A form tool will be used to plunge a shape into a turned part. A Turning Form Tool is created for his purpose. Users often find the interface for this tool type to be confusing. What basic points will help make this tool creation easier to understand?
Solution
1. Create a new Turning Form Tool and delete all of the Nose Segments. Set the (OA) Orient Angle to 0 on the Dimensions pane. The (OA) Orient Angle which rotates the entire tool will be set to the correct angle as the final step after the tool is completely defined. The first element of the tool is created by setting the (A) Angle to 180 degrees and the (EL) Edge Length value to 1 on the Initial Edge pane. A message will be displayed that the tool parameters are invalid. This message will disappear when more tool segments are added.
2. To add the first new segment enter the (NR) Nose Radius, (NA) Nose Angle and (EL) Edge Length values on the Nose Segments pane. The direction of the (NA) Nose Angle and the (NR) Nose Radius is always set as if looking along the previous segment. A positive degree angle will add a segment which turns clockwise, as seen in the picture below, and a negative angle will turn counter-clockwise.
3. Press the Add New Set button to continue adding new cutter segments. For the next cutter element a positive degree (NA) Nose Angle and (NR) Nose Radius will be added. Again we see that these settings result in a segment that turns clockwise from the direction of the last segment.
4. To create a segment that rotates counter-clockwise will require a negative (NR) Nose Radius and (NA) Nose Angle value. In the image below notice the direction that the R3 radius sweeps compared to the R1 and R2. Entering a 0 radius value can be used to create a sharp corner. Again notice that the rotation angle is measured from the last segment.
5. The finalsegment is added to finish off the shank portion of the tool.
9. The (OA) Orient angle is now set for the desired cut. Setting this value to 90, as seen below, would allow the tool to cut on the OD of the part instead of on the face.
10. Notice that this type of tool can only be used with the Thread OD, Thread ID and the Teach Mode operation types.
Hardware/Software Configuration
Platform: na OS: n/a OS Version: n/a Product: NX Application: CAM Version: V1915 Function: TURNING
