Smooth out subtle flats along curved face
Smooth out subtle flats along curved face
(OP)
I have a model of a tool that has a surface lofted curved face. When you look at the face up close on the screen you can see very subtle flats rather than a nice smooth face. My problem is we use a 4 axis WEDM cut to produce this face on the tool and the subtle flats end up in the finished tool. I thought the subtle flats was just a display thing with Solidworks. My Document image quality slider is all the way up. Does the display in some way actually control the geometry used for CNC WEDM?
Is there a way to insure the WEDM cut will be smooth as is the sketch geometry that creates the loft?
Because the loft requires a 4 axis cut our Wire guys are using the SW model geometry direct into Esprit with a new Mitsubishi WEDM machine.
thanks,
Tom
Is there a way to insure the WEDM cut will be smooth as is the sketch geometry that creates the loft?
Because the loft requires a 4 axis cut our Wire guys are using the SW model geometry direct into Esprit with a new Mitsubishi WEDM machine.
thanks,
Tom
Tom Malinski
http://www.okayind.com/
Dell Prec 670, Xeon 3.8,2GB Ram, Nvidia Quadra FX 3450/4000 SDI
SWorks Pro & PDMWorks 2007 SP3.0






RE: Smooth out subtle flats along curved face
Regards,
Scott Baugh, CSWP![[pc2] pc2](https://www.tipmaster.com/images/pc2.gif)
FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policieswww.scottjbaugh.com
RE: Smooth out subtle flats along curved face
http://www.EsoxRepublic.com-SolidWorks API VB programming help
RE: Smooth out subtle flats along curved face
If adjusting these does not get you the quality that you need, you may have better luck exporting the file to a neutral format like STL where you have more control over the size of the flats.
Eric
RE: Smooth out subtle flats along curved face
I did what you said, So what am I looking at now? The comb looks uniform all the way as it follows the sketch and I can slide the density all the way up to 400 and the comb still looks uniform. How does this tell me if there are flats?
Tom Malinski
http://www.okayind.com/
Dell Prec 670, Xeon 3.8,2GB Ram, Nvidia Quadra FX 3450/4000 SDI
SWorks Pro & PDMWorks 2007 SP3.0
RE: Smooth out subtle flats along curved face
-Shaggy
RE: Smooth out subtle flats along curved face
This is interesting, and supports what someone else told me but I had my doubts as to why a cnc machine would use a display list rather than the actual geometry.
Tom Malinski
http://www.okayind.com/
Dell Prec 670, Xeon 3.8,2GB Ram, Nvidia Quadra FX 3450/4000 SDI
SWorks Pro & PDMWorks 2007 SP3.0
RE: Smooth out subtle flats along curved face
Tom Malinski
http://www.okayind.com/
Dell Prec 670, Xeon 3.8,2GB Ram, Nvidia Quadra FX 3450/4000 SDI
SWorks Pro & PDMWorks 2007 SP3.0
RE: Smooth out subtle flats along curved face
If the comb is smooth and doesn't have any severe dips or (worse) inflections (curvature comb changes sides), then your flat spots are due to display, not actual surface geometry.
http://www.EsoxRepublic.com-SolidWorks API VB programming help
RE: Smooth out subtle flats along curved face
Thanks for your help
Tom Malinski
http://www.okayind.com/
Dell Prec 670, Xeon 3.8,2GB Ram, Nvidia Quadra FX 3450/4000 SDI
SWorks Pro & PDMWorks 2007 SP3.0
RE: Smooth out subtle flats along curved face
Eric
RE: Smooth out subtle flats along curved face
STP or STEP is a true 3D file, just as Parasolid and ACIS formats are. IGES can be hit or miss, and can be surfaces-only or solid (I think, but don't know for sure since I've never really had to resort to using it). You might be thinking of STL which is typically used for stereolithography and other rapid prototyping systems. STL files are indeed "faceted" with triangular faces.
Tom,
If your WEDM system can use Parasolid, ACIS or STEP (STP) files then that would be your best choice. These files have nothing to do with the display on the screen. They are true 3D representations of the part geometry.
For all my plastic parts, requiring machining of graphite to burn the tool steel, I have used the native SWX part files and parasolid files for sending to tool makers. Most prefer the SWX part since they have SWX themselves. Also, they usually need to scale the final geometry since they must compensate for shrinkage of the plastic.
The help you get on this forum is great, but it might help to share your part file. Perhaps someone here can spot something else causing your problems.
- - -Updraft
RE: Smooth out subtle flats along curved face
Wedm machines do not do spline interpolation. Everything is chopped up in lines and arcs. If your postprocessor would use arc interpolation it would be possible to get rid of the facets. Obviously the actual parts will never resemble your cad data exactly as long as the curve definition in the nc data is not the same.
jelmerra