There is a new enhancement to the positional transform in Mastercam 2018 called Roll. Seam control integrates a new dynamic gnomon and an on-screen seam position indicator to help make your results more predictable.
On the screen below you can see two lines of text that need to be engraved on the outside of the part around the 12 o’clock position.
Since we are unsure where the text will end up when its rolled we can use the seam control to adjust the position.
Next, go to the Transform Ribbon and select the Roll icon in the position group.
When the chaining box appears, select Window Chaining and window the first line of text. When the chaining is complete the new controls appear on the screen. Now you can use the handles on the rotation gnomon to adjust the wrapped geometry position.
A translucent cylinder indicates the rolled diameter. Two bright yellow lines show the rotation axis and seam for the rolled patch.
Any adjustments you make are previewed instantly and you can snap to any point in space, an increment on the angle dial, or any reference geometry. The end result is your geometry in place so that you can make the toolpath you need.
As you can see, these new controls make the process more hands-on and easier to control. Please be sure to sign up for our 2 Minute Tuesday video series to receive tips and tricks like this one in video form every week. More info at the button below.
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