Getting Started with Mastercam Solids
July 2014
TERMS OF USE
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Mastercam® X8 Solids Getting Started
Date: July 2014
Copyright © 2014 CNC Software, Inc.— All rights reserved.
Software: Mastercam X8
Use of this document is subject to the Mastercam End User License Agreement. A
copy of the Mastercam End User License Agreement is included with the
Mastercam product package of which this document is part. The Mastercam End
User License Agreement can also be found at:
http://www.mastercam.com/companyinfo/legal/LicenseAgreement.aspx
Information might have been changed or added since this document was
published. The latest version of this document is installed with Mastercam or can
be obtained from your local Reseller. A ReadMe file (
with each release—includes the latest information about Mastercam features and
enhancements.
ReadMe.pdf)—installed
i
Contents
Introduction....................................................................................................... 1
Tutorial Goals................................................................................................. 1
General Tutorial Requirements....................................................................... 1
1. Introduction to Mastercam Solids........................................ 3
Getting Ready to Work................................................................................. 3
Exercise 1: Creating the Tray Base ....................................................... 4
Exercise 2: Creating the Upper Bosses ................................................. 8
Exercise 3: Creating the Finger Cutouts .............................................. 11
Exercise 4: Creating the Marker Cutouts............................................. 14
Exercise 5: Adding the Handle ............................................................ 15
Exercise 6: Adding Draft and Fillets .................................................... 20
Adding Draft ................................................................................................. 20
Adding Outside Fillets ..................................................................................22
Adding Top Fillets ........................................................................................ 23
Exercise 7: Shelling the Part ............................................................... 24
Other Solids Functions ............................................................................... 26
Exercise 8: Using Solids Revolve ........................................................ 26
Exercise 9: Creating Solids with Sweep.............................................. 28
Exercise 10: Using Boolean to Create a Hole ...................................... 29
Exercise 11: Adding Chamfers ............................................................ 31
Challenge ..................................................................................................... 32
2. Introduction to Model Prep................................................. 37
Getting Ready to Work............................................................................... 37
The Scenario................................................................................................ 37
Exercise 1: Splitting the Feet from the Part......................................... 38
ii MASTERCAM X8
Exercise 2: Removing One Foot........................................................... 43
Exercise 3: Reducing the Foot Height.................................................. 45
Exercise 4: Repositioning the Feet ...................................................... 47
Exercise 5: Resizing the Foot Holes..................................................... 51
Exercise 6: Creating the Counterbore .................................................. 53
Exercise 7: Aligning the Vertical Wall.................................................. 57
Exercise 8: Expanding the Wall Opening ............................................. 60
Exercise 9: Increasing the Wall Height................................................ 62
Exercise 10: Adding the Fillet.............................................................. 64
Challenge ..................................................................................................... 66
Conclusion......................................................................................................... 69
Mastercam Resources............................................................................... 70
Mastercam Documentation....................................................................... 70
Contact Us.................................................................................................... 71
Introduction
Mastercam Solids features functions for creating and editing solid models, with
support for both history-based and “brick” solids (no history tree). When you create a
solid model in Mastercam, all operations appear in the solids history tree, where you
can edit the solid model in many ways.
Mastercam’s Model Prep functions, let you modify solid models lacking a history tree.
Mastercam can identify individual geometry elements and even entire features. Using
Model Prep functions such as Push-Pull, Move, and Split Solid Face, you can make
changes to a solid, despite having no access to the model’s original wireframe.
Tutorial Goals
Create a solid model from wireframe geometry.
Edit a solid model from the solid history tree.
Modify “brick” solid models with Mastercam’s Model Prep functions.
IMPORTANT: Screen colors in the tutorial pictures were modified to
enhance image quality; they may not match your Mastercam settings or
the tutorial results. These color differences do not affect the lesson or
the exercise results.
General Tutorial Requirements
All Mastercam tutorials have the following general requirements:
You must be comfortable using the Windows
®
operating system.
2 MASTERCAM X8/ Introduction
Each lesson in the tutorial builds on the mastery of preceding lesson’s skills.
