ProfessionalCourseware

MastercamX4Router

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MastercamX4TrainingTutorialsProfessionalCoursewareRouter
Date:July2,2009
Copyright19842009InHouseSolutionsInc.Allrightsreserved.
Author:MarianaLendel
ISBN:9781926566337

Notice
InHouseSolutionsInc.reservestherighttomakeimprovementstothismanualatanytimeandwithout
notice.

DisclaimerofAllWarrantiesandLiability
InHouseSolutionsInc.makesnowarranties,eitherexpressorimplied,withrespecttothismanualor
withrespecttothesoftwaredescribedinthismanual,itsquality,performance,merchantability,orfitness
foranyparticularpurpose.InHouseSolutionsInc.manualissoldorlicensed"asis."Theentireriskasto
itsqualityandperformanceiswiththebuyer.Shouldthemanualprovedefectivefollowingitspurchase,
thebuyer(andnotInHouseSolutionsInc.,itsdistributor,oritsretailer)assumestheentirecostofall
necessaryservicing,repair,orcorrection,andanyincidentalorconsequentialdamages.Innoeventwill
InHouseSolutionsInc.beliablefordirect,indirect,orconsequentialdamagesresultingfromanydefect
inthemanual,evenifInHouseSolutionsInc.hasbeenadvisedofthepossibilityofsuchdamages.Some
jurisdictionsdonotallowtheexclusionorlimitationofimpliedwarrantiesorliabilityforincidentalor
consequentialdamages,sotheabovelimitationorexclusionmaynotapplytoyou.

Copyrights
ThismanualisprotectedunderthecopyrightlawsofCanadaandtheUnitedStates.Allrightsare
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HouseSolutionsInc.

Trademarks
Microsoft,theMicrosoftlogo,MS,andMSDOSareregisteredtrademarksofMicrosoftCorporation;
MastercamVerifyiscreatedinconjunctionwithSiriusSystemsCorporation;Windows95,WindowsNT;
andWindowsXPareregisteredtrademarksofMicrosoftCorporation.




RouterX42DGEOMETRYCREATION


2DGEOMETRYCOURSECONTENT


2.OVERVIEWOFTHEGRAPHICUSERINTERFACE......................................................................................... 4
3.SETTINGTHETOOLBARSTATESFORROUTER........................................................................................... 5
4.SETTINGTHEGRID..................................................................................................................................... 6
5.NAVIGATETHROUGHMASTERCAM.......................................................................................................... 7
6.ABOUTRIGHTMOUSECLICKMENU ....................................................................................................... 11
7.CREATEDRAWING#1 ............................................................................................................................. 13
8.EXERCISEUSINGCREATEPOINTPOSITIONCOMMAND.......................................................................... 13
9.EXERCISEUSINGCREATERECTANGLECOMMANDS ............................................................................... 14
10.EXERCISEUSINGCREATELINECOMMANDS ......................................................................................... 14
11.EXERCISEUSINGCREATEARCCOMMANDS.......................................................................................... 16
12.EXERCISEUSINGFILLETCOMMAND ..................................................................................................... 16
13.CREATEDRAWING#2 ........................................................................................................................... 18
14.ANGLEMEASUREMENT......................................................................................................................... 20
15.EXERCISEUSINGCREATEARCPOLARCOMMANDS .............................................................................. 20
16.EXERCISEUSINGTRIMCOMMAND ....................................................................................................... 21
17.EXERCISEUSINGBREAKANDJOINCOMMANDS................................................................................... 24
18.EXERCISEUSINGMIRRORCOMMAND .................................................................................................. 25
19.CREATEDRAWING#3............................................................................................................................ 26
20.EXERCISEUSINGOFFSETCOMMANDS.................................................................................................. 26
21.CREATEDRAWING#4............................................................................................................................ 27
22.CREATEDRAWING#5 ........................................................................................................................... 28

