Cutting threads to CAD drawing

[HiNi]

Maybe I am behind the times and just did not know it.
The senior engineer of a $5M+ job shop company told me they cut threads to the CAD model, remember these are customer CAD models, not generated in-house or checked.
When did this happen? What happend to G-Codes?

 

[RJT]

Ummm, no. That sounds like a really bad idea. I've never heard of someone attempting that. We always have a written description and tolerance that we work to . We cut a lot of threads and that's a new one on me. G code canned cycle 100% of the time.

 

[DethloffMfg]

Coming from a CAD background, I can say that if a visual thread is made in SolidWorks it will tell you what the thread is supposed to be. I do not believe the CAD actually generates a useable thread geometry, it gives you a hole with some visual affects that represent a thread and you can pull the thread info from it. You can also load info into the thread and say (1/4"-28, 2B, thru-hole, counterbore top .300" deep x .400" diameter).

I don't think anyone thinks they can use the generated thread geometry to actually cut a thread unless it's on a CAD platform I have not used before. It is generally very obvious that the thread generated in CAD is not actual geometry. Maybe some softwares and some applications, but none that I've seen.

 

[toolsteel]

I am thinking someone is blowing smoke up the senior engineers butt.
Remember job titles are different from 1 company to the next. Maybe "senior engineer" just means..."guy who has been here a long time and checks everyones time cards".
I program using models supplied to me by our designers. I use a CAM system. Our designers and engineers have a general idea of what I do with the models they give me. But they could not tell you how I program a thread.

 

[mhajicek]

I had a supplier want to cut threads to the model, but that was for a tapered, double-lead thread for which gauges are not available. When I made them in-house I ignored the model and programmed to the print callout.