   Basic Finish      >>   Operation Stock  Pattern Repeat      >>   Operation Stock

The Feature Context Menus

You right-click each feature item in the tree to access a context 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 Lathe Wizard for you to modify the feature.
  
  

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• Update All Geometries - updates all the geometry associated with the feature.
  
  
• Compute All Toolpath - computes all operations contained in the feature.
  
  

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• Post - creates the NC program for this feature and its operations that are set to post. The NC program displays it in the Posting Manager . You can view the posted program, but you can't edit it in this location. Right-click anywhere in the Posting window to access another shortcut menu, or use Post & Save As.
  
  
• Post & Save As - creates and displays the NC program for this feature and its operations that are set to post, but first opens the Save As dialog box for you to name and save the file. You can use the default location, or select your own location.

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• Insert Lathe End Face - opens the Lathe Wizard for you to create a Lathe Turning feature. This handles the facing off of the part  with the available operations: Rough, and Basic Finish.
  
  
• Insert Lathe Turning - opens the Lathe Wizard for you to create a Lathe Turning feature. This handles ID and OD machining with the available operations: Rough, Basic Finish, and Pattern Repeat.
  
  
• Insert Lathe Groove - opens the Lathe Wizard for you to create a Lathe Groove feature. This handles ID and OD machining with the available operations: Groove Rough, Groove Basic Finish.
  
  

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• Insert Lathe Holes - opens the Lathe Wizard for you to create a Lathe Hole feature. This handles drilling with the available operations: Center Drill, Drill, Chamfer, Bore, and Ream.
  
  
• Insert Lathe Tap Hole - opens the Lathe Wizard for you to create a Lathe Hole feature. This handles tapping with the available operations: Center Drill, Drill, Chamfer, Ream, Tap.
  
  

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• Insert Lathe Thread - opens the Lathe Wizard for you to create a Lathe Thread feature. This handles threading with the available operation: Thread.
  
  
• Insert Lathe Cutoff - opens the Lathe Wizard for you to create a Lathe Cutoff feature. This handles part/stock cutoff with the available operation: Cutoff.
  
  
• Insert Lathe Stock Handling - opens the Lathe Wizard for you to create a Lathe Stock Handling feature. This handles stock feed for bar pullers with the available operation: Stock Feed.
  
  

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• 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 lathe feature to the tree after this feature.
  
  

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• Copy - copies the feature so that you can duplicate it by pasting it into a Machine Setup, or after another feature.
  
  
• Copy with Geometry - copies the feature along with all of its associated geometry so that you can duplicate it by pasting it into a Machine Setup.
  
  
• Paste - is used to insert (paste) a copied feature into the job after this feature.
  
  

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• 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.
  
  
• Lock/Unlock Operation - allows you to lock and unlock operations. Locked operations must be unlocked before they are able to be computed again.
  
  

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• Delete - completely removes the feature from the job.
  
  

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

The feature geometry item of CAM features is used to modify the geometry selected in the wizard.

 

Geometry

 

• Re/Select - launches the Feature Geometry Picking dialog for you to modify the current feature geometry selection. The currently selected geometry displays in the graphics area using the selection color. After making the selections, click OK ().
  
  
• Remove - eliminates the geometry assignment for the feature. This does not delete the actual geometry, it just removes the assignment of the geometry to the feature.

 

Note: The exceptions to the above means of modifying feature geometry are the Feature Lathe Cutoff, which will show End Point for its associated geometry, and Feature lathe Stock Handling which will show Start Point for its associated 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.
  
  

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• Compute Toolpath - calculates the toolpath for this operation only.
  
  
• Post - creates the NC program for this operation only. The NC program displays it in the Posting Manager . You can view the posted program, but you can't edit it in this location. Right-click anywhere in the Posting window to access another shortcut menu, or use Post & Save As.
  
  
• Post & Save As - creates and displays the NC program for this operation, but first opens the Save As dialog box for you to name and save the file. You can use the default location, or select your own location.
  
  

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

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• Copy - copies this operation so that you can duplicate it by pasting it into this or another feature.
  
  
• Copy with Geometry - copies the operation along with all of its associated geometry so that you can duplicate it by pasting it into a feature.
  
  
• Paste - inserts a copied operation below this operation in the feature.
  
  

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• 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 - allows you to lock and unlock operations. Locked operations must be unlocked before they are able to be computed again.
  
  

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• Rename - enables editing of the operation name in the CAM Tree. Type the new name for the operation.
  
  
• Add Note  - 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  again if the note needs to be edited. Editing the note, removing all text and clicking OK removes the note from the item.
  
  

 

Changing Direction

While the 2 Axis Feature does have it own "Default Chain Start Point", many operations contain a "Chain Start Point" item to define where the tool starts for the individual operation. The initial start point is determined by the software when the toolpath is calculated. You use the following items to modify the start point for various operations.

 

Note: When using Modify to set the start point and direction of any chain, the chain geometry must be visible in the graphics area in order for you to change the start point location.

 

The following feature item is used to modify the chain start point (globally) for all operations in a 2-axis feature.

 

Default Chain Start Point

 

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

 

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

 

Operation Stock

Every operation that uses a tool, contains Operation Stock below it. Operation Stock tracks the effect of previous operations and displays a cutaway view of the current state of the stock. To utilize the Operation Stock, select the Trim to Stock option in the Parameters page of an operation.

 

Operation Stock

 

• Re/Select - opens the geometry selection dialog for you to select wireframe geometry to set as the Operation Stock. Although we attempt to create a closed chain in the background even if one is not used, it is recommended that a closed chain be selected for the Operation Stock.
  
  

• Remove - eliminates any selected geometry and returns to default.

 

Note: The icon shows the Operation Stock is set to default. The default Operation Stock tracked based on the order of the operations as they will occur at the machine, not the order of the features in the CAM Tree. To review the order of operations as they will be called, open the The Operation Tree.