Wire Chapter2

8/8/2019 Wire Chapter2

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Emilian Popa Mastercam Mill 2008

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Creating Multi-Tab Wirepaths

In this chapter, you will program multiple tabs on a part cut as a contour wirepath. You will use the

part shown in the following picture.

As you saw in the previous chapters, Mastercam Wire automatically places a tab perpendicular to the

STC position when you activate the tab option. In this chapter, you will explore two manual methods

of programming multiple tabs. First, you will place square points on the geometry where you want to

place tabs, then chain the geometry as you have in the previous chapters. Mastercam willautomatically place a tab at each square point. You will then place tabs graphically by selecting

positions on the geometry.

In this chapter, you will perform the following tasks:

- Preparing the part for multi-tab programming- Programming the wirepath- Changing the cutting method and direction- Changing the corner type- Adding and editing tabs- Changing the taper in one section of the wirepath- Viewing the wirepath using viewports- Duplicating the wirepath.

Note: If you exited Mastercam Wire at the end of past chapter, restart it by double-click the

Mastercam Wire icon on your desktop or by clicking the Windows Start button and choosing

Programs, Mastercam, Wire. The main Mastercam screen displays.


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Preparing the part

To prepare this part for multi-tab programming, you will move the STC closer to the wirepth, the

create square points at each place on the geometry where you want a tab.

Note: Before beginning this exercise, disable Preview all wirepaths (Main Menu, Screen Configure, NC

Settings) to save steps when creating the wirepath. If myconfig.cfg is still current, Preview all

wirepaths should already be disabled.

Getting the part file

1. Choose Main Menu, File, Get2. Navigate to the directory with the tutorial parts.3.

Select Wire Tutor Multitab.mc9 , then choose Open.Mastercam opens the part geometry in thegraphics window.

Moving the STC position

You will move the STC position closer to the contour to shorten cutting time because the distance

between the STC position and contour defines the tab length. You will create the new position by

creating a point perpendicular to the contour.

1. Choose Main Menu, Create, Point, Perp/dist.2. Select the line segment identified in the following picture, then select the midpoint of the line

segment.


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3. In the prompt area at the bottom of the screen, type 0.5 for the distance from the curve, thenpress [Enter]. Mastercam draws a temporary line segment perpendicular to the line you

selected.

4. Select the temporary line on the inside of the contour. Mastercam creates a point at the end ofthe line segment on the side you selected.

5. Choose STCW from the Secondary Menu. The STCW Parameters dialog box opens.6. Select Select Start/Thread/Cut7.

Select the point you just created.8. Select OK. Mastercam moves the STC position but leaves the work origin in the center of thepart as shown in the following picture.


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Creating points to identify the tab positions

You will create four square points, which Mastercam will use to identify tab positions.

1. From the Point menu, choose Position. The sketch method of selection, which allows you toselect positions in the graphics window using the mouse, is automatically chosen.

2. To change the current point style from the default star to a square, choose Attributes from theSecondary Menu.

3. The Attributes dialog box opens. From the Point Style drop-down menu, choose square.

4. Choose OK5. Click on the contour at the midpoint of each line segment identified in the following picture. Asyou move the mouse over the midpoint, Mastercam displays a box on the point and identifies in

the menu as the midpoint.


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After you click on each point, Mastercam draws a square point at the positions as shown in the

following picture.

Programming the wirepath

In this exercise, you will program the wirepath to be cut using three power setting passes (the tab cut

uses the rough pass power setting) with a tab at each of the square points.

You will also use the Expand Operation option to automatically separate the cut types into individual

operations. This will produce three operations cuts before the tab (including the rough cut), tab cuts,

and cuts after the tab.


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The Expand Operation option can be used with either single or multiple contour parts. When you use

Expand Operation with multi-contour parts like the one you programmed , you can program a

separate operation for each contour, and also for each cut type in each contour.

Chaining the contour

1. Choose Main Menu, Wirepaths, Contour, Chain, Options2. The Chaining Options dialog box opens. Make sure the Break closest entity to thread point box

is checked.

3. Select OK.4. Click on the contour at the position indicated in the following picture.


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5. Mastercam highlights the entire contour and indicates the chaining direction(counterclockwise) with an arrow, as shown in the following picture. If your chaining direction

is different, choose Unselect and select the contour again.

6. Choose Done. The Wire Contour dialog box opens.Selecting the power settings library

1. On the Wire Parameters dialog box tab, choose Select Library, then navigate to:Mits\English\010 Dia Brass Wire\ST_1000_3_RA32.wp9


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2. Choose Open. This power settings library contains information for three passes through a 1.0inch steel part. Make sure the Wire Parameters dialog box looks like the following picture.

Setting the contour parameters

1. Choose the Contour dialog box tab at the top of the dialog box.

2. Select the land down style, which will taper the sides toward the outside of the part starting

at the land and extending to the top of the part.

3. For the taper, enter an Initial value of 5.0 (degrees). Because you chained the contour in a

counterclockwise direction, the taper automatically tilts to the right. You could change the direction of

tilt, but you will not for this exercise.4. From the pull-down menu, select Cancel taper after pass and scroll the pass number to 1 so that

only only the first pass (the rough cut) will be tapered.

5. Enter a Rapid Heigth of 1.2 (absolute) to clear the top of the one-inch stock and any clamps.

6. Enter a UV Trim Plane of 1.0 (absolute)

7. Enter a UV Height of 241.0 (absolute)

8. Enter a Land Height of 0.5 (absolute). Although this is an unusually large land, its size will make it

easier to see the corner effects.

9. Set Compensation type to Both so that Mastercam computes compensation for the display and also

outputs compensation codes to the control.


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10.Set Compensation direction to Auto to allow Mastercam to choose the compensation direction

based on whether the thread point is inside or outside the closed contour. In this part,

compensation will be to the left.