We recommend that you complete them in order.
Additional files may accompany a tutorial. Unless the tutorial provides specific
instructions on where to place these files, store them in a folder that can be
accessed from the Mastercam workstation, either with the tutorial or in any
location that you prefer.
You will need an internet connection to view videos that are referenced in the
tutorials. All videos can be found on our YouTube channel:
www.youtube.com/user/MastercamTechDocs.
GETTING STARTED WITH MASTERCAM SOLIDS
LESSON 1
1Introduction to Mastercam Solids
Mastercam Solids features the tools you need to create sophisticated solid models,
using functions with dynamic preview so you can see results as soon you edit parameters. The solids history tree lists the operations that generate the solid, and you can
open and edit any operation, as well as move, delete, and suppress operations.
Getting Ready to Work
This tutorial includes the files needed to complete the exercises. You can find these
files in the tutorial’s Parts folder, which itself contains the subfolders FlangeDemo,
MarkerTray, PressurePlate, ShippingPullTab, and SpindlePartial. Place these
files on your system wherever convenient, but be sure to keep an unmodified set. In
preparation for the following exercises, set up Mastercam as described here.
1 Start Mastercam using your
preferred method:
Double-click Mastercam’s
desktop icon.
Or
Launch Mastercam from the
Windows Start menu.
2 Select the default metric configuration file:
a Select Settings, Configuration
from Mastercam’s menu.
b Choose ...\mcamxm.config <Metric> from the Current drop-down list.
c Click OK.
4 MASTERCAM X8/ Introduction to Mastercam Solids
In this lesson, you work on the file named MarkerTray, which is included with this
tutorial. In most cases, this is the only file you will need to complete the lesson.
However, a set of files named MarkerTray01 through MarkerTray07 are also included
with this tutorial and are the results of each of the exercises. For example,
MarkerTray01 is the results of Exercise 1 and so is the state the part should be in when
starting Exercise 2.
Exercise 1: Creating the Tray Base
1 Open the file MarkerTray.
The following picture shows the file loaded into Mastercam.
2 So you do not overwrite the original, save the file as MarkerTray-XXX, where
XXX is your intitials.
3 From Mastercam’s menu, choose
Solids, Extrude.
The Chaining dialog box opens.
GETTING STARTED WITH MASTERCAM SOLIDS
CREATING THE TRAY BASE 5
4 Chain the outer rectangle, as shown
in the picture to the right.
5 Click OK in the Chaining dialog box.
Mastercam performs an extrusion on the selected chain and displays the Solid
Extrude function panel.
6 In the function panel, click the
Reverse All button.
GETTING STARTED WITH MASTERCAM SOLIDS
6 MASTERCAM X8/ Introduction to Mastercam Solids
Mastercam reverses the extrude
direction.
7 Set the extrude distance to 2mm,
and press [Ta b] to accept the new
setting.
Mastercam shows a preview of the
new extrusion, as shown in the
picture to the right.
8 Click OK and Create New
Operation to finalize the extrude
operation and begin a new one.
9 Chain the inside rectangle, and click
OK in the Chaining dialog box.
GETTING STARTED WITH MASTERCAM SOLIDS
10 Reverse the extrude direction, and
set the distance to 5mm.
Your part should now look like the picture below.
CREATING THE TRAY BASE 7
11 Set the solids operation to Add
boss.
The Add boss option creates the
extrusion as new material on the
part.
12 Click the Advanced tab, and turn on
Draft, leaving the angle at 5 degrees
GETTING STARTED WITH MASTERCAM SOLIDS
8 MASTERCAM X8/ Introduction to Mastercam Solids
Mastercam updates the display to
show the draft on the extrusion.
TIP: If you have difficulty seeing the
draft on the part, toggle the Draft
option several times, watching how
the part’s geometry changes.
13 In the function panel, click OK to
finalize the extrude operations.
14 Save the file as MarkerTray01-XXX, where XXX is your initials.
Exercise 2: Creating the Upper Bosses
Now that you have the tray’s base, you can add the bosses that form the eraser holder
and the marker storage area. For this exercise, continue with the part you just saved, or
load MarkerTray01, which accompanies this tutorial. If you choose to start with
MarkerTray01, remember to save it under the new name MarkerTray01-XXX, where
XXX is your initials.
