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Tool library/template for different materials

CKCNC
Enthusiast

Tool library/template for different materials

CKCNC
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hello,

 

In FeatureCam I can assign different cutting data to a tool based on material however in PowerMill I would have to do this with tool families or stock materials which seems to change all tools based on the last entry. There are several variables that effect cutting data so I don't see having a "one size fits all based off of surface speed" being realistic. 

 

From looking through the forums I see that people have used the user defined settings to define cutting data but that seems hard to manage.  

 

I could certainly create redundant copies of my templates with only the cutting data being different but that seems tough to manage too. 

 

Before getting too involved I have some questions.

Is the powermill database going to be changing to be more functional like featurecam?

If not then how do you manage different cutting data for hundreds of tools without creating dozens of copies?

Master template with macros to populate cutting data based on user selection?

 

Thank you,

Cody 

 

 

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LasseFred
Collaborator
Collaborator

I use a template file to every matrials i have.

i think that's the best option there is in powermill.

 

but you can also use a CSV file there defind your tools, holder shapes, cutting data and so on.

and you can write a Macro there export, import your data into powermill.

but it's alot of work.

csv.PNG

 

 

______________________
Lasse F.

5axes
Advisor
Advisor

Someone from Delcam Told me in 2015 that the database is shared with FeatureCam

https://manufacturing.autodesk.com/forums/forum.delcam.com/viewtopic8b44.html?f=23&t=12179

That's why in the PowerMill database you have a lot of useless data for PowerMill ( WireCutting Table data.. Turning tool definition etc ) . So Normaly you should have the same type of data in FeatureCam and PowerMILL 🙂

 

But I'm agree with you Cutting tool management via the PowerMill is a Nightmare , that's why a lot of user are using some special macros , Excell files and etc. to manage these data.

 

The main point is "NEVER EVER" use a tool familly, tool familly is a clumsy translation of something totaly different. If you are using a tool Family associate to the tool, in this case the cutting parameters are saved for the entire familly and not for your tool. So when you think you are saving the information for one tool in reality it's a modification for the entire family.

 

have a look to one of my post on the old Delcam forum to get more explanation : https://manufacturing.autodesk.com/forums/forum.delcam.com/viewtopic087e.html?f=8&t=12661

CKCNC
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

5axes,

 

Thanks for the explanation. 

I agree with your thoughts on the powermill database and would prefer to avoid using it for anything besides having blank tool holders saved.

 

From reading through the forums there seems to be several ways people have accomplished creating and managing the cutting data. Before I start down a dead end path I wanted to see what other programmers experiences have been. My initial thought was to have a "master template" that would have all of the tools that I foresee using. 

Powermill then prompts the user for a material selection from a drop down list. 

Then based on that selection tool cutting data would be populated into the correct fields for each tool.

 

What method do you find to be the easiest to create & manage cutting data if you do not use the powermill database?  I am new to the macro world so any explanation or examples you may have is greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks for your time,

Cody 

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5axes
Advisor
Advisor
Accepted solution

You can manage cutting conditions without any problem by using the PMill Tool library. But for that, you need to pay attention to some knowledgeable points.

 

A) When you define cutting data in the Cutting Data window.

1) The current Cutting Material is show in the Tabulation Title (1)
2) The Field Tool Family Must be empty (2)
3) The ToolIdentifier (Tool ID) Is used as reference when you save the tool assembly in the library (3). So check if the ToolId is equal to the wished reference for the tool library.

 

CuttingData.jpg

 

B) When you save your tool in the tool library :

1) Select in the Field "Stock Material" the  material reference used to save the existing data define for the tool   (1)

2) It's important to read the informations in the Export Details (3 + 1). Check the Tool Id (1) and the Material (3) used for the export.

ToolDatabaseExport.jpg 

 

C) When you want to import a Tool from the Tool library . Specify in the Stock Material Drop Box, the Material Reference and consequently the Cutting conditions associated to this material that will be used to create the tool in the current project.

ToolDatabaseSearch.jpg

 

The main problem with the toolLibrary is not to define cutting conditions, but to review them. You have no way to visualise the values stored in the database. So if you want to check/modify the values, you need to import each tool one by one and for every cutting material , then export the tool again in the library after each modifications.

It's a long process that requires a lot of attention and method.

 

I'm using the tool Library, but to solve this current limitation, I have developed my own solution to manage the tool library and Modify/Analyse/Check the data in the Access Database :

VisuOutil.jpg