In Edgecam there are two ways that you can simulate your programmes:
Full simulation, this includes machine and fixture as well as tool collision detection.
Instruction Simulation, individual or all your instructions can be simulated as you produce them.
This article is about Edgecam Instruction simulation.
You can simulate the whole sequence using the simulator in Edgecam. This is really good for collision checking and being sure that your final programme will run ok.
Before the full simulation you can run a simulation from the instruction window. You can see the tool path and accurately see the shape you are machining.
It is really useful for checking your tool path as you produce it. But it does not check for collisions.
The attached video shows you how to tune in to a specific part of your toolpath and analyze it by using the zoom function.
Top Slider
The top slider shows the progress of the simulation throughout the instruction list. Slide it with your mouse to fast forward or back through the simulation.
The current cycle or command is displayed (‘Finish Turning’ in this example).
Speed Control
You can control the speed of the simulation by moving the bottom slider, left to slow down and right to speed up.
Factor
The number to the right of the bottom slider acts as a multiplier to the speed set by the slider. Use the buttons to the left of the number to change it.
Constant
Click the Constant button to activate it and set the simulation to run at a fixed rate. Click the button again to deactivate it, the tool will then move at a rate proportional to the feeds in the cycle.
Using the Stop button halts the simulation for the current tool only.
Layers in Edgecam, when I was a planning engineer at Rolls Royce in 1971, the year they went bust and the government had to take-over, everything was done with a good old fashioned pencil.
The way that you could build up drawings was with the use of see through tracing paper. This meant that you could have different things on different sheets of tracing paper. For example one sheet could just be the dimensions. So when you layered them all on top of each other you could see the whole drawing. On the other hand if you wanted to be without the clutter of the dimensions you could remove that sheet.
Ok that said well that’s the principle of having Layers in Edgecam or any CAD system. You can put anything on any layer and then display the layers as and when you wish. If you just want to see your solid model and nothing else you can click show only on that layer and the model is all you will see.
You can see what a powerful tool this is when used right. Unfortunately when used wrong it can be very confusing.
When you are drawing (lines circles etc.) or you are extracting edges. Always be aware that this is going onto whatever is the active layer.
It is really easy to think that maybe you didn’t draw that line and it just disappeared (no this is CAD CAM not David Blaine). That line or extraction is just on a layer that is not turned on. It’s there, you just can’t see it till you turn it on.
It can be very difficult to find something if you don’t know what layer it’s on. So you try switching them all on, oh dear what a mess more clutter than a teenagers bedroom.
Ok so what you do is always use meaningful names for your layers. For example CLAMPS and if you have made containment boundaries I usually prefix the layer CONT and then the name TOP EDGE or whatever it is. I am sure you can work out your own system for this.
Edgecam Part Modeler tutorial.Tells you how to customize your interface for ease of use.
Setting up the interface on any software is really important. It’s one of those things you never seem to get around to. Like cutting your toenails then you get a hole in your sock and you think “I need to do this shit”
Get On With It
Once it’s done you get hours of fun. Think of all those wasted moves and drop down menus you won’t have to worry about.
I call it wasting time to save time. It might take you half an hour to do this but once it’s done every time you use your software you save a few more seconds.
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