11. Set Roll around corners to Sharp to automatically insert an arc in the wirepath at sharpcorners (135 degrees or less) to create a smoother wirepath. This option is available only if you

have activated compensation in computer or in both computer and control. You will learn more

about this option later in this chapter.

Make sure the remaining values in the Contour dialog box are as shown in the following picture.

Make any necessary adjustments.

Setting the lead in/lead out parameters

1. Choose the Lead in/out dialog box tab and select Line only for both the lead in and the lead out,if necessary.

2. Allow the other values to remain at the defaults settings as shown in the following picture.Make any necessary adjustments.


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Setting up the cuts

1. Choose the Cuts dialog box2. Enter 1 for the Additional skim cuts (before tab)3. Select the Tab check box to activate it and enter 0.05 for the Tab width.4. Enter 1 for the Number of tab cuts to cut the tabs in a single pass.5. From the drop-down menu, select Rough, tab, and finish separately. This setting separate the

cuts by type and is required to expand the cuts into separate operations.

6. Select the Manual radio button to activate it, then select the Use square points for tab positioncheck box so that Mastercam inserts a tab at each point on the contour.

7. Select the Midpoint radiu button to indicate that the square point marks the midpoint of the tabwidth.

8. Select Skim cuts after tab and enter 1 in the Together field.9. Select Expand operation to make each type of pass (rough and skim cuts before tab, tab cuts,and skim cuts after tab) a separate operation. This will create three separate operations.

Note: You can only use the Expand Operation feature when you first set up the wirepath. You cannot

expand the operations after the wirepath has been created.

Make sure the Cuts dialog box has the values shown in the following picture. Make any necessary

adjustments.


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Completing the wirepath

1. Choose the General dialog box tab. The parameters should match the following picture. Makeany necessary adjustments.


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2. Choose OK to complete the wirepath. Mastercam highlights the contour and displays theWirepaths: Entity endpoint to change menu. You will not make any changes at this time.

3. Choose Done. Mastercam displays the wirepath.

Tip: Dont forget to save your work.


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Changing the cutting method and direction

In this exercise, you will use Backplot toexamine the wirepath in detail to help you understand the

modifications you will make. Backplot is a powerful tool for examining wirepaths prior to cuttingmaterial. As you have seen in previous exercises, Backplot can show work origin, lead ins, lead outs,

start, cut and thread points, glue and stop points. It can also show the path the wire guide takes when

moving at rapid speed.

A number of factors can cause a wire NC part program to differ from the wirepath Backplot display:

- When compensation in computer is disabled, the wire offset will not appear in the backplot.

- Your particular machine/control combination may not support everything that Backplot can display.

- The post processor that creates the NC programs may not support all features, or may interpret some

NCI code differently.

1. Press [Alt +O] to open the Operations Manager. Notice that you have created three separateoperations-contour (actually the cuts before the tab), expanded tab cuts, and expanded finishcuts.

2. Choose Select All to select all the operations. An operation must be selected to be backplotted.3. Choose Backplot.4. Toggle Verify to N and Show wire to Y, if necessary.5. Right-click in the graphics window, then choose Isometric.6. Choose Run. All operations in the wirepath display.


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7. Choose Backup to return to the Operations Manager8. To look at each operation individually, select the first operation (Wire Contour), the choose

Backplot, Run. The first operation, which consists of the rough cut and one skim cut, displays.

9. To backplot the second operation, choose Backup, select the second operation, then chooseBackplot, Run. The tab cut operation, with glue stops, displays.


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10.To backplot the final skim operation, choose Backup, select the last operation, then chooseBackplot, Run. The finish operation displays.

Modifying the rough cut

You programmed this wirepath to be cut using the one-way cutting method in which every cut is made

in the same direction. In one-way cutting, the wire threads, cuts the partm cuts the wire, returns to the

thread position, threads, and cuts in the same direction again. One-way cutting is inefficient for the


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first operation because it contains two passes, so you will change the cutting direction for that pass.

The remaining operations contain only a single pass, so one-way cutting is acceptable.

1. Choose Backup to return to the Operations Manager.2. Select the first operation, then choose Backplot and Step to step through the wirepath. Noticehow the wire rapids back to the thread position in each section for each pass.3. Choose Backup to return to the Operations Manager.4. Select the Parameters icon for the first operation.

5. The General dialog box should be displayed. If it is not, select the General tab.6. For Cutting method, select Reverse, then select OK.


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7. The operation is marked for regeneration with an X. Select Regen Path.8. Select Backplot and Step through the wirepath. Notice that the wire now reverses direction

rather than returning to the STC position, which eliminates several rapid movements, along

with some cut and thread operations.

Changing the corner type

A wirepath consists of two contours an XY (lower) contour and a UV (upper) contour. For all

wirepath types except 4-axis, the two contours are parallel, have the same general shape, and are

separated by the height of the part. When you cut a part with tapered sides, one of the contours is

offset to create the papered sides. If the geometry you chained represents the XY contour, as it does in

this part, the UV contour is offset.

If the geometry you chained represents the UV contour, the XY contour is offset.

The Corner Type and Arc Type parameters control how the wire cuts the corners on the offset contour

(the contour that creates the taper.) Mastercam uses the Corner Type parameter to define the shape of

the offset contour when the chained contour forms a corner (an intersection). Mastercam uses the Arc

Type parameter to define the shape of the offset contour when the chained contour forms an arc.


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Examining the current corner type

Note: If you did not finish the backplot in the previous exercise, press [Esc] to stop it, then choose OK

to acknowledge that the backplot is complete.

1. Right-click, choose Zoom window, then drag a box around the area identified in the followingpicture. You may have to zoom in twice to enlarge the display sufficiently to see the corner.


