SolidCAM Application Tutorial

Simple Impeller

SolidCAM + SOLIDWORKS
The Complete Integrated Manufacturing Solution
 Contents

Contents

1. Introduction................................................................................................................. 1

2. CAM-Part Definition.................................................................................................... 3

3. Stock Definition........................................................................................................... 9

4. 5-Axis Roughing........................................................................................................ 13

i
Introduction 1
About this course

This tutorial illustrates roughing of a simple impeller using 5-Axis. In this tutorial, you have to
create the CAM-Part for the model displayed on the cover page and define the Coordinate System
and the Stock model that are necessary for the part machining. Once you have developed a good
foundation in basic skills, you can refer to the online help for information on the less frequently
used options.

Prerequisites
Students attending this course are expected to have basic knowledge of the SolidCAM software.

Course design
This course is designed around a task-based approach to training. The guided exercises will teach you
the necessary commands and options to complete a machining task. The theoretical explanations
are embedded into these exercises to give an overview of machining a simple impeller.

Using this book

This tutorial is intended to be used in a classroom environment under the guidance of an
experienced instructor. It is also intended to be a self-study tutorial.

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CAM-Part Definition
2
The CAM-Part definition process for the part consists of the following stages:

CAM-Part creation

CNC-Machine definition

Coordinate System definition

Stock and Target definition

CAM-Part creation. At this stage, you have to define the CAM-Part name and location.
SolidCAM defines the necessary system files and a folder to allocate the place to store
SolidCAM data.
CNC-controller definition. It is necessary to choose the CNC-controller. The controller
type influences the Coordinate System definition and the Geometry definition.
Coordinate System definition. You have to define the Coordinate System, which is the
origin for all machining operations of the CAM-Part. You can create multiple CoordSys
positions and in each machining step select which CoordSys you want to use for the
operation.
Stock and Target definition. It is necessary to define a boundary of the stock that is used
for the CAM-Part machining. SolidCAM enables you to define the model of the part in
its final stage after the machining.
The following exercises describe the full process of the CAM-Part definition. It is recommended to
go through the stages in order to understand how the CAM-Part features are built. For this purpose,
you have to turn off the automatic CAM-Part definition.

1. Click Tools > SolidCAM > SolidCAM

Settings.

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 2. CAM-Part Definition

2. In the left pane, select CAM-Part.

3. Ensure that the settings are as shown in the

image:

This enables you to start

directly adding operations
in a new part.

4. Inthe left pane, select Automatic CAM-Part

definition. In the right pane, click the Milling tab.

5. Ensure that all check boxes are cleared.

6. Click OK.

7. Browse to open the SolidWorks part Impeller Rough.SLDASM.

8. Click Tools > SolidCAM > New > Milling.

5
Define the CAM-Part in the Milling Part Data dialog box:

9. In the CNC-Machine list, click NTU_MAZAK_MPOS.

10. Click CoordSys button in the Define section to set the coordinate
system for this part.

11. In the Place CoordSys origin to list, click Top center of model
box.

12. Select the face as shown in the image.

13. Click

The CoordSys Data window displays.

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 2. CAM-Part Definition

14. Changethe Tool start level and Clearance level values as

shown in the image.

15. Click

16. Click to confirm the CoordSys Manager window.

17. Click to come out of the Milling Part Data dialog box.

7
8
Stock Definition
3
To define the stock you have to follow the steps mentioned in this chapter.

1. Click the Feature Manager Design Tree icon.

2. Click STOCK > Show Components.

3. Click the SolidCAM Manager icon.

4. Right click Stock > Define.

5. In the Defined by list, click 3D Model.

This clears the previously defined solids.

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 3. Stock Definition

6. Select the solid as shown in the image.

7. Click

8. Go to the Feature Manager Design Tree > Stock >

Hide Components.

9. Click the SolidCAM Manager icon.

The stock is now defined.

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12
5-Axis Roughing
4
1. Right click Operations > Machine Setup > Add at
start of operations tree.

Machine setup allows to define the position of the part

with respect to the machine table. It also allows you to
define fixtures and other holding elements.
The Machine Setup window displays.

2. Entera value of 175 in Z column. This

will move the part 175 mm above the
machine bed.

3. Click OK.

4. Right click Setup > Add Milling Operation > Sim

5-Axis Milling.

