Rotary parallel strategy

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The rotary parallel strategy included in the Fusion Manufacturing Extension

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is a finishing operation that uses the 4th or 5th axis on your machine tool to cut parts where continuous rotary motion is beneficial.

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The introduction of a rotary 4th or 5th axis on a machine tool can help minimize issues—such as multiple setups, poor cutting conditions,

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and interference with the machine or tool—and improves your manufacturing capabilities.

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Defining the tool axis is a crucial step in your CAM programming process,

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and there are a range of definition options to simplify the process for success.

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To better understand the benefits of a rotary parallel strategy, consider an example.

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While rotary machining often works well on part shapes that have a defined rotational center axis,

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for the lobes of the camshaft in this example, a machining method that wraps around the geometry is beneficial.

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In this case, the rotary parallel strategy is defined in the Intake Lobe #1 toolpath.

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In the Intake Lobe #1 dialog, on the Geometry tab, you can see that the Rotary Axis is set to Setup X Axis,

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which specifies the X axis of the machine.

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The Origin here is set to Setup WCS origin, which is the center of the cylindrical section of the part.

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Again, these settings define a toolpath that projects around the geometry.

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You can see that the tool axis aligns to the center axis, giving a toolpath with continuous rotary motion and smooth tool axis.

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This rotary parallel method of toolpath creation can be useful when using either a 4-axis machine tool,

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or even a 5-axis machine tool limited to use 4 axes in motion.

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With a library of defined methods for tool axis control,

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the Manufacturing Extension allows you to program the 4th and 5th rotary axis of your machine tool simply and safely,

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increasing your manufacturing success and productivity.