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Solidworks Cam - T and H Values not matching

c_smith

Plastic
Joined
Jan 18, 2013
Location
St Augustine, Florida
Hey Guys, Im fairly new to machining and Solidworks Cam so if this is just something obvious I apologize.

My issue is that fairly often when I post and the go over the code I am noticing during op changes the program will call the correct tool number - say T02 but then looking for the offset is will have a H value pointing to H03 or some other incorrect tool. Broke a lot of end mills and dam near tossed the Camworks stuff before I realized this was happening :(

I can find and setting in Camworks to force T and H agreement. And on my Hass I turned setting 15 on to halt when there are different values.

Thank you.
 
Hey Guys, Im fairly new to machining and Solidworks Cam so if this is just something obvious I apologize.

My issue is that fairly often when I post and the go over the code I am noticing during op changes the program will call the correct tool number - say T02 but then looking for the offset is will have a H value pointing to H03 or some other incorrect tool. Broke a lot of end mills and dam near tossed the Camworks stuff before I realized this was happening :(

I can find and setting in Camworks to force T and H agreement. And on my Hass I turned setting 15 on to halt when there are different values.

Thank you.

Don't know solidworks, but maybe dig around in the settings/configuration and look for something similar?

offset.JPG
 
I've been using it for a few years now. Never had that happen. That would be bad. I wonder if it's a post issue?

Rainman is the Camworks guru here. Maybe he will chime in.
 
You may have to set H & T values to be defined by tool vs. post. (Seems silly to have to do it that way, but whatever.)
2020-10-27 15_07_26.jpg

Next you have to edit the tool's cutting parameters to set the H value to agree with the tool number. There's no way to do it from the Tool Crib AFAIK.
2020-10-27 15_12_10.jpg

SW Cam is messed up! :crazy:
 
T and H agreement

You may have to set H & T values to be defined by tool vs. post. (Seems silly to have to do it that way, but whatever.)
View attachment 303013

Next you have to edit the tool's cutting parameters to set the H value to agree with the tool number. There's no way to do it from the Tool Crib AFAIK.
View attachment 303014

SW Cam is messed up! :crazy:

So thank you very much as that worked like a charm. So far it appears that if done during the machine setup under the "post tab" as you suggested and then click the floppy disk icon (or whatever that is) to set as default, you can (perhaps - maybe) skip the portion with setting the tool cutting parameter.

And your right - SW Cam is a little screwy. So much of the confusion when trying to learn to use it could fixed with a simple little set of questions to define common defaults during setup.

Thank you very much for your help!
 
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In all the years I have used camworks I have never had the T and H number different. I would think not knowing the software enough leads me to believe you went into a setting and checked something with possibly retained the information that made your T and H number output different numbers. As for use of Camworks, I find it a very good software package that takes time to learn.
 
Me too. Never messed with those settings an never had T and H mismatched. I agree that some setting has gotten flipped. Maybe in your post? Have you called support?
 
Beat me to it. Glad you found it before wasting too much time. This should have been the default setting, but for some reason that I can't fathom, wasn't.
 
You may have to set H & T values to be defined by tool vs. post. (Seems silly to have to do it that way, but whatever.)
View attachment 303013

Next you have to edit the tool's cutting parameters to set the H value to agree with the tool number. There's no way to do it from the Tool Crib AFAIK.
View attachment 303014

SW Cam is messed up! :crazy:
Define by Post Processor and should be good, unless for some odd reason your post is incorrect but typically your post always matches T & H value.

Both them settings, if define by post is selecting will grey out the Cutting Parameters area to make changes.
 

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The tool crib in CAMWorks needs to be overhauled, I have an email going directly with HCL trying to get them to improve it.

I'd like to see the ability to select holders and coolant options when you open the tools parameters within the tool crib, and be able to select multiple coolant options at once.

If we want to turn a coolant option on for say T1, and there's 40 operations using T1, we should not have to go into each individual operation to change that, it should be done within the tool crib one time and when that crib is saved for that machine, them settings should stay there for the next part.

Images are mock ups I shared with HCL
 

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I have always ran machines with just flood coolant as an option, I recently added a machine with TSC and never realized how stupid CAMWorks coolant setting options are.

I worked with Hawk Ridge Systems on building a API to control coolant options easier in one place, you can sort by a variety of parameters, you select one T# and have the ability to turn on all of any parameter for the selected tools operations.

You can see the tabs as to what all can be controlled. I'm sure more can be added if needed.

It is a little finicky going from one post to another unless your post are built the exact same way.

I don't know that have offered it out yet, but they plan on selling it as a Post Add on, if anyone is interested feel free to reach out to Jim Lemke at [email protected] if you mention Marvel Machining he'll know what you are referring to.
 

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I have always ran machines with just flood coolant as an option, I recently added a machine with TSC and never realized how stupid CAMWorks coolant setting options are.

I worked with Hawk Ridge Systems on building a API to control coolant options easier in one place, you can sort by a variety of parameters, you select one T# and have the ability to turn on all of any parameter for the selected tools operations.

You can see the tabs as to what all can be controlled. I'm sure more can be added if needed.

It is a little finicky going from one post to another unless your post are built the exact same way.

I don't know that have offered it out yet, but they plan on selling it as a Post Add on, if anyone is interested feel free to reach out to Jim Lemke at [email protected] if you mention Marvel Machining he'll know what you are referring to.
Interesting the differences in CAM softwares, does this software have a spreadsheet similar the posting parameters spreadsheet image in your post but,

It has ALL the parameters for each OP, so instead of like you said going into each one to change some thing, you edit them all in a spreadsheet format?
 
Interesting the differences in CAM softwares, does this software have a spreadsheet similar the posting parameters spreadsheet image in your post but,

It has ALL the parameters for each OP, so instead of like you said going into each one to change some thing, you edit them all in a spreadsheet format?
SolidWorksCAM mentioned in the original posting and CAMWorks is the same. SolidWorksCAM is a CAMWorks product rebranded for SolidWorks, if that is what you are asking, so the functionality between the two is the same, but SolidWorksCAM packages are limited, basic toolpaths for the most part. They do have a few upgraded packages but once you get into the full 3 axis, 4 and 5 axis modules you jump into a CAMWorks package.

The spreadsheet I posted is a created API for this function I had my reseller build due. Being CAMWorks is directly integrated into SolidWorks, and SolidWorks has a lot of API/Macro functions you can build you can direct them to work for the CAM side, CAMWorks as well. So I would assume the API (spreadsheet) I shared would function the same within SolidWorksCAM or can be configured correctly to do so, this one is more of an additional Post Processor Add on to control post configured functions.

I had limited knowledge to these API/Macro functions until recently I attended a webinar where the presenter used a few, it was quite impressive, one in particular, they color coordinated surface within a mold and ran the API/Macro that would recognize the color coding and assign predetermined Operations/Toolpaths accordingly. I think you are able to take it as far as configuring Tolerance Based Machining Strategies as well, so if you know lets say Surface colored Red, has a Ra value assigned to it, it will pull in the strategies to accomplish that tolerance appropriately, of course based on user input data of known tools and operation parameters.
 








 
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