5. In the Technology list, click Parallel to surface.

6. Click Geometry.

You must define the drive surface and edge surface in the geometry.
Drive surface is the surface used for cutting and Edge surface is the surface that has the cuts parallel
to it.

7. Click the New icon under Drive surface.

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 4. 5-Axis Roughing

8. Select the highlighted faces.

9. Click to confirm the selection.

5-Axis roughing will be done in the area between these
two faces.

10. Click the New icon under Edge surface.

11. Select the highlighted faces.

12. Click to confirm the selection.

13. In the Type list, click Determined by

number of cuts.

14. Enter 1 in the Drive surface offset field.

15. Click Margins.

The Margins window displays.

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16. Enter the values as shown in the image.

17. Click OK.

18. Click Tool > Select.

19. Click the Add Milling Tool icon to add a new tool.

20. Select TAPER MILL as the tool.

21. Enter the tool parameters as shown in

the image.

22. Select the Holder check box.

23. Select BT40 ER 32x60.

24. Click .

25. Click Levels.

26. Enter the parameters as shown in the image.

27. Click Tool path parameters.

28. Enter the parameters as shown in the image.

16
 4. 5-Axis Roughing

29. Click Tool axis control.

30. Set a value of 85 degrees in the Tilt

angle at side of cutting section.

31. In the Side tilt definition list, click

Follow surface ISO Lines direction.

32. Click Advanced.

The Advanced Options for Tilting Relative

to Cutting Direction window displays.

33. Enter the parameters as shown in the image.

34. Click OK.

35. Click Link.

36. In the lists, click Use Lead-In and Use Lead-Out.

37. Click next to Use Lead-In.

The Lead-In window displays.

38. Clear the Use default Lead-In check box.

39. Enter the parameters as shown in the image.

40. Click OK.

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41. Click next to Use Lead-Out.
The Lead-Out window displays.

42. Enter the parameters as shown in the image.

43. Click OK.

44. Click Gouge check.

45. Enter the parameters as shown in the

image.

46. In Check surfaces 1 list, click faces1.

47. Click the Save & Calculate icon.

48. Clickthe Simulate icon once the

tool path is calculated.
The Simulation window appears.

49. Click the Play icon.

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 4. 5-Axis Roughing

The image shows that two passes are created. This must
be changed for the roughing operation.

50. Click the Exit icon.

51. Click Roughing and More.

52. Click Area roughing.

The Area roughing window displays.

53. Select the Use Area Roughing check box.

54. Enter the parameters as shown in the image.

55. Click OK.

56. Click Link.

57. Click the Links tab.

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58. Enter the parameters as shown in the image.

59. Click the Save & Calculate icon.

60. Click the Simulate icon once the tool path

is calculated.
The Simulation window appears.

61. Click the Play icon.

The calculated tool path should look as
displayed in the image:
As this tool path has created a single pass, it
cannot be used. The roughing strategy must
be created for the entire stock that has to be
removed.

62. Click the Exit icon.

To create roughing strategy for the entire stock, certain changes in the geometry must be made.

63. Click Geometry.

64. In the Type list, click Full, start and end at exact surface edges.

65. Click Link.

66. Click the Links tab.

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 4. 5-Axis Roughing

67. In the Links between slices section, in

Large moves list, click Use Lead-In/Out.

68. Click

The Lead-In / Lead-Out window appears.

69. Clear
the Use default Lead-In/Lead-Out
check box.

70. In the Type list, click Vertical tang.arc.

71. Select the Same as Lead-In check box.

72. Click OK.

73. Click the Save & Calculate icon.

74. Click the Simulate icon once the tool path is calculated.
The Simulation window appears.

75. Click the Play icon.

The calculated tool path should look as
displayed in the image:

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76. Click Quick SolidVerify.

77. Switch off the holder icon.

78. Click the Play icon.

The simulation looks like this:

79. Click the Exit icon.

This is how the final tool path looks:

22
 SolidCAM Application Tutorial:
Simple Impeller

2D iMachining 2.5D Milling )HSS (High-Speed Surface Machining

3D iMachining Indexed Multi-Sided Machining )HSM (High-Speed Machining

Axis Machining-5 Simultaneous Turning & Advanced Mill-Turn Solid Probe

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