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2. Choose Run. Mastercam plots the wirepath. Notice that the part geometry forms a sharpintersection at this corner. However, Mastercam has inserted a radius in the XY wirepath

because Roll cutter around corners is set to Sharp.

Disabling Roll cutter around corners

1. Choose Backup to return to the Operations Manager.2. Select the Parameters icon in the first operation.3. Choose the Contour dialog box tab.4. From the Roll cutter around corners drop-down menu, choose None.


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5. Choose OK to close the dialog box.6. Choose Regen Path, then choose Backplot, Run. Notice that the XY wirepath now forms a

sharp intersection.

7. Right-click and choose Fit screen.8. Choose Run, then right-click and choose Zoom window to enlarge the area shown in the

following picture.

9. Choose Run again. Notice that the UV wirepath retains an arc in the tapered pass (the first orrough pass) because the Corner type parameter is set to conical. With this setting, Mastercam

generates an arc in the UV wirepath when it encounters an intersection in the XY wirepath.

The finish pass remains sharp.


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3. Press [Esc] to end the backplot after the first pass, then select OK.4. Choose Backup to return to the Operations Manager.5. Choose the Parameters icon of the first operation. Because corner type applies only to tapered

wirepaths and you have programmed the taper to cancel after the first pass, only the firstoperation is affected.

6. Choose the Contour dialog box tab, if necessary7. From the Corner type and radius drop-down menu next to CW choose Sharp. This setting will

produce a sharp corner in the UV wirepath when there is an intersection (corner) in the XY

wirepath and the wire is traveling in a clockwise direction around the corner. The

counterclockwise corners will remain conical in the UV wirepath.

8. Choose OK9. Choose Regen Path and Backplot10.Right-click, choose Zoom window, and draw a box around the area identified in the following

picture.


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11.Choose Run. Mastercam displays the rough pass and the skim pass before the tab. Notice thatthe inside corners are sharp and the outside corners are arcs.


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Adding and editing tabs

In this exercise, you will add tabs to the parts, move tabs, and change the width of the added tabs.

Adding tabs

1. Right-click and choose Unzoom to reduce the display size.2. Choose Backup to return to the Operations Manager3. Select the Geometry icon of the first operation.

4. The Chain Manager opens. Right-click in the white area and choose Edit tabs from the menu.


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5. Mastercam erases the wirepath, marks the tab locations, and displays the Tab Edit menu.Choose Add.

6. When you move the cursor over the part, a movable tab symbol displays on the contour. Youcan drag this symbol around the contour. Notice that the symbol changes when the cursor

passes over and arc in the contour.

You will add two tabs to the part. Click on the contour at one of the approximate positions indicated in

the following picture, then choose Add again, and click on the contour at the other position. The tab

symbols indicate where you have added tabs.


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7. Choose Done, then choose OK to close the Chain Manager.8. In the Operations Manager, choose Regen Path9. Choose Backplot, Run. The wirepath displays, including the newly added tabs.

Moving tabs

The tabs you just added are not in the best position, so you will move them.

1. Choose Backup to return to the Operations Manager.2. Select the Geometry icon of the first operation.3. Right-click in the Chain Manager and choose Edit tabs.4. From the Tab Edit menu, choose Move5. Using the cursor, click on one of the new tabs, move the cursor to one of the new approximate

positions indicated in the following picture, and click again to anchor it. Repeat for the

remaining tab.


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6. Press [Esc] when you have moved both tabs, then choose Done.7. Select OK to close the Chain Manager.8. Select Regen Path9. Choose Backplot, Run. Mastercam displays the rough pass, skim before tab, and tabs, including

the new tabs.


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Editing tabs

Now you will increase the width of the new tabs.

1. Choose Backup to return to the Operations Manager.2. Select the Geometry icon of the first operation.3. Right-click in Chain Manager and choose Edit Tabs.4. From the Tab Edit menu, choose Edit5. Click on one of the new tabs.6. In the prompt area, enter 0.1 for the width, then press [Enter]7. Repeat for the second new tab.8. Press [Esc] to indicate you have finished editing.9. Choose Done10.Select OK to close the Chain Manager.11.Choose Regen Path12.Choose Backplot, Run. Mastercam displays the wirepath.

Changing a taper angle in a section of the wirepath

Mastercams Change at Point function lets you make localized changes to a wirepath, which are

changes that affect only specific points or sections of the wirepath. In past, you used Mastercams

Change at Point feature to add a stop code to one contour in the multi-contour die. In this exercise, you

will use Change at Point to change the taper angle of a section of the contour, programming a smooth

transition from the original 5-degree taper to a 10-degree taper and back to the original taper.


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Changing the taper angle

Important: When you make a change using Change at Point Mastercam applied the change to theentity preceding (in the direction of wire travel) the point you select.

1. Choose Backup2. Select the Geometry icon of the first operation.3. Right-click in the Chain Manager and choose Change at Point from the drop-down menu. The

Wirepths: Entity endpoint to change menu displays, which allows you to select entities for the

Change at Point function to operate on.

4. Toggle Multi Sel to Y (Yes) so that you can select multiple entities for editing.5. Select the line segment and endpoint indicated in the following picture. Click on the line near

but on the endpoint. Do not click directly on the point because two endpoints coincide ther and

it will be unclear which point you wish to select.

Mastercam highlights the point and line in blue.

6. Choose Done Sel (not Done). The Change At Point dialog box opens.7. Select Taper, Gradual, then enter 10 in the text box. This changes the taper angle gradually

over the space of the line segment you select. The dialog box should look like the following

picture.


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8. Choose OK. The Wirepaths: Entity endpoint to change menu displays again. The point and lineyou selected are highlighted in red, indicating that a local change has been made to these

entities.

Restoring the original taper angle

1. Select the line segment and endpoint indicated in the following picture. Again, click on the linenear but not on the endpoint.


