Material Removal for Multi-Station Parts

[penjas14]

I am programming a part with 4 stations on a horizontal machining center. When I program I use tool 1 on all stations while its out, then tool 2 for all stations and so on. I would like to have the material removals from station 1 show up on all four stations, but material removals on station 2 show up on 2,3,4. And so on. I can do this after I'm finished programming, but i would like to do this as I make the toolpaths. Is this possible? I am running WF4 M080.

 

[srieger]

Are you creating a different Manufacturing file for each "Station"?

 

[penjas14]

No, it is one manufacturing file. Station 1 and 2 look like this.....


View attachment 5524


The other two stations are on the backside.

 

[srieger]

You can do this a couple ways. I'm a bit rusty at Pro/Man but here goes.


First you can create a seperate Operation for each "Station". Then run the operations independently. This may require additional tool changes.


Second way would be to create a family table of the workpiece (some people don't even use a workpiece but it does help with discovering crashes) This would allow you to create everything as it's one part to be machined.


There are several other ways as well. Just like skinning cats.

 

[penjas14]

I've tried the family table method, by applying each Material Removal to its proper instances. But when I go to run vericut it suppresses everything and each workpiece is made into a block again, which causes the tool to crash in the other stations that should have material removed from certain parts.

 

[srieger]

I would say something is definitely wrong with the way it is set up. Unfortunately I don't deal with it daily any longer and am not the best one to give advice. I know this is what I have done in the past. It may also be a matter of whether you are using the full Pro/Man seat or the lightweight version included with the base packages now.