Mastercam Lathe Setup

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First, begin opening the part file in MasterCam. Use the drop down bar to select All Files (*.*) to show all of the files in the folder. MasterCam does not require the part to be saved as a different file type than SolidWorks saves as. Select the part that will be operated on, and then save the MasterCam file before work begins. Once the file is loaded, the machine must be selected. From the Machine tab across the top, select the Lathe. The CNC lathe that will be used to cut the part must be selected correctly. Multiple machine groups can be created on one file, so you can create as many as needed to stay organized. Right clicking the machine group will allow you to rename it to whatever is desired.

PART ORIENTATION[edit | edit source]

Image Step
Transform Tab Dynamic Mastercam.PNG

Now that the initial setup is completed, the part must be oriented. Right clicking and changing the GView will allow you to see the part at a different angle. Go to the transform tab and select Dynamic to open its function panel.

Part Oriented For Lathe Mastercam.PNG

Select the part and place the dynamic gnomon on the origin of the part. This will allow you to move and rotated the part about the axes. Select move from the function panel to move the part. Clicking in the center of the curved control axis will allow rotation of the part, and clicking on the straight axes will allow translation motion. The graphics window will display a preview. On the function panel, click ok to accept the transformation.

Clear Colors Button Mastercam.PNG

Sometimes this will change the color pf the part. It can be changed back to the original by entering the mini toolbar and selecting Clear Colors. At this point, the part should be oriented as you it would be in the lathe.

Turn Profile Button Mastercam.PNG

The lathe will operate in a 2D coordinate system, where D is the diameter or Y axis and the Length is the X axis. So, we need to create a 2D turn profile from the 3D part. Select the tab and click Turn Profile. This will open a dialog box, select the spin computation method and reduce the tessellation tolerance to 0.01.

Setting Up the Stock[edit | edit source]

Image Step
StockSetUpMastercam.png

In the Toolpaths Manager, expand the properties group and click stock setup to open the Stock Setup tab. In the stock section, select Left Spindle. Open the properties and choose Cylinder from the geometry tab. This will allow you to enter the stock dimensions to be turned. The stock length should be about 30% in the chuck, so take that into consideration when choosing a stock size. On the geometry tab, you can select the Preview Lathe Boundaries to view the outline of the stock. Press enter and OK to accept the lathe stock setup settings.

Image Step
ChuckJawsSetupMastercam.png

In the chuck jaws section, select Left Spindle and click Properties. Set your grip length to however far the stock will be placed in the jaws of the chuck. At this point, the part is ready for tool paths to be created.