Help With Toolpath Verification

[oldtbone55]

@LibertyMachine

Hello Seth, 

I'm asking for your help with the CAM operations for a guitar neck that I've just finished modeling as you've been such a great help to me before. I've created the toolpaths but need someone to give them a quick review to see if there's anything wonky or if I could improve any of the toolpath operations. It looks like there's no way to create tabs for a 3D contour like there is for a 2D contour so I only have tabs on one end of the neck. Do I have to create tabs as part of the model for the headstock to get around this problem or is there another way? I've attached my file.

Your help is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[oldtbone55]

@cekuhnen

Hello Claas, hope you and mama are doing well and you're getting as much sleep as you can while you can. I'm sure things are hectic you and I hope I'm not being a pest. I've been trying to get the toolpaths done for the guitar neck but have run into some problems. Several folks have been trying to help me but I thought I'd try and get a different perspective from yourself. One of the problems I ran into was how to hold the model in place when cutting it out. Tabs can be created on the tenon in CAM using 2D contouring but there is no option available for creating tabs on the headstock in 3D. I went back into the model environment and sketched tabs on each side of the headstock which I then extruded but no matter what 3D operation I chose I could not create a toolpath that would cut around the tabs. I was hoping you could give me some direction on how I could accomplish this or any other advice you have to offer. I've attached my file and hope you can help me at your earliest convenience. 

All the best. 

[oldtbone55]

@daniel_lyall

Hello Daniel,

I've been trying to follow what you did but I'm just not getting anywhere. I've run into some problems with the CAM operations that I didn't have before and don't know why. When I went back to the CAM environment after creating the solid stock and tried to re-generate the toolpaths most of them wouldn't work. All I was getting was the yellow warning symbol with 'Empty Toolpath' as the explanation. I don't know if I'm tired or just too dumb to figure out what the heck is going on but I've attached my file and hope you can look at and see what's wrong. My eyeballs are killing me!

Thanks so much.

[daniel_lyall]

In the the stock tab for the setup you set it to from solid and pick the stock body, then in the setup tab you pick the guitar body as the model, then it's all good.

And I need to do something you are doing name everything.

[oldtbone55]

@daniel_lyall

HaHaHaHaha! 

[oldtbone55]

@daniel_lyall

Hey Daniel, making some headway now. Finished the operations for Setup 1 finally (I was having some issues) and now want to create the .stl file to insert into the design. I know you said to go to the simulation and right click on stock>save stock to create the .stl file but I've tried and don't seem to be getting anywhere. Is this the correct order of operations.

1. Run Setup 1 operation.

2. When completed, right click on Setup 1, then right click on 'Simulation'.

3. Click on 'Stock' in the sub-menu that comes up.

4. Click on 'Save Stock' click on the sub-menu that comes up.

5. Name and save the file as an .stl.

6. Go to the modeling environment.

7. Click on 'Insert'.

8. Click on 'Insert Mesh'.

9. Click on the file created to insert it.

10. The 'Insert Mesh' menu comes up.

11. ?

Thanks.

[daniel_lyall]

1 Run Setup 1 operation. yes

2 When completed, right click on the model

3. highlight 'Stock'(what means put the cursor on it) in the sub-menu that comes up.

4. Click on 'Save Stock' 

5. Name and save the file as an .stl to somewhere easy to find.

6. Go to the modeling environment.

7. Click on 'Insert'.

8. Click on 'Insert Mesh'.

9. Click on the file created to insert it.

10. The 'Insert Mesh' menu comes up hit ok.

11 Goto the Cam environment.

12. In the stock tab set the stock to solid and pick the mesh body

14. Turn the mesh body off

15 Pick the guitar as the model in the setup tab

16 Ok the setup

17 Right click on the setup and select generate toolpaths.

18 Verify the wcs by eye and all toolpaths and run the simalation

19 post the cam file

20 goto  https://ncviewer.com/# 

21 click on open navigate to the cam file 

22 Double click on the file

23 hit the play button in the middle bottom of the screen.

24 If a double check is needed tag seth or stienwerks or Jeff.pek

onces you have this down we can do the jig 

[oldtbone55]

@daniel_lyall

Hello Daniel, thanks kindly for the feedback. I don't know why but when I click on 'Save Stock' nothing is happening. I was able to do it yesterday but I'm not getting any response from Fusion now. I ran Setup 1 and when it was finished (without closing the simulation down) I right clicked on the model on the screen, selected 'Stock', then selected 'Save Stock' from the sub-menu. Nothing comes up at all to allow me to name it and save it to where I want. What did I do wrong?

Thanks.

[oldtbone55]

@daniel_lyall

Hello again Daniel, I just answered my own question. I didn't have the 'Stock' box ticked in the display tab of the simulation menu. I saved the file and then inserted into the modeling environment which created a mesh body. I went into the CAM environment but I'm confused on what to do next. Can you clarify a few of your steps?

