NX CAM file size...

[FG4608]

I am a new user of NX 6. Love the software but the file size I am producing in Manufacturing is getting out of hand. ~500Mb for one mold half(6 rows of 46 cavities each)!
I am having to work around memory limitations (uppgrades on the way!) and I'm wondering if anybody can point me in the direction for some best practices to minimize this kind of issues. Sitting and watching NX post (yes I am using a TURBO Post) for an hr only to tell me that certain cavities had "corrupt" toolpath and has been deleted is aggravating to say the least. The thought of having to manually editing G-code in files that have been produced in a software of this caliber is unacceptable to me...

Thanks Beforehand!

 

[BADHABIT912]

I agree. The software is great, but it does take a long time to crunch large toolpaths - even w/the upgraded comp. This is extremely annoying because there are so many options that need to be just right that running the toolpath once is almost never a luxury.
I have been running UG since NX2, but I still find it necessary to use a multi program approach, to create the closest path to imagination and to maximize my time.
It would be wonderful to run everything from one package, but the grim reality I have found is that all CAM packages have their strengths and their weaknesses. It is up to the programmer to figure out what those are and how to use them.

 

[FG4608]

Thank you for your input BADHABIT912!

The process of identifying those strengths and weaknesses is what I enjoy, it just seem wrong to go from SmartCAM to NX and experience these kinds of difficulties...

 

[BADHABIT912]

It's BS, but c'est la vie.

I think the NX learning curve is very long, Sometimes several years to become competent(that doesn't include mastery) and be able to rely on it as the sole CAM system.

So start hittin the CAST!

 

[joycejo]

At PLM World they demonstrated some NX7 stuff and the ability to generate a tool path in the background was one of them. It is supposed to take advantage of multi processors. You can also Post Process in the background using UG Post. This is not new, I don't know if it will use the same processor as NX or not. When I worked second shift I would use another computer to post just to save time.


John Joyce
Tata Technologies
1675 Larimer St.
Denver, CO

http://www.myigetit.com

NX3,4,5,6 Solid Works, Pro/e, Solid Edge

 

[Jaydenn]

Are the cavities the same?

If so, you can try using some of the translate options.

You create ONE cavity, tweak it, massage it, post it, verify it. Get it 99% perfect.
Ensure it posts well, with no errors.

Once you are happy, you can create "instances" or "copies" of that "perfect" path. (instance is associative with original, copy is not associative)

I am not sure if it helps with the file size... But what it will do, is avoid random corrupt cavities and post failures.

Also, if you edit the base cavity all others will follow!

Not sure if that's what you're looking for, but there it is either way!

JAY

 

[FG4608]

Thanks All!

Yes, I am using instances. Our mold will range from ~30 to 1000 (extreme cases) cavities and the associativity was one of the things that lead us to NX in the first place. Unfortunately the 4Gb of RAM we have in our workstations come way short, real quick. Even when I single out the finishing program by itself it locked up.
And, unfortunately I was getting the random corrupt cavities with instances and copies alike.
I made it work by creating 7 different programs instead of the 2 intended and I had to unload the toolpath inbetween each operation before I translated the next...

Now when I'm getting everything ready to swap over to 64-bit XP and 8Gb, it seems there is no 64-bit version of CAM!?!? Is this correct? Am I gonna be stuck running the 32-bit version under my 64_bit OS?

 

[joycejo]

If the cavities are all the same why not program one and use sub-programs at the machine to do the rest?



John Joyce
Tata Technologies
1675 Larimer St.
Denver, CO

http://www.myigetit.com

NX3,4,5,6 Solid Works, Pro/e, Solid Edge

 

[FG4608]

We are running some old Fadal VMC's still. Our G-codes are way too big to fit in the controll and we have not been able to find a setup that let us DNC sub-programs from the computer/server like that...
It may be something I need to put some effort into again though!
Oh, and thank you by the way for the suggestion on background posting. I'd heard about it but wasn't sure how that would work. Showing me that dialog box made things click!

 

[markrief]

As JJ said, help is on the way, but for right now...

To speed up path generation, the first thing I would do is turn off the path display. Set Display Options to suppress the display, and then replay when it finishes. This saves memory and time.

Another thing is to use setup assemblies. You can have several setups that contain the same component, and each setup can only have a few operations. If you are not using IPW, this can help you.

If you are using IPW with cavity milling, be sore it is level based, and not 3D. This also saves both memory and time.

Use batch to generate or post when you go home :*)


Mark Rief
Product Manager
Siemens PLM