Selective Stock

[ice4star]

Hi I am new to NX6, having previously used Delcam PowerMill extensively for the last 15 years.
I am struggling to produce a complex component that I need to leave stock on a few faces (.2mm) to finish at a later stage.
I can only see how to leave global stock or machine these faces as a different toolpath.
Any gurus out there that can help me?
Thanks.
Ian.

 

[raysapp]

Ian
I assume your talking about fixed and variable axis operations. Under check you can vary check stock by each face.
Unfortunately there appears to be no such option under cut area. I imagine it would complicate the calculations considerably. I've actually needed this myself a few times.Is this something Delcam can do? It wouldn't surprise me. According to cimdata they have twice the number of people in cam development.

Ray S
NX 7.0

http://www.appliedprecisionproducts.com

 

[raysapp]

Ian
Sorry, it appears I'm all wet. I've always selected the faces I wanted to cut under cut area and selected the entire solid under part. But if you make your operation dependent to mcs and use specify part to select the faces you want, under custom data you can change the stock for each face. I just tried it on a fixed contour op. and it worked. See attached.
Apologies to NX for the slight.

Ray S
NX 7.0
www.appliedprecisionproducts.com

 

[ice4star]

Thanks for that Ray.
I will give it a try.
I got round it this time by sketching on the faces needing stock and extruding to the required stock requirments.
It is something that is very easy to do in Delcam, either just the active toolpath or globaly for the project.
I am finding the CAM side of NX6 very 'controlling' and unflixible compared to Delcam, although obviously the CAD side is very good.
Thanks again.
Ian.

 

[Jaydenn]

On the contrary, NX cam is full of freedom... Perhaps too much freedom. You just gotta figure it all out!!!

You can alter the stock in just about anyway you want.

Go to where you pick the geometry or the drive surfaces...
Find the button that says something like "Edit" or "Custom boundry data" or something like that.

You can scroll thru each surface or each chain element and add either plus or minus stock.

I included a small sample.

J

 

[ice4star]

Thanks J
Maybe it is all 'in there somewhere'.
Struggling big time after so long using just Delcam.
Complex work too!
Now looking for some online tutorials (lots on modeling but little on manufacturing)

 

[Jaydenn]

PLANAR mill basics

Not a definitive guide, but the basics.

 

[Jaydenn]

FIXED CONTOUR mill basics

Not a definitive guide, but the basics.

 

[raysapp]

I'm not sure I'd recommend using "drive surfaces" for adjusting stock for each face. For one thing, that only applies to surface area method, by NX's own admission a limited toolpath. Second, it only works if drive and cut surfaces(faces) are identical. Often drive is used only for projection vectors. With other strategies (streamline, boundary ..) you're back to specify part and specify cut area.

And this is what I find a little confusing:
NX recommends using "part" for specifying whole part, and "cut area" for what you actually want to cut. So why is custom data available in "part" but not in "cut area"?

Ray S
NX 7.0
www.appliedprecisionproducts.com