1 In Mastercam’s status bar, click
Level.
The Level Manager opens.
2 Turn on level 2, by clicking in its
Visible column, and then click OK in
the Level Manager dialog box.
GETTING STARTED WITH MASTERCAM SOLIDS
The part displays new geometry, as
shown in the picture to the right.
This geometry was previously
created for you and provides the
basis of the new bosses.
3 In Mastercam’s menu bar, choose
Solids, Extrude.
The Chaining dialog box opens.
4 Chain the two new rectangles, and
click OK in the Chaining dialog box.
CREATING THE UPPER BOSSES 9
Mastercam creates the two new
extrusions.
GETTING STARTED WITH MASTERCAM SOLIDS
10 MASTERCAM X8/ Introduction to Mastercam Solids
5 Click the blue arrow, and then hover
your mouse over the ruler that
appears.
The ruler lets you enter linear values
visually. If you prefer, you can also
type values.
6 Using your mouse wheel, zoom in
closer to the ruler.
Mastercam displays smaller
increments on the ruler.
7 Move your mouse up over the ruler
until it snaps to 25mm, and then
click to set the new distance.
TIP: When you move your mouse
over the ruler, the selected value
snaps to the ruler’s increments.
When you move the mouse outside
the ruler, no snapping is in effect.
8 In the function panel, select Add
boss.
GETTING STARTED WITH MASTERCAM SOLIDS
CREATING THE FINGER CUTOUTS 11
9 Click the Advanced tab, and notice
that the draft angle is still set to 5
degrees.
Mastercam remembers your solids
settings for the current session.
10 In the function panel, click OK to
finalize the extrude operations.
11 Save the file as MarkerTray02-XXX, where XXX is your initials.
Exercise 3: Creating the Finger Cutouts
Next, you create finger cutouts in the new extrusions. These cutouts make it easier for
the tray’s user to get his fingers under the eraser or the markers. For this exercise,
continue with the part you just saved, or load MarkerTray02, which accompanies this
tutorial. If you choose to start with the tutorial file, remember to save it under the new
name MarkerTray02-XXX, where XXX is your initials.
1 In Mastercam’s status bar, click
Level, and then in the Level
Manager, turn on level 4.
2 In Mastercam’s toolbar, click
Shading Translucency Toggle.
GETTING STARTED WITH MASTERCAM SOLIDS
12 MASTERCAM X8/ Introduction to Mastercam Solids
The part becomes partially
transparent, allowing you to see the
two new rectangles hidden under
existing geometry.
3 In Mastercam’s menu bar, choose
Solids, Extrude.
4 Chain the two new rectangles,
clicking OK in the Chaining dialog
box when finished.
Mastercam extrudes the two
chained rectangles, as shown in the
picture to the right.
GETTING STARTED WITH MASTERCAM SOLIDS
5 In the function panel, change the
operation to Cut body, and select
Through all.
The Cut body option is the opposite
of Add boss, removing material from
the part rather than adding it.
6 On the Advanced tab, turn off Draft.
7 Turn off translucency by clicking
Shading Translucency Toggle.
CREATING THE FINGER CUTOUTS 13
Now you can see the effect of the
two new cuts more easily.
8 In the function panel, click OK to
finalize the extrude operation.
9 Save the file as MarkerTray03-XXX, where XXX is your initials.
GETTING STARTED WITH MASTERCAM SOLIDS
14 MASTERCAM X8/ Introduction to Mastercam Solids
Exercise 4: Creating the Marker Cutouts
Now you create the cutouts for each individual marker. For this exercise, continue with
the part you just saved, or load MarkerTray03, which accompanies this tutorial. If you
choose to start with the tutorial file, remember to save it under the new name
MarkerTray03-XXX, where XXX is your initials.
1 In Mastercam’s status bar, click
Level, and then in the Level
Manager, turn on level 3, and click
OK.