12. In the stock tab set the stock to solid and pick the mesh body.

I know what the stock tab is but are you creating a new setup or are you editing the existing one? I'm assuming you're creating a new setup but want to be sure. Also, the dimensions for the stock solid are double what they should be. How do you correct this? 

14. Turn the mesh body off. 

Where do you turn the mesh body off from? The only place I can turn the mesh body off is back in the model environment.

15. Pick the guitar model in the setup tab.

I can't see the guitar body in the CAM environment to pick it. 

Sorry for all the questions Daniel.

Thanks.

[daniel_lyall]

It did that yesterday to me (doubling the model size) I just deleted it and reinserted it and it was fine That will be a bug.

I am editing the setup 

I will do a vid.

[oldtbone55]

@daniel_lyall

Thanks kindly Daniel. I'm still having issues with the mesh body size. It's actually around 10 times the size of the main body. I've been trying to do some research on the forum about this problem. Funny thing is that I watched a screencast about how to insert the .stl file and there wasn't any problem regarding the sizing. This has been a tough cookie for me but I'm learning some new things so it's not all bad. 

Best Regards.

[daniel_lyall]

It maybe an old bug has come back when you import the vid set it to mm, I will have a look soon I am trying to get some videos done for a cam challenge, almost finished.

[daniel_lyall]

@oldtbone55 The importing of the stl needs to be set to mm when it comes in, in the dialog that opens I was sure they had fixed this.

The video's a bit rough the banging around and other noises you can here is my boy being a pain.

If any part of it needs clearfield just ask 

[oldtbone55]

@daniel_lyall

Hello Daniel and thank you so much for the video. I've just had a quick look at it but will need to go through a lot more as I want to make sure I don't ask you any stupid questions. I am having a problem with the stl file that is being created after the completion of Setup 1 operations. For some reason I'm not getting the same image you have showing what the remaining stock looks like. The image of the saved stock I'm getting is of the guitar body only. Would you know why I'm not getting the same image?

Thanks.

P.S. Sounds like you have a real cute son.

[daniel_lyall]

You can ask any question you wont.

Not sure why it would be doing that.

He's one of those boys that is a lot of work, he goes hard out 24/7 and he's built like a brick **** house and he's only 5

[oldtbone55]

@daniel_lyall

Hey Daniel, was able to work out what the problem was. I'll certainly be asking questions as I go through the process. Thanks ever so much for all your help. You've shown me a lot of new things.

Cheers!

[oldtbone55]

@daniel_lyall

Hey Daniel, 

So far I've been able to save the .stl file of Setup 1, insert it as a mesh body in the model environment and then go back to CAM to create Setup 2. I was creating the operations for Setup 2 and ran into one operation where the sketch boundary that you reference isn't visible in my file. I've attached a screenshot of your file so you can see what I'm talking about. It looks like you created this sketch much further down the history time line so I'm assuming that you completed the operations in Setup 2 after having done this. Did you create the sketch by tracing the neck profile from the main body?

My second question is regarding the portion in the timeline ( Daniel File, screenshot attached) that has to do with the base feature. I don't know how you did this or what it was for exactly. There are other portions of the timeline I also don't understand but I'll save those questions for later on. I want to make sure I understand each step before moving on to the next.

Thanks again. 

[daniel_lyall]

The bit in the second pick is stock1 TonyTest 1v1:1. it's the stock model from the second op done a different way, What I found is a non needed step.

The first bit that's the Machining boundary selection, it's not a sketch.

Have a look at the attached Video.

The bits in the black rectangle don't worry about that that it is from making the 1st jig I forgot to delete that bit, you can delete all of it from the first bit in the black rectangle to the very end just leave the 2 sketchies at the end there I have decided to redo that part with a new video, I don't think what I did is acceptable.

The mesh bit at the end that's the stl from the 1st op simulation, it turns out just useing the mesh has no problems any more that I have found so far.

[daniel_lyall]

I have done a vid going through the thinking and how I did the jig, I will add the sketchies back in for extending the toolpaths so it removes sections where they need removed, and do a vid on that as well, the screencast is long.

[oldtbone55]

@daniel_lyall

Hello Daniel, finally had a chance to go through your video, thank you very much. I'm now at the point of trying to create the jig and although I think I understand how to go about it I think I'll wait 'till you've completed your videos. I can't thank you enough for all of your help. Time for me to make a contribution to your you tube account.

Cheers!

[daniel_lyall]

Cool here is the next one I think I did a better job of doing the vid, I removed what's not needed in the timeline first I deleted the 2 sketches I said not to remove, I think you will get the idea anyway.

I have attached the cleaned up model with the sketch at the heel or whatever you call that part put back, The reasoning behind it is so you can do the finish cut on its top faces and you can see if it has cut the correct amount out, plus when you comeback to finish it you wont need to use a super long end mill to cut the contour.

And I have named everything this time.