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NE1 know a better way -- cylindrical cam

I'm struggling with something that should be easier, and so I wonder whether someone can tell me what I'm doing wrong. I'm actually achieving what I want to achieve, but in a VERY roundabout method. 'S got to be a better way. One can look at what I've achieved at the following link, and the panels are numbered 1 thru 4 as I roll down the History bar in the Feature Tree.

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Obviously I'm trying to make a cylindrical cam with a cut that is radial to the axis of the cam. In order to do it I created a Spline on Surface (outer surface of the half-cylinder) and used it for a SplitLine separating the outer surface into two. Then I offset the upper one of those two surfaces to the inside, and I created a loft surface between the bottom edge of both the original (SplitLine) surface and the surface offset from it. That makes a surface which is radial to the center of the half-cylinder. I used THAT radial loft surface to Cut the original solid and then I inserted a Body-Delete to obscure all of the remaining surfaces. That CAN'T be the best way to do it. Somebody perform a reality check for me, willya?

Thanks, 'Sporky'

Reply to
Sporkman
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Reply to
Sporkman

zero offset , cut thicken

Reply to
neil

Mark,

I lay the cam out as a flat pattern, and use sheetmetal to roll it up. I usually program cams as flat patterns, and use "A" axis mapping fpr the 4th axis. This is much more accurate than programming splines.

Most cylindrical cams have a cross section that's perpindicular to, and coincident with the axis.

Regards

Mark

Reply to
Mark Mossberg

You can do it with a sweep I think you will get a better profile. I sent you an example. This was discussed here in October of 2003 I don't remember the name of the thread.

Corey

Reply to
CS

Yeh, thanks Amigo. I did do that in another incarnation of the cam, and I agree that's probably a better way in general, since one can use a function and/or a spreadsheet to drive the cut profile.

Best regards, 'Sporky'

Mark Mossberg wrote:

Reply to
Sporkman

Thanks to you and also Kenneth Barrentine who ALSO sent me an example of a different way to achieve something similar. I learn something new every day thanks to people like you.

'Sporky'

CS wrote:

Reply to
Sporkman

Reply to
Sporkman

Could you post those methods that were emailed to you. I'm also interested in find out how to do it in SW.

In good ol' Pro/E it is possible to do a graph of anything including functions, then use it to cut a cam. SW makes a person get creative to do these harder things. Of course, I like the idea that someone wrote about laying it out flat then using it for the 4th axis. I can't remember exactly how to specify A axis g-code, but it sounds like that would actually make it useful for mfg. Dang, now I won't be able to sleep and I'll be up all night looking for that Fanuc manual....

If a pers>I'm struggling with something that should be easier, and so I wonder

Reply to
DMD

Well I'd be happy to put the files up on my Web host, but they're not my files. I'd need permission. The methods are self-evident by the files, and not something that was spelled out. But in regards to the sheet metal method, that can be used to create something that could be molded if you simply add some draft AFTER the cylindrical cut is create, and that's what this would be. In that case, the K-factor (or "neutral axis") is kind of irrelevant. If you use .5 it means no stretch or compression added (or subtracted) and so the profile used for the cut would be exactly as if it were "wrapped" around whatever radius specified. In other words, just because you use the sheet metal functionality to create the geometry doesn't mean the part has to be made of sheet metal.

'Sporky'

DMD wrote:

Reply to
Sporkman

You can post mine.

Corey

Reply to
CS

post it if you like. :)

Reply to
kenneth b

I have been searching for a better way of creating cylindrical cams for two years. As near as I can determine a method is needed to sweep one solid (representing and endmill) along a path on a part removing intersecting body. The loft of rectangle sections does not produce the same geometry as the manufacturing process because the tangent of the side of the endmill is continuously variable.

Anyone interested experimenting with a technique try Tutorial 5b at:

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If you find a problem with this technique or can demonstrate a better technique please let me know.

J.D.

Reply to
jmather

J.D.,

I like your method of modeling a cam! It's what I was looking for.

Thanks, DMD

Reply to
dmd

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