Extracting X-Y Coordinates from NX Toolpath

[KevinW1266]

Good afternoon folks,

I was wondering if anyone had a suggestion as to how I could extract the X-Y coordinates of the cutter throughout a toolpath that I created within NX 9's manufacturing module. My issue is that I want to import this toolpath into ABAQUS FEA software, but the way that I know how to requires that I input an X-Y position of the tool at any given time which is why I need the coordinates from the NX toolpath.

Currently all that I can find within the software are different ways to list the CLSF, but they all list the toolpath in terms of circular arcs and not the coordinates through that arc.

Thanks a lot!

 

[joycejo]

When you post process the tool path you will have XY coordinates. For circular moves you can change to output to lines from the machine control area of the operation dialog. Change the motion output type to lines. This will break up the arc to small linear moves



John Joyce
N.C. Programming Supervisor
Barnes Aerospace, Windsor CT
NX7.5, NX9.0, NX10.0(Testing)
Vericut7.3.3

 

[KevinW1266]

Thanks for the response! But I think what I'm looking for is a bit different from what you explained.

When I post process the toolpath I see that it gives me "some" X-Y coordinates, but I am looking for a way to see the coordinates of the tool (say the center of the tool tip) at all points in time. I want to use these coordinates (X, Y, and even Z if possible) to move a rigid tool asset in ABAQUS FEA software in order to see the stresses within the workpiece during manufacturing.

While your suggestion is certainly valid, it will only give me start and end points of the line segments. I assume I could make these line segments so small that I "essentially" get the coordinates of every point, but is there an easier way? Also, is there a different way to move the toolpath from the NX software into ABAQUS that I am unaware of?

Thanks a ton!

 

[Chigishev]

You can modify post and output for each linear motion as many points as you want..

 

[markrief]

I think you missed John's 2nd suggestion - you can generate the tool path without arcs. In the operation dialog, in the Machine Control group, change the Motion Output Type to Line. Generate the path and output the CLS, and you will have X,Y,Z at each point along the arcs, based on the tolerance.

Once you have the CLS, you can parse it with a program, or open it in excel as a .csv and get what you need.

Mark Rief
NX CAM Customer Success
Siemens PLM Software

 

[KevinW1266]

Ah hah! I think I'm finally understanding the suggestion. I had given it a shot, but I thought the steps were still too big, but upon reading Chig's suggestion I think I understand now.

I'm working in excel now to parse the information and get the coordinates in a more ordered list, but I am struggling with getting a time stamp on each coordinate point. Is there an option that I can choose to get this also? Seems like this wouldn't be needed in the CLS ever, but it will be necessary when I import this into ABAQUS.

Thanks again all.