Tips for Stock in ZW3D CAD/CAM

Currently in ZW3D there are 2 types of stock commands for creating the rectangular and cylinder stock.   

Fig.1

Sometimes these 2 types of stock don’t satisfy user requirements. For example take the case of a casting part, the rectangular or cylinder stock shapes do not make any sense. Also, with simulation, it is normally better to view the movement based on the previous operation. Therefore it is necessary to reuse the verification result as the simulating stock for next operation.  Now let’s take a look at how to customize a stock according to specific requirements and how to reuse the verified result as the stock for the next operation:

1. How to customize a stock.  

Shown here, is a casting part:

Fig.2

As we know, castings part often just need finishing. For this case, a rectangular or cylinder stock does not make any sense. So we need to customize a stock for it：

 a)  First, import your original part to a new file with the “Copy “ function in the Edit menu,and then name it “Stock” as shown below:

Fig.3

Fig.4

In the History option, set it to backup in order to build an affiliated relationship between the copied part and the original part. This way the stock can update according to the original part.

b) Next, change the part according to amount of finish: remove the holes and the steps in the part. Finally we are able to create a stock, as shown in figure 5.

Fig.5

Then go to the Attributes menu, click on Part, and the Part Attributes form will appear.

Fig.6

Set the CAM Classes to Stock, and click OK on the form, and the stock attribute will be assigned to the file.

c) Link the part and the stock.

Use the Link Manager to build a regeneration relationship between the extracted part from the file and the file itself. After the relationship is built, any change to the original file will automatically update the extracted part by regenerating the original file.

Go back to the original part and go to Tools menu, choose the Link Manager to get the link manager as in Fig.7; in the manager add the stock to the “ZW3D object links” area with the Insert button. Check the box “*Auto Regen”, then dismiss the form.

 The stock will be updated along with the regeneration of the original part when it is changed.

Fig.7

After that, change the original part and then regenerate it. Then, go to the stock to see what happened.

After finishing these jobs, let’s go to the CAM level and insert the Stock:

Click on the Geometry icon under the CAM setup tree, and then select the stock from the Shape Browser window as following:

Fig.8

From the figure we can see that the attribute of the stock is shown in “Stock”.

2. How to reuse the verification result as the stock for next operation

Following is the example that will be used to show how to reuse the verification result as the stock for next operation.

Fig.9 

Following are the steps on how to save the verification result as a stock with the format of STL and how to load it for next operation when solid verification.  

1) Firstly, simulate the first Rough operation with Solid Verify function; after finishing it don’t exit the Solid Verify Session;

2)Go to the Solid Verify Session dialog box and click the Option button. Then the Simulation Option form opens as shown in Fig.9.

3) Now clickSTL and save the result as a STL file.

Note: When the saving window is displayed, name the file and click Open. The file will automatically be saved.

Fig.10

4) Next use Solid Verify function to simulate the rest Rough with the Stock we have saved in the 3^rd step. Go to the Output option under the CAM tree, and click on it, and then choose the stock option and STL file and open the file saved in the last step. This process is shown in figure 10:

Fig.11

After, the output dialog box will be displayed as following:

Fig.12

Then, exit the dialog box and go to the rest rough operation to solid verify it; it should look like figure 12:

Fig.13

It shows that we have reused the verification result as the stock. Starting the verification, we can see the tool cut the stock as following:

Fig.14

For other operations, we can use the same steps to reuse the related verification result.

About ZW3D

ZW3D is all-in-one, affordable 3D CAD/CAMwhich enables conceptto finished product design in an integrated, collaborative environment. The proprietary Overdrive™ kernel delivers 3D part and assembly modeling, 2D production drawings, reverse engineering, motion simulation, mold design and integrated CNC machining, simplifying the design process from concept to completion. Experience ZW3D 2012, where the only limit is your imagination. Please go to www.zwsoft.comto download a free 30-day trial today.