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Mastercam highlights the point and line in blue.

2. Choose Done Sel. The Change at Point dialog box opens.3. You will restore the taper angle to the original 5 degrees gradually in the line segmentprecending the selected arc. Select Taper, Gradual and Restore, then choose OK.

4. In the Wirepaths: Entiry endpoint to change menu, choose Done5. Choose OK to close the Chain Manager6. Choose Regen Path7. Choose Backplot, Run. Mastercam displays modified the wirepath.


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Viewing the wirepath using viewports

Throughout this tutorial, you have displayed parts from various points of view (top, isometric), but

only one view at a time. Mastercams viewport feature allows you divide the graphics window into two,three, or four sections, and to assign a different view to each section.

1. Click the toolbar right arrow to scroll the toolbar until you see the Screen-Viewports toolbarbutton, then click on it.

Tip: You can also open the Viewports dialog box by choosing Main Menu, Screen, Next menu,

Viewports.

2. The Viewports dialog box opens. Choose the viewport divided vertically into two sections.

Mastercam displays the part in two view- top and isometric. Notice that the axis icon in the lower left

indicates the axis orientation in each view.


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3. Toggle Verify to Y, if necessary.4. Place the cursor in the right viewport, which makes it the active viewport. Mastercam displays

a white border around the active viewport.

5. Press [R] to run the backplot. Mastercam displays the part with Verify enabled on the right.

6. Place the cursor in the viewport on the left and press [R]Tip: Do not select Run from the Backplot menu because the correct viewport will no longer be

selected.

Mastercam displays the part, but now Verify is enabled in the left viewport. Mastercam enables Verify

only for the viewport where the cursor is resting.


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7. Press [Alt + W] and select the single view viewport8. Choose the toolbar left arrow to scroll back to the original button display so that you have the

most frequently used toolbar buttons visible.

Tip: For more information on viewports, use online help.

Duplicating the wirepath

In this exercise, you will create multiple copies of the part. To do this, you will use the transform

wirepath function. With Mastercam Wire, you can create a transform operation in several ways:

- You can create a single transform operation, which contains all the information necessary toduplicate the wirepath but does not copy either the geometry or the original operations. When

you use this method to duplicate wirepaths, you can make changes to the original part geometry

or wirepath operations, and the changes will be reflected in the duplicates because they are

associated.

- You can duplicate all operations but not the geometry, which allows you to modify individualoperations but still have the benefit of geometry associativity.

- You can duplicate both the geometry and the operations, so that you can edit each individually.With this method, you can also disable posting of selected operations so that you can control

with duplicates are cut.

In this exercise, you will duplicate only the wirepath.


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Setting up the transformation

1.

Choose Backup to return to the Operations Manager2. Choose Select All so that you duplicate all operations3. Right-click in the white are and choose Wirepaths, Transform

The Transform Operation Parameters dialog box opens. All three operations should be market withblue check marks to indicate that they are selected.

4. Choose the Translate dialog box tab.


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5. Select Rectangular, which allows you to control the placement of the copies precisely byentering values in the dialog box.

6. For the X spacing, enter 8.0, which will allow approximately 1.0 inch between copies along theX axis by starting each duplicate 8.0 inches in X

7. For the Y spacing, enter 8.0, which will also allow 1.0 inch between copies along the Y axis8. For both X steps and Y steps, enter 2. This will create a total of four copies- two along the X

axis and two along the Y axis

9. Choose OK. The Operations Manager opens with a new transform operation in the list. Youcan edit this operation later.

Backplotting the transformation

1. Choose Backplot2. Right-click and choose Unzoom to reduce the display scale of the part.3. Right-click and choose Dynamic Pan. Click and drag the part to the lower left corner of the

screen, then click again to anchor it.

4. Choose Run. Mastercam displays the duplicated wirepaths.


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5. Notice that the wirepath is not displayed on the original geometry. To display this wirepath,choose Backup to return to Operations Manager.

6. Choose Select All7.

Choose Backplot, Run. All wirepaths are displayed

8. Save your work.


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In this chapter, you programmed a multi-tab part, and explored chaining, backplot, corner types,

viewports, and transform operations. In the next chapter, you will investigate multi-axis programming.

Creating 4-Axis Wirepaths

4-axis wirepaths are contour wirepaths that have different geometry in two planes: the plane of the

lower contour (XY plane) and the plane of the upper contour (UV plane). This results in different wire

movement in the XY and UV planes. The following picture shows a 4-axis part.

In this example, the XY and UV planes are parallel, so the wire guides travel at a constant distance

from the part. However, if your wire EDM machine and control support it, you can also use

Mastercam to program thre-dimensional contours in both XY and UV, like the ones in the following

picture.


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The Z depth of this parts UV (upper) contour varies relative to the Z depth of the XY (lower) contour.

Mastercams 3D tracking enabled, Mastercam provides the information necessary for the wire guides

to follow the nonplanar geometry of the two contours.

In this chapter, you will perform the following tasks:

- Programming a 4-axis wirepath- Exploring synchronization and filtering- Modifying part geometry and regenerating the wirepath- Programming a 4-axis part using 3D tracking

Programming a 4-axis wirepath

The 4-axis part you will use this exercise is a small punch roughly 4.24 inches square cut from 0.75

inch stock. The upper and lower contours are parallel. The lines on the face of the part have been

broken to provide a lead in/out point.

Before cahining the geometry and creating the wirepath, you will change the construction plane

(Cplane) and graphics view (Gview) to make it easier to work with the part. Because the part is a

punch, you will also move the STC (start, thread, cut) position outside the part boundary. To do this,

you will first create a thread/cut point perpendicular to the lower contour at the point where the

contour is broken, then use the point to define the new STC position.


Note: If the configuration file you preselected in past is the current configuration file, Preview allwirepaths should still be activated.

