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Gibbscam surfacing help

BryleeJean

Plastic
Joined
Apr 19, 2018
I've ran mastercam for almost 10 yrs; made a lot of parts for the aerospace industry using Mcam. I have recently started a job at a company that uses Gibbs and can not find anyone that can explain how to make decent tool path on it.

It seams that you can not easily control the surfacing functions at all. You just have to try a thousand different thing to get a result the is close to correct. It jumps all over the part, has 500 retracts, cut tons of air, etc.

I also cannot seam to figure out how to pocket with out using the full width of the end mill.

I have searched for training material but it appears Gibbs doesn't offer much in that area.

Does anyone know of any train material that cover complicated surfacing functions in Gibbs?

I can make mastercam do what I want the first time every time. I have a hard time believing that Gibbs is that inferior when it comes to surfacing. Any advise would help.
 
There are a lot of tutorials on youtube. Midwest Cam Solutions, Gurex Engineering, Astronomical Space Systems, Tim Loomis and 3D Systems among others put a lot of them on the tube.
 
There are a lot of tutorials on youtube. Midwest Cam Solutions, Gurex Engineering, Astronomical Space Systems, Tim Loomis and 3D Systems among others put a lot of them on the tube.

I have tried a few of those and none of them actually explain much other than super generic examples. I really want to know what each parameter does and how to make Gibbs dance. I want to cut out all the excessive moves that it's putting out. It's not that i can't get a tool path it's that it take an hr longer than it should. I want to know how to control cord length. Plunge rate independent of contour rate. How to use what is optirough in mcam. How to streamline processes to cut out the waste. It seams that gibbscam works great for simple things that doesn't require surfacing or internal pocketing but lacks greatly in those area.
 
Have you tried contacting support?

I use Cimatron (another 3d systems cam software) and can usually get an answer the same or next day and they will often go ahead and give me a call if there's something that would be easier to explain over the phone rather than through email.

Since Gibbs is also under 3d systems I would think they're guys are just as helpful
 
Are you using the standard surfacing or the advanced 3d module? If you're using the standard surfacing (surface flow cut)with gouge protection on, the way it avoids gouges is to add retracts.Two curve flow works well if you get good with it, It will give a nice finish and fewer retracts. The same can be said with lace cut.If you have the advanced 3d module you get far better tool control. you can give your tool path boundaries by simply drawing 2d geometry , and decrease the retracts by putting a larger number in the stay down and stay on part sections. Hopefully you'll have a little more success.
 
Are you using the standard surfacing or the advanced 3d module? If you're using the standard surfacing (surface flow cut)with gouge protection on, the way it avoids gouges is to add retracts.Two curve flow works well if you get good with it, It will give a nice finish and fewer retracts. The same can be said with lace cut.If you have the advanced 3d module you get far better tool control. you can give your tool path boundaries by simply drawing 2d geometry , and decrease the retracts by putting a larger number in the stay down and stay on part sections. Hopefully you'll have a little more success.

Post your question and if possible your part file over on the official Gibbscam forum. There are some helpful folks there.
 
Have you tried turning on the help balloons? Control+B

As far as the roughing comment goes, assuming you are using a roughing operation, have you tried adjusting cut width parameter? Things may not have the same name as MasterCAM but they are fairly well labeled...

As for surfacing, for fillets and other simple shapes it’s hard to beat a surface flow cut under the surfaces palette; constant step over is good for one op complex surfacing; steep shallow is a waste of time in my experience; n-curve is similar to a morph between two curves and contour is my go to choice for steep features like 3 axis ports. I probably use lace cut the least often out of them all. If you have any specific questions I am happy to help as I am a full time Gibbs programmer.
 








 
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