Machining Suggestions

Note: 1 student from the team will do the core, the other student will do the cavity saving their work to
their individual P: drive.
Workpieces are required. Copy the core and cavity from the P: drive, rename them as your work piece
files.
Add datum planes to your insert models to allow easier
assembly.
Add datum curves for your runner system for filling the part
on the core and cavity inserts. Use a 3/16 ball and flat end
mill. Define the tool path with sketched datum curves, the
tip of ball mill will follow a path .09375 below the split surface
and the flat end mill will follow a path .05 below the surface
on the cavity side. Position the runner exactly in the center
of the insert. These curves will define the trajectory of the
center of the tip of the end mill. Extend the curve outside
the side of the insert by .

Fill from this side

Copy (Down load) the Kurt Vise files from the 306\kurt_vise_modifiable subdirectory on the V drive.
Modify the assembly to set the jaw opening (jaw to jaw, not parallel to parallel) to 3.25. This is the
dimension necessary to hold the work piece. Normally we would pull the
parallels, but for academic purposes, leave them on the vise rather than
trying to redefine the part and assembly files. The vise is your fixture.

Defining the cavity side machining operations:

Start a Manufacturing File. Use FILE - NEW MANUFACTURING and set
the type to NC-Assembly. Use the default Template (do not use the Empty
file).
Assemble the workpiece. This is under the flyout
under the Assemble the reference model icon.
The result should appear as shown:

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Define a new plane (Retract) above the horizontal surface of the insert and place a coordinate system
(0,0,0) at the center of the part with Z Zero at the level of the horizontal surface. X will face the right
(narrow side of the insert) and Y will face the back (long side of the insert). Create a start-stop datum
point 1 above the coordinate system.

Define the fixture.

Select Steps Operation (top of screen). The dialog box appears as
shown to the right.
Pick on the Icon to the right of Fixture Setup.
The Fixture Setup dialog box appears as shown below.
If you do not select this button, the Fixture will disappear when the
machine zero is set!
When the Fixture Setup dialog box appears, select on the + and
assemble the vise to the workpiece and mast step. The bottom of the
workpiece rests on the top of the vise parallels and the vice jaws clamp
the part. Pay attention to the orientation of the vice relative to the parts
as the vise sits in the mill in a certain orientation. Notice that the parts
appear nicely centered in the vise in the top view. Your parts will also
be centered in this fashion.
Define the NC Machine, the
Machine Zero and the Retract
Plane.

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Select Resources Work Center and then select the Cutting Tools Tab. Under the Cutting Tool Setup
option select on Head 1. Define your tools.

Volume Rough Milling

In order to roughly carve out the inside of the mast step, we will perform a Volume Rough Milling NC
sequence. This requires a Mill Volume to be created.
Select the Mill Volume Icon.

You will Sketch (as an extrusion) this volume. In other words select the Extrude tool from the right of the
screen. The volume starts on the surface where the counter sunk holes are located and will extend 2
above the sketch surface.
Mill Volume after trimming

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We can now do volume rough milling on this region.

Either select the Volume Rough Icon, or Volume Rough under Steps. The Seq Setup menu appears.
Make sure Tool, Parameters, Volume, Start and End are checked. Select Done. Select the flat end
mill.
The Mfg Params menu appears. Select Set and define the Parameters as follows:

When doing the Core side of the

insert, set the Bottom_Stock_Allow to
0. If there is set to -, the system uses
the Rough_Stock_Allow for the
Bottom_Stock_Allow. We do not
want this to happen

Select OK. Select your mill volume (from the graphics area, not model tree). When prompted to Select a
datum point for the tools original location, select the previously defined datum point above your machine
zero coordinate system for start and end points.
It is critical that all your tools start and end at this location.

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Set the display to wireframe mode (set the vise to shaded using View - Visability) and then Select Play
Path - Screen Play and hit the Play forward button.
If the tool is not shown at datum point start/end location then choose SEQ SETUP and check the box for
Start and End again. Repaint the screen and re-run the path.
If you dont like something, or need to make a change to any parameters, simply select the appropriate
option from the SEQ SETUP menu select Done, you are prompted for your change and eventually you
can re-run your path. This is the methodology for making changes. You need to get used to using it.

To run the tool path using Vericut, select NC Check from the Play Path Pro/E drop down box.
Important VERICUT notes:
VERICUT will have problems if:
You have assembled the workpiece BEFORE you assembled the part (mast step)
You have duplicate tool numbers (postion) set for different tools
You run out of disk space (Pro/E and Vericut exit, and then every time you load your mfg file, Pro/E exits).
Delete the last .tph file to cure this problem.
Be patient while the model loads, then zoom out (in Vericut) until the entire model fits in the window.
It is best not to zoom or pan the Vericut image after this point or the resultant display will be poor.
Vericut only shows maching on the Workpiece. This means that if the workpiece is not assembled
correctly, Vericut will appear to be offsetting the tool path incorrectly relative to the workpiece itself.
Select Ignore All Changes whenever
this dialog box appears
We need to change some colors first.

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To change the background color to white, do the following:

Select EDIT COLORS and Under the Define tab,
Select on BACKGROUND button under Flat Colors
Move all the sliders to 255 (white)
Select Apply and OK
Note: the screen background will not have turned white yet.
Next select View-Attributes and set the Background Style to Flat. The background should now be white.
To run the tool path, first select the double blue arrow (rewind toolpath) in the lower right corner of the
screen. Next select the solid green button. It is usually best not to zoom, pan or rotate in Vericut as the
resultant image is usually not too good. Make sure your orientation and zoom is set in Pro/E before
starting Vericut. Your result should appear as follows:

After the Volume Mill (note, to see the vise, make sure it is not hidden in Pro/E):

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Start a new NC sequence (Surface Milling)

Surfaces will be picked from the Model, select all the surfaces of the cavity.

If you skip over the Cut Definition, select

the Define Cut option from the Seq Setup
menu.
When specifying the Cut Definition Cut
Type, select From Surface Isolines and
toggle the direction (button at the lower left
corner of the Cut Definition dialog box, so
the cuts are made as shown. The White
arrows show where toggling was performed
(the icon right above the OK button.

After the first roughing surface mill (3/16 ball, 5700 rpm, 22 ipm, .1 step over)

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Create another surface mill sequence.

After second surfacing pass (1/8 ball, 7600 rpm, 31 ipm, .005 step over)

Create a Trajectory Milling NC sequence.

After 3/16 flat end mill pass for runner:

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Create another Trajectory Mill NC sequence.

After 3/16 ball end mill pass for runner

When doing the Core side of the

insert, you will need to create a
trajectory mill to clean up the outside
edge where the body meets the
parting surface or the mold will not
close. Use the edge of the tool rather
than the center when tracing around
the perimeter.

Paper Documentation Required:

Screen captures of both Pro/E & Vericut tool paths for each NC sequence similar to the following (note: 2
images/page and the labeling of each sequence);
Volume Rough Milling
.375 Flat End Mill
2500 RPM
10 IPM
.1875 Step Over
.125 Step Depth

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Screen capture and print of the Route Sheet. Select Info Manufacturing and pick on the Route button.

Save all your tool path sequences (CL information) in a singular file. Use Edit CL Data Output to
create this file.
Demonstrate your complete set of tool paths to your instructor during one of the computer labs.

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