1.Choose Main Menu, File, Get

2. Navigate to the directory with the tutorial parts.

3. Select Wire Tutor 4axis.mc9 then choose Open. Mastercam opens the part geometry in the graphics

window.


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Changing the Cplane and Gview

The parts you worked on in the preceding chapters were two-dimensional parts because the geometryexisted in a single plane. In this chapter, the part geometry exists in more than two planes so you will

change the construction plane (Cplane) to 3D (three-dimensional). The 3D Cplane allows you to create

entities in different planes.

You will also change the graphics view (Gview) to make the part easier to work with. Mastercam

provides eight predefined Gviews (top, front, back, bottom, right, left, isometric and axonometric). In

this exercise, you will define an additional named view that you will be able to return to by selecting

the name.

1. From the Secondary Menu, choose Cplane, then choose 3D from the menu.2. Right-click in the graphics window and choose Dynamic spin3. Click the corner of the part, move it until looks like the following picture, then click again to

freeze its position.

Notice that, after you click you to freeze the part position, the Gview in the Secondary Menu changes

to M, which indicates mouse

4. From the Secondary Menu, choose Gview5. Choose Named to select a view by name. The View Manager dialog box opens.


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6. Select the System views display All radio button, then choose Show details. The View Managerdialog expands to show more information.


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7. Right-click in the white view list and select Create, Copy current Gview8. In the view Name field, enter 4-axis part.9. In the Comment field, enter used with Wire Tutorial.10.Choose OK. The Gview is now n9. (The n indicates that a named view is currently beingused.)

To return to this Gview at any time when working on this part, choose Gview, Number and enter 9 in

the prompt area.

Note: When changing views during part design, be careful to make sure the construction plane

(Cplane) is the plane you want. The correct Cplane for creating points in this part is 3D.

Moving the STC points

1. Choose Main Menu, Create, Point, Perp/dist to create a point perpendicular to a point on thecontour at a specified distance.

2. Select the lower contour at the position indicated in the following picture.

3. Select the break point indicated in the following picture.


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4. Type 0.25 in the prompt area for the distance and press [Enter]. Mastercam displays atemporary line. It endpoints represent the two possible points perpendicular to the break point.

5. Select the side of the line that lies outside the part as shown in the following picture. Mastercamcreates the point and deletes the temporary line.

6. Choose STCW from the Secondary Menu.7. Choose Select Start/Thread/Cut from the STCW Parameters dialog box.


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8. Select the newly create point.

9. Choose OK. Mastercam moves the STC symbols to the new position, leaving the work originsymbol in the center of the part.


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Chaining the geometry

Mastercam provides a number of chain mask options that allow you to pre-select categories of entities

to built the chain from. The mask blocks selection of all but the selected category. You can mak the

geometry by entity type, color, level, and construction plane. For example, if you select Color mask.

Only entities that are the same color as the first entity selected can be part of the same chain.

Because 4-axis parts often have contours in two planes, you will select the Plane mask for chaining,

which chain only entities that lie parallel to the current construction plane (the plane were new

geometry will be created).

1. Choose Main Menu, Wirepaths, 4-axis, Chain, Options2. Clear the Color mask check box, then select Plane mask and Set start of chain from point

entities. The Chain Options dialog box should look like the following picture.


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3. Choose OK4. Select the lower contour at the point indicated in the following picture.


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Mastercam highlights the entire lower contour (XY plane) and indicates the chaining direction

(counterclockwise).

Note: With Set start of chain from point entity chain option activated, you can select the contour

anywhere and the wirepath will start at the point where the contour is broken. However, where you

select the contour determines the direction (clockwise or counterclockwise) the wire moves around the

part (unless you disabled the Use cursor position for manual selection chaining option).


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5. Select the upper contour (UV contour) at the point indicated in the following picture.

Mastercam highlights the entire contour and indicates the chaining direction. Make sure the arrow

points to the right so that the chaining is oriented in the same direction as the lower

(counterclockwise). If isnt choose Reverse.

6. Choose Done. The Wire 4 axis parameters, dialog box opens.

Setting the wirepath parameters

1. Choose the Wire Parameters dialog box tab, then choose Select library.2. Natigate to: Mits/English/010 Dia Brass Wire/ST_0750_3_RA32.wp93. Choose Open.4. Choose the 4 Axis dialog box tab.


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5. Enter a Rapid Height of 0.9 and select Absolute. This value determines the location of the upperguide during rapid moves.

6. Enter a UV Trim Plane of 0.75 and select Absolute. This value determines the location of theupper guide while the wire is cutting.

7. Enter a UV Height of 0.75 and select Absolute. This value represents the height of the UVcontour and the thickness of the part.

8. Enter a XY Height of and select Absolute. This value represents the height of the XY contour.9. Enter a XY Trim Plane of and select Absolute. This value determines the location of the lower

guide while the wire is cutting.

Make sure the remaining values are as shown in the following picture.

10.Choose the Lead in/out dialog box tab.11.Select Line and radius for the lead in and Radius and line for the lead out. You will use the

values already set for the remaining options. The dialog box should match the following picture.


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12.Choose the Cuts dialog box tab.13.For Additional skim cuts (before tab), enter 1.14.Select the Tab check box to activate it and enter a Tab width of 0.05.15.Select Skim cuts after tab and enter 1.

Make sure the dialog box matches the following picture.


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16. Choose the General dialog box tab. Allow the defaults to remain. The settings should look like the

following picture.


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17.Choose OK. Mastercam displays the wirepath.

Exploring synchronization and filtering

Because the upper and lower wire guides follow different geometry in a 4-axis wirepath, the guides

move independently. However, their movement must be synchronized so that the guides are driven to

produce the desired shape. Mastercam provides several methods of synchronizing the upper and lower

contours of 4-axis parts.

