CAM Lite for 2.5 Axis Hotwire?

[Arbiter]

Hi Folks,
I have Pro/E Wildfire 4.0 Student Edition, and I am working on building a CNC hotwire machine. I plan to cut 3D wing and fuselage shapes out of foam using a hotwire strung between a horizontal X-axis and a vertical Y-Axis. A turntable will rotate the piece, then the hotwire will move, making a cut, then stop, then the turntable will move, then the hotwire will make another cut. At the end, the shape will be faceted, requiring (Hopefully little) sanding. I am wondering if anyone thinks I could get away with using the 2.5 Axis CAM Lite milling program to do something like this, with the hotwire as a tool? Any suggestions, or thoughts, or general silliness on this topic? Thanks!

-Chris

 

[georgebenjamin]

Arbiter,
That's a clever idea to produce a 5-Axis part with 2.5
Axis motion. The problem your going to have is lack of
control.
A lack of coordination between the rotating axis and the
x-y motion will produce error (esp. if there is dramatic
surface change), in other words you probably will have to
go through several iterations (calculated/trial &
error)to get the results you want.

The best scenario for what your doing is constant surf.
change. By the way no idea is silly. Give it a try & let
us know.

 

[Arbiter]

George,
Thanks for the reply, and the input! I think it could
work pretty well for my needs even though there may be
some error. I am looking to get within 1 millimeter or
so with my cuts. I am going to be making fuselage
sections of an airplane I am designing out of foam. I
will use the hotwire instead of a mill. Once the faceted
final shape is cut, I will finish sand it and use Gages
at specific sections to ensure I have a section close to
my desired shape. What I am curious about is if Wildfire
4.0 or Wildfire 5.0 CAM Lite will allow me to generate 2
axis (XY) and Theta (Z-axis turntable) to make the g-code
I need. Any thoughts/experience as to whether CAM lite
will work? Again, thanks for the reply!

-Chris

 

[georgebenjamin]

Arbiter,
I have not used CAM Lite, so I can comment on it's capabilities. However, unless the Controller your using
for machine motion operate with simultaneous X-Y-Z-A(or
B)axis control motion, the 4-Axis G-Code (disregarding Z-
axis)will not be useful. Question: How are you controlling the A/B axis motion? Is it Index motion
(independent of machine controller)? Or does it have a
true A/B axis servo drive like X-Y and Z?
-George

 

[Guest]

If you have a true 4-axis capability where the XYZ linear and rotary are on the same block of g-code (N115X2.5214Y5.1284A13.763) then I would not use CAM Lite. When ever you have a rotary and linier on the same block it is a simultaneous move and you should go with the NC complete machining package.

 

[Arbiter]

Kent,
I am planning on making an XY cut, then rotate, then XY cut, rotate, etc... So, All I think I need is 2.5 Axis for this configuration with the rotary table. What I plan to do, is take my 4-axis design, slave X-U and Y-V (Using my machine driving software like Mach 3) and then add the rotary table to get a pseudo 2.5 axis machine when I cut general shapes (But I am trying to use CAM lite to make the G-code). The 4-axis would be used to make cuts for the wings and I have G-code generators that will do that (Profili 2) but I don't have a code for a hotwire using a turn-table. I am a hobbyist, and will not be in the ballpark to afford the full NC package unfortunately since it has 4-axis Wire EDM, which is closer to my needs anyway. Thanks!
-Chris