Mastercam 2024 B-Axis Contour Turning Enhancements
Three major enhancements have been added to the Mastercam 2024 B-Axis Contour Turning operation. They include: Ability to manually edit tool axis vectors. Ability to manually edit usable insert area. Adjust stock function. Together, these new features give you even more control over how their tool contacts the part. These enhancements further the optimization of tool life and surface finish, while also streamlining the workflow. In today's post, we will cover the first enhancement - Editing the Toolpath Vectors. Please stay tuned for future articles to learn about the other two enhancements. Editing the Toolpath Vectors If you have manually defined the tool axis vectors, Mastercam now lets you edit them after they have been created. Do this to fine-tune the resulting tool path without editing or creating additional geometry. The new options are on the Basic Motion Control page. Select Modified, and then click the Edit Vectors button. Mastercam displays the current tool axis vectors in the graphics window. Click on a vector and use the angle dial to rotate it to the desired orientation. Press the [Shift] key to display an outline of the tool along with the vector. While you are editing the vectors, the tool rotation is stopped and [...]
Lockheed Martin to Use Makerbot 3D Printers For Their Next Space Project
Lockheed Martin Space uses METHOD X to create parts for the lunar rover project, enabling the engineers to design, develop, and test autonomous systems and processes Lockheed Martin is a global aerospace and defense company, with the mission to connect, protect and explore. The company focuses on next-generation and generation-after-next technologies. In alliance with General Motors, Lockheed Martin is developing a new fully-autonomous lunar rover that could be used for NASA’s Artemis program. This is a fitting team that pays homage to the original Apollo rover, which GM was also involved in its development. Some elements of the rover’s autonomy system’s early design and development is done at Lockheed Martin’s state-of-the art R&D facility in Palo Alto, Calif., the Advanced Technology Center (ATC), which is well-equipped with a variety of cutting-edge technology, including a lab full of 3D printers. MakerBot 3D printers have been in use for about five years and have provided easily accessible 3D printing for a host of projects for Lockheed Martin’s team of engineers. Lockheed Martin's Advanced Technology Center is a major hub for developing next-generation space technology. ULA rockets commonly carry space-going payloads like the satellites being developed at the ATC. “A lot of [...]
Metrology Minute – Control X Measure Menu
While most users of Control X are interested in producing color maps, whisker plots, dimension checks, and GD&T analysis of the scan as compared to the nominal CAD model, it is important to note that there are several “mesh-only” functions for measuring a scan model that do not require a nominal CAD model. The Measure Distance menu simply measures the distance between two points. You just need to keep in mind that the distances are generated from the nearest vertex points on the mesh, not the actual selected point. The Measure Angle menu will measure the angle between two mesh faces, such as the chamfer and body scan below. The Measure Radius menu simply measures the radius of a mesh by selecting three points. The Measure Area menu measures the surface area of the selected mesh. This measurement is in terms of units squared (for example, in^2, mm^2, etc.). Surface area calculations may be for both closed and open mesh files. The Measure Volume menu measures the volume of a fully closed, manifold mesh. The units are in terms of cubic units (i.e. MM^3, In^3, and so on). The term “closed manifold” implies every triangle edge in the mesh shares one and only [...]
Mastercam Helps High School Establish Manufacturing Program
Mastercam and Andrew Crowe recently provided resources to students at Benjamin Franklin High School to start an advanced manufacturing program. (A reprint from Modern Machine Shop.) Andrew Crowe (left) and Yolexis Lima (second from right) from Mastercam reseller Cimquest show students at Ben Franklin High School the features of Mastercam CAD/CAM software. Photo Credit: Mastercam Mastercam and Andrew Crowe, founder of the New American Manufacturing Renaissance, recently presented Benjamin Franklin High School with software, equipment and guidance to establish an advanced manufacturing program. This will enable students to receive the advanced training required to enter the manufacturing field after graduating high school. Andrew Crowe shared his story and his vision with students to connect them to the opportunities available in a career in advanced manufacturing. Mastercam provided the school with Mastercam software, training resources, and equipment to help the students develop manufacturing skills. These resources will enable the students at Benjamin Franklin High School to fill this manufacturing skills gap in the years to come. “Andrew Crowe will help the students understand the infinite number of opportunities to work as machinists, engineers, designers and more by learning to use the valuable tools now available at Benjamin Franklin High School,” says Laura [...]
3D Printing Surged 23% Last Year
3D Printing has surged 23% in 2022 and is now a $13.5 billion industry. (A reprint from DesignNews) Photo courtesy of Design News. The fourth quarter of 2022 capped a strong year for additive manufacturing markets, according to SmarTech Analysis. Even in the face of uncertain economic conditions, the growth rate for all 3D printing hardware, materials, software, and services expand by 23% in 2022. The year-end spending on additive manufacturing hit $13.5 billion. Sectors in the industry expanded at different rates. The metals market grew 25%, to $4.9 billion, while the polymers market grew 20%, to $7.3 billion. The software segment reached $1.2 billion, and the additive manufacturing services totaled $6.0 billion. Sector-by-Sector Growth The big movers in additive adoption continued to be aerospace and dental. In both industries, 3D printing has morphed into a matured manufacturing process. Yet other sectors are now showing strong growth. “Though the aerospace industry drove growth in additive manufacturing over the last decade, followed by medical/dental, other sectors are starting to catch up with growing adoption, particularly leading up to and after COVID hit,” Michael Molitch-Hou, editor-in-chief of 3DPrint.com, told Design News. “Specifically, automotive and, more recently, oil and gas, have been using the [...]
Elevate Your Machining Experience with Mastercam Multiaxis
Are you ready to elevate your machining experience with more powerful Multiaxis toolpaths? The Mastercam Multiaxis add-on is designed to provide practical multiaxis machining strategies for simultaneous 4- and simultaneous 5-axis machining. It’s an available add-on for Mastercam Mill 3D, Mastercam Router 3D, Mastercam Mill-Turn, and Mastercam for SOLIDWORKS. Whether your organization produces simple or highly complex parts, investing in this technology will provide you with more consistent, efficient, and precise machining practices. For those who may have previously assumed that the technology is beyond their capabilities and budgets, it may be time to take a fresh look at multiaxis machining. Learn More and Download the Guide