Synchronization is the wirepath you programmed in the preceding exercise was set to none. Whensynchronization is set to none, Mastercam synchronizes the chains by dividing them into an even

number of segments using the Step Size option in the 4-axis parameters dialog box tab.

The best synchronization method to use is determined by the parts geometry. Not all methods can be

used with every part. Two commonly used methods of synchronization are be branch and by entity. A

branch point is a position of the chain can change. When synchronizing the contours by branch,

Mastercam synchronizes the contours in sections between branch points, using the linearization

tolerance to control precision. When synchronizing by entity, Mastercam matches the endpoints of

each entity, which requires both chains to have an equal number of entities.

In this part, synchronization by branch permits Mastercam to synchronize a curve in the XY contourwith a point in the UV contour. You cannot use synchronization by entity with this part because the

XY and UV contours contain a different number of entities.

While the synchronization method determines the shape of the part surface, surface shape and edge

accuracy are also affected by filter, linearization tolerance, and step size wirepath parameter settings:

- The filter option shortens the NC program by combining multiple wire moves into longermoves, based on a tolerance.

- Linearization tolerance affects the smoothness of arcs and splines in 4-axis wirepaths bycontrolling the size of the chords (line segments) used to create them in the NCI file.


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- Step size controls the smoothness of the contours when the wirepaths are not synchronized bypoint, branch, entity, or node (that is, when the synchronization method is none).

In this exercise, you will explore the effect of synchronization. You will also look at the effect offiltering on the wirepath.

Synchronizing by bracj

1. Press [Alt + O] to open the Operations Manager2. Select the Parameters icon.3. Choose the 4 Axis dialog box tab.4. From the Sync option drop-down menu, choose by Branch.

5. Choose OK.6. In the Operations Manager, choose Regen Path. The new wirepath displays.


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Notice that there are fewer synchronization lines, so the part processes faster.

Examining the effect of synchronization on a corner

1. Select Backplot2. Right-click in the graphics are, choose Zoom window, then draw a box around the area

indicated in the following picture.

3. Choose Run. Notice the sharp corner as shown on the following picture.


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4. Choose Backup to reopen the Operations Manager.5. Select the Parameters icon. The Wire 4-axis dialog box opens.6. Choose the 4 Axis dialog box tab, if necessary.7. For the Sync option, choose None, then choose OK. The Operations Manager opens and marks

the operation for regeneration.

8. Choose Regen Path. Mastercam regenerates and displays the wirepath behind the OperationsManager dialog box.

9. Drag the Operations Manager dialog box to the side of the screen so that you can see thewirepath better. There are now many more lines because Mastercam synchronizes the geometry

based on the step size parameter (which is 0.01).

10.Choose Backplot.11.Right-click, choose Zoom window, the draw a box around the corner as shown in the following

picture.


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12.Choose Run. Notice that the wirepath shortcuts the corner as shown in the following picture.

Restoring synchronization to By Brach

1. Choose Backup2. Select the Parameters icon3. Choose the 4 Axis dialog box tab, if necessary.4. Select by Branch for the Sync option. Do not choose OK.

Filtering the wirepath

When you filter a wirepath, Mastercam replaces multiple wirepath moves that lie in a straight line

with a single tool move. You can specify a tolerance that limits this replacement. You can also

optionally specify how far Mastercam looks ahead for lines to replace, and replace multiple linear tool

moves with an arc move of a specified minimum and maximum radius.


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1. On the 4 Axis dialog box, select the Filter check box to activate it, then select the Filter button.

The Filter dialog box opens.

2. In this exercise, you will accept the default settings as shown in the preceding picture-a filtertolerance of .001 inch and a look ahead range of 100 points. Choose OK twice to return to the

Operations Manager.

3. Choose Regen Path, then choose Backplot.4. Right-click in the graphics window and choose Fit screen.


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5. Choose Run. Notice the number of lines representing linear moves of the left of the part.

6. Zoom in on the area of the curve indicated in the preceding picture (you may have to zoommore than once to produce adequate magnification) and choose Run again. Notice the

approximation of the curve by the filtered wirepath.

7. Choose Backup to return to the Operations Manager8. Selecy yje Parameters icon.9. On the 4 Axis dialog box tab, select the Filter check box to deactivate the filter, then choose OK.10.Select Regen Path, then select Backplot11.Right-click and select Fit screen, then choose Run. Notice the larger number of lines on the left

of the part in the unfiltered wirepath, which will also produce a longer NC program.


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12.Zoom in on the same area of the curve and choose Run. (You may have to zoom more than onceto magnify the part enough to see the edge.) Notice that the wirepath more closely

approximates the geometry.

Note: Filtering wirepaths usually speeds machining by optimizing wirepaths, but it may increase

processing time slightly. To achieve optimal results, you must balance several aspects of the part,

including filter tolerance, linearization tolerance (which is used when converting 3D arcs and 2D or 3Dsplines in the chained geometry from curves to lines), surface topology, advantages of arc moves versus

linear moves in a particular part, number of points Mastercam looks ahead when filtering the

wirepath, and individual machine tool requirements. Experience and experimentation will provide the

best direction.


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Modifying part geometry and regenerating the wirepath

Mastercam makes it easy to make changes after you have created the wirepath. In this exercise, you

will modify the part geometry then regenerate the wirepath without repeating any of the wirepathdefinition. You will also learn how to list the post customization file.

Modifying geometry

You will modify the geometry by stretching one corner.

1. Right-click and select Fit screen, then choose the Screen-Unzoom by 0.8 toolbar button to

zoom out from the image and provide more room to work.

2. Choose Backup then select OK to close the Operations Manager.

3. Choose Main Menu, Modify, Drag

4. Choose Window, then draw a box around the corner of the part as shown in the following picture.

Mastercam highlights the three lines that converge at the point.