Mastercam displays the geometry
created for you on that level. This
geometry represents the shape of
the marker cutouts.
2 In Mastercam’s menu bar, choose
Solids, Extrude.
3 Chain the new geometry, clicking
OK in the Chaining dialog box when
finished.
GETTING STARTED WITH MASTERCAM SOLIDS
4 In the function panel, select Cut
body.
5 In the Distance section, select
Through all and Both directions.
Mastercam cuts the shape specified
by the chained geometry through
both sides of the boss, giving the
results shown.
ADDING THE HANDLE 15
6 In the function panel, click OK to
finalize the extrude operation.
7 Save the file as MarkerTray04-XXX, where XXX is your initials.
Exercise 5: Adding the Handle
Because Mastercam Solids maintains a history tree of all operations used to create a
solid model, you can easily edit the model, to correct errors or add new features. To
demonstrate this, you now add a handle to the marker tray using the solids tree. For
this exercise, continue with the part you just saved, or load
accompanies this tutorial. If you choose to start with the tutorial file, remember to save
it under the new name
MarkerTray04-XXX, where XXX is your initials.
GETTING STARTED WITH MASTERCAM SOLIDS
MarkerTray04, which
16 MASTERCAM X8/ Introduction to Mastercam Solids
1 In Mastercam’s status bar, click
Level, and then in the Level
Manager, turn on level 5, and turn
off levels 2, 3, and 4.
Mastercam displays the geometry
that you need to create the handle.
2 In Mastercam’s right-hand toolbar,
choose the wireframe quick mask.
Mastercam selects all wireframe
geometry.
3 Press [Alt+E] to hide all geometry
except the selected wireframe.
GETTING STARTED WITH MASTERCAM SOLIDS
4 In Mastercam’s toolbar, select Trim /
Break / Extend.
5 Select the Divide option in the trim
ribbon bar.
6 Click the line indicated in the picture
to the right.
ADDING THE HANDLE 17
Mastercam trims the line, leaving the
handle merged with the main part of
the tray.
7 At the bottom of the Toolpaths
Manager, click the Solids tab.
Mastercam displays the solids
operation tree.
GETTING STARTED WITH MASTERCAM SOLIDS
18 MASTERCAM X8/ Introduction to Mastercam Solids
8 Click the plus sign (+) next to the
item in the tree.
Mastercam opens the list to show
the operations you created to
generate the solid.
9 Notice that the first extrude
operation is marked dirty.
By adding the handle, you changed
the geometry that makes up the
tray’s base, which means that the
extrude operation must be
regenerated.
10 Press [Alt+E] to turn the full
geometry back on, and then click
Regen all to regenerate the solids
operations.
The handle is now a full part of the
tray’s base.
11 Double-click the first extrude in the
tree to reopen the operation.
Mastercam opens the Solid Extrude
function panel so you can make
changes to the operation.
GETTING STARTED WITH MASTERCAM SOLIDS
12 In the function panel, click the Add
Chains button.
Mastercam opens the Chaining
dialog box.
13 Chain the inside of the handle, and
click OK.
Mastercam adds the chain to the
extrude operation, cutting the
handle opening.
ADDING THE HANDLE 19
14 If the chaining arrow is not pointing
down, right-click Chain 2, and click
Reverse.
GETTING STARTED WITH MASTERCAM SOLIDS
20 MASTERCAM X8/ Introduction to Mastercam Solids
15 Click OK and Regenerate to both
finalize and regenerate the
operation.
OK and Regenerate saves you from
going to the solids tree to
regenerate.
16 Save the file as MarkerTray05-XXX, where XXX is your initials.
Exercise 6: Adding Draft and Fillets
In this exercise, you add draft to a face and fillets to some edges. Continue with the
part you just saved, or load MarkerTray05, which accompanies this tutorial. If you
choose to start with the tutorial file, remember to save it under the new name
MarkerTray05-XXX, where XXX is your initials.
Adding Draft
1 In Level Manager, turn off all levels
but 10.
2 Choose Solids, Draft, Draft to Face.
GETTING STARTED WITH MASTERCAM SOLIDS
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