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RouterX42DGEOMETRYCREATION

23.CREATEDRAWING#6............................................................................................................................ 28
24.EXERCISEUSINGROTATECOMMAND................................................................................................... 28
25.CREATEDRAWING#7............................................................................................................................ 29
26.CREATEDRAWING#8............................................................................................................................ 29
27.CREATEDRAWING#9............................................................................................................................ 30
28.EXERCISETOCREATETANGENTARCS................................................................................................... 30
29.CREATEDOORDRAWING#10 ............................................................................................................... 31
30.REVIEWCREATEDOORDRAWING#11 .............................................................................................. 32
31.CREATEDRAWING#12.......................................................................................................................... 32
32.EXERCISETOCREATETANGENTLINES .................................................................................................. 33
33.EXERCISEUSINGPOLYGONCOMMAND................................................................................................ 34
34.REVIEWEXERCISEDRAWING#13...................................................................................................... 34
35.CREATEDRAWING#14......................................................................................................................... 35
36.CREATEDRAWING#15.......................................................................................................................... 35
37.EXERCISEUSINGTRANSLATECOMMAND ............................................................................................. 36
38.CREATEDRAWING#16......................................................................................................................... 37
39.EXERCISEUSINGANALYZECOMMAND ................................................................................................. 37
40.EXERCISEUSINGATTRIBUTESCOMMAND............................................................................................ 39
41.MANAGELEVELS ................................................................................................................................... 40
42.EXERCISEUSINGCHANGEATTRIBUTESCOMMAND ............................................................................. 42
43.CREATEDRAWING#17......................................................................................................................... 43
44.DIMENSIONGEOMETRY........................................................................................................................ 43
45.XFORMNESTING ................................................................................................................................... 44

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RouterX42DGEOMETRYCREATION

46.REVIEWEXERCISEDRAWING#18 ...................................................................................................... 46
47.OPTIONALSOLIDDRAWING#1 .......................................................................................................... 47
48.EXERCISEUSINGANALYZECHAINCOMMAND...................................................................................... 48
49.CONVERTINGDRAWINGSFROMDIFFERENTCADPACKAGES .............................................................. 51
50.CUSTOMIZINGTHEBUTTONSANDKEYSUSINGSETTINGS................................................................... 52

Page3

RouterX4 TOOLPATHCREATION


2DTOOLPATHCREATIONCONTENT


1.CHAININGOPTIONS. .......................................................................................................... 63

DRAWING#1 ........................................................................................................................ 65
2.MACHINEDEFINITION........................................................................................................ 65
3.PROPERTIES ....................................................................................................................... 65
4.CREATINGAPROFILETOOLANDMACHININGATABLETOP............................................... 66
DRAWING#7 ........................................................................................................................ 77
5.DRILLINGTOOLPATH.......................................................................................................... 78
6.REVIEWEXERCISEDRAWING#6....................................................................................... 81
DRAWING#14 ...................................................................................................................... 85
7.MACHINETHEPOKERTABLE.............................................................................................. 85
DRAWING#9.MCX ................................................................................................................ 91
8.POCKETTOOLPATH............................................................................................................ 91
DRAWING#17 ...................................................................................................................... 97
9.ENGRAVING....................................................................................................................... 97
10.USINGRAST2VECIMPORTABITMAP ............................................................................. 104
DRAWING#10.MCX ............................................................................................................ 108
11.POCKET(ISLANDFACING)TOMACHINETHEPANELS. .................................................... 108
12.CIRCMILLTHEHOLE(OPTIONAL).................................................................................... 111

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RouterX4 TOOLPATHCREATION


13.MACHINETHEOPENPOCKETSINTHELEFTSIDETOOLPLANE(OPTIONAL) .................... 112

14.DRILLTHEHOLESINTHELEFTSIDETOOLPLANE(OPTIONAL) ........................................ 113
15.BLOCKDRILLING ............................................................................................................ 114
16.MACHININGTHENESTEDPARTS .................................................................................... 116
17.TOOLPATHNESTING ...................................................................................................... 121
DRAWING#11.MCX ............................................................................................................ 126
18.REVIEWPOCKET(ISLANDFACING)TOMACHINETHEPANELS....................................... 126
19.TOOLPATHNESTINGFROMSOLIDS................................................................................ 133
DRAWING#18 .................................................................................................................... 145
20.MACHINETHECLOCK ..................................................................................................... 145