5. Choose Done. The Drag dialog box opens.6. Choose Move to move the geometry you will modify rather than making a copy of it.7.

Select the Stretch check box, if necessary. The dialog box should look like the following picture.


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8. Choose OK9. Click the corner, then move the cursor about one inch(on the display) diagonally away from the

part and click again, as shown in the following picture.

10.Righ-click in the graphics window and choose Repaint.Mastercam displays the modified geometry.

Note: The following picture approximates the result, which depends on how far and the direction

you dragged the point.


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Regenerating the wirepath

1. Press [Alt + O]. The Operations Manager opens and marks the operation for regeneration.2. Choose Regen Path. Mastercam displays the regenerated wirepath behind the Operations

Manager dialog box.

Unless you have modified the active post processors PST file, Mastercam displays a warning message:

3. Select OK to clear the message and continue the regeneration. Continue to select OK wheneverthe message is displayed. You will learn more about this message in the next section.

4. Choose Backplot, then choose Run.


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5. Choose Backup to return to the Operations Manager.

Listing the PST file

The PST file is a text file that customizes how a Mastercam post processor (an MP post) works. Every

Mastercam post processor has a unique PST file. The numbered question 69 referred to in the

preceding warning message is one of a list of questions you can answer in the file to customize certain

post processor functions.

The PST file can be displayed and edited using any text editor. Mastercam also provides a List menu

option that lets you read but not change the file within Mastercam. In this exercise, you will list the

PST file but you will not change it.

1.

To determine the active post processor, choose Post in the Operations Manager. The Postprocessing dialog box opens. This dialog box is used to post process (post) the file, which creates

the NC program from the wirepath you have created. It also lets you save or discard the NCI

and NC files after posting. The active post processor is indicated at the top of the dialog box, in

this case, MPWFANUC.PST.

2. You will not post the file at this time, so select Cancel3. Select OK to close the Operations Manager4. Choose Main Menu, File, List, PST. The Specify File Name to Read dialog box opens.5. Select the PST file that matches your active post, then select Open. The file displays.6. From the menu bar at the top of the text editor window, select Edit, Find.7. Enter 69 and select Find. The text editor locates numbered question 69.


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8. You cannot change this angle using File, List to close the list box.Note: To edit a PST file, first (always) make a backup copy of the file, then use File, Edit, PST to

modify the file. The next time you run Mastercam with this post processor active, the changes will be

in effect. You can also use NC utils, Postproc, Change to reload the post processor and put the changes

into effect during the current Mastercam session.

Using 3D tracking

In this exercise, you will use Mastercams 3D tracking feature to program a wirepath for a part where

the XY and UV contours are not parallel. The part you will use for this exercise was created with

insufficient branch lines, so you will add branch lines before programming the part. You will break the

contours and, because you will program the part as a punch, you will move the STC points outside the

part.

Note: Not all wire machines and controls support 3D tracking.


1. Choose Main Menu, File, Get2. Navigate to the directory with the tutorial parts3. Select Wire Tutor 5axis.mc9, then choose Open. Mastercam opens the part geometry in the

graphics window.


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4. To make the part easier to work with, choose the Gview-Dynamic toolbar button, and

rotate the part until it looks like the following picture. If necessary, right-click in the graphics window

and choose Fit screen to display the entire part.

Changing the Z depth

Before you move the STC points, you must change the construction Z depth to 0.0000. The

construction Z depth defines the Z coordinate value of all entities you create, regardless of how they


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appear in the graphics window. When you first open this part, the Z depth should be set to the lowest

point of the upper contour (1.1250)

1. Choose Z from the Secondary Menu

The Point Entry menu displays with Sketch selected.

2. Select the line indicated in the following picture at its midpoint. The Point Entry menuhighlights Midpoint.

Mastercam marks the midpoint temporarily and changes the Z depth to 0.0000.

Breaking the contours

Before you move the STC points, you must break both contours to provide a lead in for the wire into

the contour.

1.Choose Main Menu, Modify, Break, 2 pieces.

2. Select the same line.


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3. Move the cursor over the line until Midpoint is highlighted in the menu and a box appearsaround the midpoint on the line, then click. Mastercam breaks the line at the midpoint. To

verify that it is broken, rest the cursor on each half. Mastercam highlights each half of the line.

4. Select the line indicated in the following picture.

5. Move the cursor over the line until Midpoint is highlighted in the menu and a box appears themidpoint on the line, then click. Mastercam breaks the line at the midpoint. To verify that it is

broken, rest the cursor on each half. Mastercam highlights each half.

Creating a point

1.Choose Main Menu, Create, Point, Perp/dist to create a point perpendicular to the break point

2. Select the lower contour at the position indicated in the following picture.


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3.Select the break point that you just created.

4. Type 0.25 in the prompt area for the distance and press [Enter]5. Mastercam displays a temporary line that represents the two possible points perpendicular to

the break point. Select the side of the line that lies outside the part for the side to keep as shown

in the following picture.


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Mastercam displays the new point and the point it is perpendicular to.

Moving the STC points

1. Choose STCW from the Secondary Menu2. Choose Select Start/Thread/Cut3. Select the point you just created4. Choose OK. Mastercam moves the STC position. The work origin remains at its original

position.


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Preparing the part for branch lines

Branch lines, which Mastercam uses to synchronize the upper and lower contour, are particularly

important in corners. The part you are using for this exercise lacks branch lines in the corners

indicated in the following picture.

You will connect these corners to endpoints in the lower contour which you will create by first

breaking the contour. You will use Mastercams Entity Attribute Manager to set the line color of the

new lines to match the color of the existing branch lines. This allows you to use the color mask chaining

option, which will make chaining the part contours easier.

1. To make selection easier, righ-click in the graphics window, choose Top, then right-click again,and choose Fit screen. The part should look like the following picture.


