Right Handed Lathe tool produces different geometry in CAM

[dbramley]

I have set up a few tools in my tool library for my Hitachi Seiki lathe. They are right handed tools so the spindle will be spinning counterclockwise. In the tool library everything looks as it should, but when I select the tool in cam it has the insert turned the wrong way and I get an error about bad geometry. What am I missing?

Dan

[dbramley]

I finally got some screen shots to share, I can not figure out what I am doing wrong!

[engineguy · Accepted solution]

@dbramley 

For starters I have no idea of your level of proficiency so please excuse anything that seems too simple 🙂

It is always best if you can upload a simple file as an example that can be checked/modified, anyway hopefully the information below will be of some help to you.

Not too sure what you are doing, the image below is of a Right Hand tool and the Spindle would be running Clockwise with either a Front Tool Post/Turret or a Rear Slant Bed with the insert facing down.

With a rear turret slant bed lathe it is simply a front toolpost/turret that has been  rotated around the spindle.

When you say Clockwise/counter clockwise where are you looking at the Chuck, if you are looking at the front of the chuck then it will appear to run counter clockwise.

Spindle Rotation is always as viewed from the Spindle Drive end, not the Chuck end 🙂

I have attached two simple files showing the way the tools are set up, so go into the tool libraries of the files and check on the settings.

Right Hand Tool-Clockwise

Right Hand Clockwise

Left Hand Counter clockwise

[dbramley · Accepted solution]

Thank you for your response. No worry about offending me, I appreciate your concern though. I have been running a manual lathe for years, and bought this Hitachi Seiki to speed up production. Yes, I always "assumed" the rotation was looking at the chuck, so I corrected the spindle direction. I also "assumed" the the tool as created in the tool library was in the literal sense, how it should appear in the machine. I my case with the insert down and facing away. I change the tool to the orientation it would appear if holding in your hand, and all is good now. 

Thank you for your response, helped me a lot.

Dan