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RouterX4 TOOLPATHCREATION





16.MACHININGTHENESTEDPARTS

ResourcesDownloadthefilefromwww.emastercam.com/files/x4_pcrouter.html

File
Open

SelectFrameNested.mcx
DeletethetextSheet#1Resultsandtheoriginalpartsandkeeponlythesheetwiththenested
partsasshown.















Screen

CombineViews

Thisensuresthatallarcsaremovedfromtheparallelviewstothesingleview.Thisoptionisuseful
whenyoutranslatefilesfromotherapplicationsandwanttoreducethenumberofdifferentviews.
Forexample,ifyouhavearcsonthebottomviewandtopview,Mastercammovesallarcstotop
view.

Properties


ToolSettings

SettheProgram#600
EnableAssigntoolnumberssequentiallyandalltheAdvancedoptions.
EnableFeedCalculationFromTool


Establishingthestocksize

SetthestocksizeusingAllEntitiesbutton.EnterthethicknessofthestockZ=16

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RouterX4 TOOLPATHCREATION





16.1.DRILLINGTHE10MMDIAMETERTHROUGHHOLES

Toolpath
Drill

UseMaskonArc
IntheToolpathParametersusingSelectlibrarytoolandthefilteroptionsselectthe10mmDrill
SettheSpindlespeedandtheFeedrate(nocoolant)
TypeinthecommentareaDrillingthe10mmdiameterholes.


Simpledrilling

Clearance=50(Abs)
EnableUseclearanceonlyatthestartandendofoperation
Retract=5.0(Abs)
Topofstock=0(Abs)
Depth=17.0
SettheCycletoDrill/Counterbore
BackplotandVerifythetoolpath

















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RouterX4 TOOLPATHCREATION




Notethegreencolor#10arcthatwherecreatedtoensureabetterfittingofthepartswhentheywill
beassembled.



Wearegoingtodrillthem
witha12mmdrill



















16.2.DRILLINGTHE12MMDIAMETERTHROUGHHOLES

Toolpath
Drill

UseEntityandmaskoncolor9andcolor10
IntheToolpathParametersusingSelectlibrarytoolandthefilteroptionsselectthe12mmDrill

SettheSpindlespeedandtheFeedrate(nocoolant)
TypeinthecommentareaDrillingthe12mmdiameterholes.


Simpledrilling

Clearance=50(Abs)
EnableUseclearanceonlyatthestartandendofoperation
Retract=5.0(Abs)
Topofstock=0(Abs)
Depth=17.0
SettheCycletoDrill/Counterbore
BackplotandVerifythetoolpath

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RouterX4 TOOLPATHCREATION





16.3.CONTOURTHEOUTSIDEPROFILES

Toolpaths
Contour

Usewindowselection,maskoncolormagenta#13andenableCWforClosedchainstoensureclimb
cut.


Toolpathparameters

IntheToolpathParametersclickonSelectlibrarytoolandusingFilterselectthe12mmRouterBit


ContourParameters


SetupHeights

Clearance=50(Abs)
Retract=25(Abs)
Feedplane=2(Incr)
Topofstock=0(Abs)
Depth=17(Abs)
SetthecuttercompensationinComputertotheLeft.
EnableLeadIn/outandsettheEntrylinetoTangentand200%
NoArcentryandnoexitLineandArc
EnableFilterandkeepthedefaults
EnableTabsandsetthemto;
Partial,Width=30andTabthickness=3.0
EnableManualandUsesquarepointfortabposition
IntheSettings,enableMidpointandRampmoveswithRampangle=45deg
Backplotthetoolpath
Verifythetoolpaths













