Swept Surface

The Swept Surface option in WinMax allows the operator to program draft angles for pocket or island walls with greater flexibility, including Spiral, Constant Z level, and Cusp Height cutting strategies.

Swept Surface builds on the WinMax 3D Mold option. The basic elements in Swept Surface programming are:

• Draw Profile Contour—build the XZ or YZ shape of the part

• Draw Along Contour—build the shape of the contour

• Swept Surface—provide details of how to cut the part

To begin a new Swept Surface program block, perform the following steps:

1. From a New Block screen, select the Milling softkey.

2. Select the More softkey.

3. Select the Swept Surface softkey.

4. Use the drop-down list to select the type of contour in the Type field: Draw Profile, Draw Along, or Swept Surface.

5. To program Draw Profile Contours or Draw Along Contours, place the cursor in the Type field, and select the Edit Along Contour or the Edit Profile Contour softkey.

Swept Surface Parameters

Swept Surface parameters establish the machining characteristics.

The Field Name Glossary contains definitions of all WinMax fields. The fields listed below appear on the Swept Surface parameter screen. Fields displayed on screen may vary according to machine type, configuration, parameter settings, and/or settings in other fields.

Swept Surface Contours

Program the part surfaces as a 2D profile in either the XY or XZ plane.

The Start Segment number is always 0. Use segments to program lines and arcs which create a contour. Repeat the 2D profile along a straight line (translate) or repeat it around a centerline (revolve) to produce the final 3D shape. The Contour End block marks the end of the programmed contour.

When creating/editing a contour segment, select the Swept Surface Parameters softkey to access the parameters screen. When on the parameters screen, the Edit Profile Contour and Edit Along Contour softkeys appear. Use these softkeys to switch between the parameter and contour screens; softkeys do not appear if the cursor is in the Block or Segment fields.

Draw Profile Contour

 

Set the Type field to Draw Profile(s) and select the Edit Profile Contour softkey. Seg­ment types are:

• Start Segment

• Line Segment

• Arc Segment

• Blend Arc Segment

Draw Along Contour

 

Set the Type field to Draw Along and select the Edit Along Contour softkey. Segment types are:

• Start Segment

• Line Segment

• Arc Segment

• Blend Arc Segment

The Surface Side field (present in Segment 0) specifies on which side of the Along contour the profile is cut:

• When set to Right, the profile is cut to the right of the contour forming a surface to the right of the along contour.

• When set to Left, the profile is cut to left of the contour creating a surface to the left of the along contour.

Start Segment

See the Field Glossary for definitions of the Swept Surface Contour Start segment fields:

Continue programming the contour by using the Page Down key or by selecting the Next Segment softkey.

Line, Arc, and Blend Arc softkey choices appear.

Line Segment

Use the Line Segment block to create the geometry for a line.

Some Line fields are automatically calculated with the Auto-Calc feature. See Automatic Calculations for more information. Use the Store Calculated Value softkey to retain a calculated value.

See the Field Glossary for definitions of the Swept Surface Line segment fields:

Some fields on screen will vary depending on the type of contour selected.

Arc Segment

Some Arc fields are automatically calculated with the Auto-Calc feature. See Automatic Calculations for more information. Use the Store Calculated Value softkey to retain a calculated value.

See the Field Glossary for definitions of the Swept Surface Arc segment fields:

Some fields on screen vary depending on the type of contour selected.

Blend Arc Segment

A blend arc is an arc that joins two other segments and is tangent to both. Use a blend arc to join two line segments, to join a line segment and an arc segment, or to join two arc segments. The segments to be joined must have a theoretical point of intersection.

If the only information known about an arc is its radius, it is easier to program it as a blend arc if the segments intersect.

Some Blend Arc fields are automatically calculated with the Auto-Calc feature. See Automatic Calculations for more information. Use the Store Calculated Value softkey to retain a calculated value.

See the Field Glossary for definitions of the Swept Surface Blend Arc segment fields:

Some fields on screen will vary depending on the type of contour selected.