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2. Choose Cplane in the Secondary Menu, then choose 3D from the upper menu. This allows youto construct geometry in three dimensions, which is necessary because the branch lines will not

be defined with a constant Z depth.

Breaking lines into segments

1. Choose Main Menu, Modify, Break, Mny (many) pieces2.

Select the line indicated in the following picture.

3. Choose Num seg to break the line into a specified number of segments.4. Type 3 in the prompt area for the number of segments and press [Enter]5. Choose Do it. Mastercam breaks the line.6. Select the line indicated in the following picture.


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7. Choose Num seg, type 3 in the prompt area for the number of segments and press [Enter]8. Choose Do it. Mastercam breaks the line

Changing the line color

1. To change the color of the lines you are about to create, choose Attributes in the SecondaryMenu. The Attributes dialog box opens.

2. The current design color is 10 (bright green). Choose the color selection button (shown in thepreceding picture) to open the Color dialog box.

3. Choose yellow (the second color box from the right). The current color becomes 14.


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4. Choose OK. The Attributes dialog box reopens. Color 14 is now the current color. This colorwill be used for all future entities you created, and this would be adequate to make the branch

lines yellow. However, you can also make specific attribute assignments using the Entity

Attribute Manager. You will do this in the next step.

5. Select the EA Mgr (Entity Attribute Manager) check box , then select the EA Mgr button. TheEntity Attributes Manager dialog box opens. This dialog box allows you to assign a specific

level, color, style, and width to a range of entity types.

6. Select the check box in the Color column in the Lines row, then enter 14 for the color number(the yellow color number) as shown in the following picture.


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Note: You can also apply the assigned attributes to existing entities by selecting the Apply to existing

entities button. If you do not, existing entities will be unaffected by these assignments. You will not

apply the change to existing entities in this exercise.

7. Choose OK.8. Choose OK again to close the Attributes dialog box.

Creating branch lines

1. Choose Main Menu, Create, Line, Endpoints2. Select the points indicated in the following picture to create the first


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Note;

Branch lines must connect endpoints, not midpoints. Each line segment you created by breaking the

contour has a midpoint and an endpoint. Make sure you connect the branch lines to the endpoints,

which you can identify when Endpoint is highlighted in the Point Entry menu to the left.

3. Connect the remaining corners to the line endpoints as shown in the following picture, makingsure to select endpoints, not midpoints.

4. The final branch line you will create connects two arcs in the lower right corner of the part.Connect these endpoints as you did the line endpoints.

Tip: If you select the wrong point, choose the Undo toolbar button or press [Alt + U] or to

undo the selection, then select the point again.


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Chaining the contours

1. Choose Main Menu, Wirepath, 4-axis, Chain, Options. The Chaining Options dialog box opens.2. Select Color mask and clear the Plane mask check box. The dialog box should look like the

following picture.

3. Choose OK4. Right-click in the graphics window and choose Isometric to change the view.5. Select the lower contour near the break point as indicated in the following picture.


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Mastercam highlights the entire lower contour and indicates the direction (counterclockwise).

6. Select the upper contour at the point indicated in the following picture.


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2. Navigate to:

Mits/English/010 Dia Brass Wire\ST_1250_3_RA32.wp9

3.Choose Open.

Setting the 4-axis parameters

1. Choose the 4 Axis dialog box tab.2. Select 3D tracking to allow entry of an extension value above the UV contour and below the XY

contour.

3. Enter a Rapid Height of 1.4 and select Absolute. This value determines the location of the upperguide during rapid moves.

4. Enter a UV Extension of 0.1. This value can only be Incremental and is relative to the UV Trimplane.

5.

Enter a UV Trim Plane of 1.125 and select Absolute. This value determines the location of theupper guide while the wire is cutting.

6. Enter a UV Height of 1.125 and select Absolute. This value represents the UV wirepath contourand the thickness of the part.

7. Enter a XY Height of 0.0 and select Absolute. This value represents the XY wirepath contour.8. Enter a XY Trim Plane of 0.0. This value determines the location of the lower guide while the

wire is cutting.

9. Enter a XY Extension of -0.1. Like the UV Extension, this value can only be Incremental. It isrelative to the XY Trim Plane.

10.For the Sync option, select by Branch. You can synch by entity only if there are an equalnumber of entities in both contours. The branch lines you created actually created the

necessary entities.

Make sure the remaining values are as shown in the following picture.


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Setting the lead in/out

1. Choose the Lead in/ouy dialog box tab.2. Select Line and radius for the Lead in option, and Radius and line for the Lead out option.Make sure the remaining values match the following picture.

Setting up the cuts

1. Choose the Cuts dialog box tab.2. The Perform rough cut check box should be checked. For Additional skim cuts before tab,

enter 1.

3. Select the Tab check box to activate it, then enter a width of 0.05.4. Select Make tab cutoff move with skim cut to activate it.5. Select Skim cuts after tab, then enter 1. This creates a total of three cuts for the part.

Make sure the remaining values match the following picture.


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Setting the General parameters

1. Choose the General dialog box tab. Make sure the settings match the following picture.


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2. Choose OK. Mastercam reports a warning because one of the branch lines does not connectcorrectly.

3. The following picture shows the wirepath. Mastercam also identifies the sharp corner that lacksa branch line, as shown in the following picture.

4. Choose OK. Mastercam displays the wirepath. The following picture identifies the area that issynchronized incorrectly.


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You could change the branch line at the point to correct the problem, but for this exercise, you will

change the sync option to By entity.

5. Press [Alt + O] then select the Parameters icon.6. Choose the 4 Axis dialog box tab, if necessary.7. For the Sync option, choose By Entity8. Choose OK9. Choose Regen Path

10.Choose OK to close the Operation Manager11.Save your part, using a different name.

Wire Chapter2

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