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RouterX4 TOOLPATHCREATION





16.4.USECONTOURTOOLPATHTOMACHINETHECUTOFF

Toolpaths
Contour

UseSingleselectionandselectthelineintheupwarddirection


Toolpathparameters

Usethe12mmRouterBit

ContourParameters


SetupHeights

Clearance=50(Abs)
Retract=25(Abs)
Feedplane=2(Incr)
Topofstock=0(Abs)
Depth=17(Abs)
SetthecuttercompensationinComputertotheRight.
EnableLeadIn/outandsettheEntry/exitlinetoTangentand200%
NoArcentryandexit
Backplotthetoolpath.












Postprocess
thefile.






Page120

RouterX4 TOOLPATHCREATION





17.TOOLPATHNESTING

ResourcesDownloadthefilefromwww.emastercam.com/files/x4_pcrouter.html

File
Open

SelectNestinggeom.mcx


17.1.CONTOURTHERIGHTPART

Toolpaths
Contour

SelectthefirstchainintheCWdirection.

Tips:UseReversebuttontochangethedirectionif
needed.




Toolpathparameters

Selectthe1/4StraightBit
SettheSpindlespeedandtheFeedrate
Insertacomment:Contourtheleftpart.




Contourparameters 

Clearance=2.0(Abs)
Retract=0.25(Abs)
Feedplane=0.1(Incr)
Topofstock=0(Abs)
Depth=0.250(Abs)
SetthecuttercompensationinControltotheLeft
MakesurethattheLeadin/outisenable;enableEntry/exitatmidpointinclosedcontours
EnableTabsandsettheparametersto;Partial;Width=0.5;Tabthickness=0.1
EnableManualandUsesquarepointfortabposition
SelectSettingsandenablePointGeometryTabPositioningatMidpoint


Page121

RouterX4 TOOLPATHCREATION




Backplotthefirstcontour
toolpath.









Notethetabs.



17.2.CONTOURTHELEFTPART.

Toolpaths
Contour

SelectthefirstchainintheCWdirection.
Selectthe1/4StraightBit
SettheSpindlespeedandtheFeedrate
Insertacomment:Contourtherightpart.


Setthecontourparameterssameasthefirstpart

Depth=0.250(Abs)

SetthecuttercompensationinControltotheLeft
MakesurethattheLeadin/outisenable;enableEntry/exitatmidpointinclosedcontours


DisableTabs






Backplotthesecondcontour
toolpath.



Page122

RouterX4 TOOLPATHCREATION





17.3.NESTINGTHETOOLPATHS.

Toolpaths
Nesting


Sheetstab

LeavetheSize96by48
Quantity=1
OriginX0,Y0
GrainDirectionsettoHorizontal
SheetMargin=0.125
SelecttheConfigbutton
.
EnableLoaddefaultsheetandDisplayResultsdialog
EnableTrueShapeandNesttoTooldiameter
AccuracysettoFine
EnableIncluderapidmovetoAllops
DisableNestsmallerpartintheholesoflargerparts
Operationtab
RightmouseclickandselectAddoperations
Selectbothcontours
Clickon1Contourandsettheparametersasshown





















Page123

RouterX4 TOOLPATHCREATION




Clickon2Contourandsettheparametersasshown





























Parameterstab

EnableMaximumvacuumandMinimumtoolchange
SetStopconditiontoNone
EnableOneworkoriginpersheet











Page124

RouterX4 TOOLPATHCREATION




TheNestingresultsshouldlookasshownVerticalcutoff.






























SettheStockasshown














Page125

RouterX4 TOOLPATHCREATION




VerifytheNestingtoolpath























DRAWING#11.MCX


18.REVIEWPOCKET(ISLANDFACING)TOMACHINETHEPANELS

File
Open

SelectDrawing11.mcx


UsingXformTranslate
commandtomovethepanels
(Theinsidechains)alongZ
.0125









Page126