In today’s blog post we will take a look at a new utility added to Mastercam 2021 called Check Tool Reach. Check Tool Reach can be accessed through the toolpaths menu after a machine is loaded into the file. This utility is used to scan a part model and see if the selected tool has the ability to reach all the features you would want to machine. Using this utility, you can create STL geometry [...]
Let’s take a look at Corner Pretreatment - a new option added to the 2D Dynamic Mill toolpath in Mastercam 2021. Corner Pretreatment is a new option that allows for the addition of depth cuts and adjusted step overs to any sharp corners on your parts. This will help in controlling tool motion to reduce the chance of tool chatter and tool overload. Once this option is turned on, you can then setup your operation [...]
Analyzing airfoil shapes is easier than ever using the Control X Airfoil Analysis technology. Upon completion of scanning the airfoil and aligning with the nominal CAD model, the software is able to return dozens of useful parameters necessary for complete airfoil analysis. Some of the parameters include: Leading and trailing edge radii Leading and trailing edge positions in space Maximum chord height Leading (and trailing) Edge position in space relative to the model origin. Axial [...]
Let’s take a look at new options added to Bounding Box in Mastercam 2021. Bounding Box now allows you to create stock limits using an auto option. This will allow you to take parts that have odd shapes and quickly create rectangular or circular stock that will fit the selected parts as tightly as possible. In practice, you can use this Rectangular or Circular boundary to quickly align the part for milling or lathe operations. [...]
Let’s take a look at Geomagic Wrap, a powerful software for point cloud or mesh editing. Wrap has a collection of tools used for cleaning and finalizing polygonal files to make them suitable for part inspection, reverse engineering, 3D Printing, and more. The files can come from a traditional CAD system, a laser or structural light scanner, or even a CT scanner. While standard tools for patching of holes is very robust, other tools for [...]
This post will explain how to use a solid model downloaded from the tooling vendor to define a custom face mill profile in Mastercam. When downloading the solid model to define the face mill some of the tooling vendors will offer a detailed and simplified version of the solid models. To define the face mill in Mastercam the simplified model is preferred. However, if we use the model with the default settings to define the [...]
Recent releases of Mastercam have implemented some big improvements to the Sweep function within the Solid Modeling function. Prior to these releases, Sweep operations required a fillet between entities on the Along curve when there was a change in direction of more than 5 degrees. Sweep is ideal for cylindrical-shaped parts. Fixtures, propeller blades, door handles, wheel spokes, exhaust pipes, and engine ports are some examples. To ensure you are taking advantage of the newfound [...]
A new toolpath called Mastercam Chamfer Drill has been added to Mastercam 2021. This new Chamfer Drill toolpath allows you to use a chamfer tool, spot drill, or drill to chamfer multiple size holes in a single operation. In practice, this will allow you to use a single spot drill to make the desired root chamfer on many holes in one operation. This new ability will allow you to significantly reduce the number of toolpaths [...]
