Kevin; We are looking into this right now as well. We have 2 Mazaks with 3D cutter comp, and the powers that be are coming down on us for new cutter purchases.
So far the only software that we have heard of that can support 3D CC is CAMAX Command (don't know if anyone is still selling it), and Unigraphics. Our Surfcam dealer also sells Delcam Powermill and he tells us that they are in testing with 3D cutter comp right now, although he didn't say when they would be releasing it. I haven't looked into it yet, but maybe someone could (or has) written a code generator for SmartCAM to extract the vector coordinates, the information is in the file, just depends on whether the software writers have made it available for the code generator or postprocessor to use. Sincerely, Chuck Glawe Courtesy Corporation Mold & Tool Div. [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.courtesycorp.com > -----Original Message----- > From: Shifter, Kevin J [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Monday, May 14, 2001 1:50 PM > To: 'Smartcam' > Subject: 3D Comp. > > Hello All, > We have a BostoMatic HPM810G VMC (arrived late March) that > I'm trying to sort out. Our older BostoMatic used > conventional cutter compensation; but now has been updated to > use 3D comp. also. We use them primarily for machining > electrodes for mold tooling, and there is the possibility of > moving into hard milling later on. The 3D comp. would be a > major benefit to us if we can make it work. > The 3D comp. needs the following to work: > 1) It cannot be active while 2D comp. is active. Can you use > #TLTYPE to determine if the current tool is a ball or end > mill, and then output G13(3D) or G41-G42 accordingly? > 2) It cannot use arc commands. > 3) The toolpath must be the center of the ball. > 4) Each line of code while 3D comp. is active must have an > I,J,K defining the normal tool vector at the endpoint of the line. > There are some other details involved; but the first > question needing answered is, Can this even be accomplished in Amill? > Any thoughts or opinions would be welcome. I don't want to > get too deep into this and find out it can't be done with Smartcam. > > > Thanks in advance, > > Kevin > (Amill 11.5) ====================================================================== To find out more about this mailing list including how to unsubscribe, send the message "info mfg-smartcam" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] ======================================================================
