Lesson 2 - Import, Setup, Machining Prep

00:14

Welcome to the second lesson in this FeatureCAM for lathes class.

00:18

In the last lesson, we programmed a part based on an engineering drawing.

00:24

In this lesson, we’ll be starting from a CAD model.

00:28

As with any project in FeatureCAM, we’ll be using our workflow to help guide us through the programming process.

00:36

Start by creating a new blank turning document for us to import our part into.

00:42

Select turning or turn/mill, indicate millimeter as the unit of measurement, select none, and my configuration, and create a new document.

00:55

With our blank document opened, we can import the solid model by navigating to file and selecting Import.

01:03

FeatureCAM can import a wide variety of CAD formats, including industry-standard solid models and surface models.

01:12

For this exercise, we’ll be importing the turning part to parasolid file, which you can download from the course page.

01:21

Once the part is imported, we are met with the Import Wizard.

01:25

Similar to this stock wizard, the import wizard will help setup our part by helping us align our model, setup our stock, and place our setup location.

01:36

To use the wizard, select Use the wizard to establish the initial setup location and stock size and press "Next".

01:45

The first thing the Import Wizard wants us to do is define our positive Z direction.

01:50

There are a number of different methods we can use to do this.

01:54

For this exercise, let's go with the third option, align Z with center of a revolved surface.

02:01

Selecting the cursor icon hides the Import Wizard window and we can select a revolved surface.

02:08

For this part, let's select this in a surface here.

02:12

As a tip, when selecting surfaces in FeatureCAM, I recommend that you select the edge of the surface.

02:20

When you see the inner surface we want highlighted, click to select it.

02:25

Now if you look at the axis in the bottom left corner, we can see that the Z direction is aligned along the cylindrical surface we picked.

02:34

If the Z direction is aligned correctly, but pointing the wrong direction, you can always reverse its direction to get the desired result.

02:43

Next, we have similar options to define our X direction.

02:47

Let's leave this as it is and move on to the next page.

02:51

We can now define our stock in the same way that we did in the last lesson.

02:55

Once again, choose a Round stock shape.

02:59

FeatureCAM needs to know where our stock central rotation will be while the part is on the machine.

03:06

You'll notice that we again have the option to define this as a center of a revolved surface.

03:12

Let's select that option and pick the same inner diameter cylindrical surface that we used before.

03:18

Now as we preview our stock, we can see that the round stock appears to be centered around our model.

03:25

The next page is the stock dimensions page.

03:29

Enter a length and outer diameter of 15 millimeters.

03:34

Once again, we'll be facing a small amount of material off the front of our stock.

03:39

So let's add a length of set of 0.75 millimeters.

03:43

With that, we have completely defined our stock

03:46

and the import wizard is transitioning to help us start the machining preparation step of our workflow by helping us place our setup location.

03:55

Again, this is the point from which all of our NC Code will be calculated and likely where you will be touching off on the machine.

04:04

Let's align our setup location at the center of our stock’s right face, and use the blue Z option to offset the Z value of our setup location to align it with the part rather than the stock.

04:18

With that, we can finish the Import Wizard and wrap up the machining preparation step of our workflow.

04:24

With our part imported, stock setup, and setup location defined, all we have to do is indicate a tool crib and select our post processor.

04:34

Again, the quickest way to access these is in the bottom right corner of the user interface in the status bar.

04:42

Start by selecting the tools, tool crib.

04:44

And this time, rather than browse into our post processor in the Post Options dialog, let's simply drag and drop our Turn Post 2 Post Processor into the user interface.

04:57

Notice that when we do this, the active post processor in the status bar has been updated to the Turn 2 Post Processor.

05:06

With that, we've --