TRAINING

GUIDE

LATHE-LESSON-2
FACE, ROUGH, FINISH, DRILL AND
CUTOFF
Mastercam Training Guide
Objectives
You will create the geometry for Lathe Lesson 2, and then generate a toolpath to machine the
part on a CNC lathe. This lesson covers the following
topics:

 Create a 2-dimensional drawing by:

Creating lines.
Creating fillets.
Creating chamfers.

 Establish Stock and Chuck Setup settings:

Stock size.
Chuck Configuration.
Material for the part.
Feed calculation.

 Generate a 2-dimensional lathe toolpath consisting of:

Lathe Face.
Lathe Rough.
Lathe Finish.
Lathe Drill.
Lathe Cutoff.

 Inspect the toolpath using Mastercam’s Verify and Backplot by:

Launching the Verify function to machine the part on the screen.
Using Backplot to identify the accuracy of the toolpaths.
Generating the NC- code.

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LATHE - LESSON - 2 DRAWING

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TOOL LIST
Five tools will be used to create this part.
 Tool #1 Face and Rough the outside diameters
 Tool #2 Finish the outside diameters
 Tool #3 Centre drill the hole
 Tool #4 Drill the .25 diameter hole
 Tool #5 Cutoff the part

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LESSON #2 - THE PROCESS

Geometry Creation
TASK 1: Setting the Environment
TASK 2: Setting the Construction Planes
TASK 3: Create the Geometry
TASK 4: Create the.125 Fillet radius and 45° x 1/32” –Chamfer
TASK 5: Save the Drawing
Toolpath Creation
TASK 6: Define the Stock and Chuck parameters
TASK 7: Face the Front of the Part
TASK 8: Rough the Outside Diameters
TASK 9: Finish the Outside Diameters
TASK 10: Center Drill the .25” Hole
TASK 11: Drill the .25” Hole
TASK 12: Cut off the Part
TASK 13: Backplot the Toolpath
TASK 14: Verify the Toolpath
TASK 15: Save the Updated MCX File
TASK 16: Post and Create the CNC Code File

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Geometry Creation
TASK 1:
SETTING THE ENVIRONMENT
Before starting the geometry creation you should set up the grid and toolbars as outlined in the
Setting the Environment section at the beginning of this text:
1. Set up the Grid. This will help identify the location of the origin.
2. Customize the toolbars to machine a part on the Lathe.
3. Set the machine type to the default Lathe.

TASK 2:
SETTING THE CONSTRUCTION PLANES:

 Set the Construction Plane to Lathe diameter +D +Z (WCS).

1. Click on Planes at the bottom of the screen as shown below:

2. Click on Lathe diameter>+D +Z (WCS) as shown below:

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TASK 3:
CREATE THE GEOMETRY – THE LEFT HAND FACE IS AT Z0
 This task explains how to create the geometry of this part. In this lathe part you only need to
create half of the geometry, the geometry above the center line.
 Lines 1 through 9 will be created first and then the fillet and chamfer will be created.

 Create Line #1
1. Select from the pull down menu Create>Line>Endpoint…

2. The Line ribbon bar appears.

3. Move the cursor over the center of the grid and as you get close to the origin a visual cue

appears. This is the cue that will allow you to snap to the origin. With this visual cue
highlighted click on the origin.

AutoCursor: Visual Cues detects and highlights endpoints and midpoints of curves, lines, arc
center points, and point entities. In addition, AutoCursor can snap to angle, nearest, tangent,
perpendicular, horizontal, and vertical conditions.

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 The following are Mastercam Visual Cues:

4. You are next prompted to “Specify the second endpoint”. On the left hand side of the
Line ribbon bar click on the Multi-Line button to activate it as shown below by the arrow:

5. Click in the D value space (Diameter) (as shown by the arrow below) and enter a value of
1.45. Hit the Enter key and enter a value of 0 for the Z, hit the Enter key again and enter a
value of 0 for the Y and hit Enter.

6. A vertical line should be visible as shown below:

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NOTE: If you make a mistake creating lines, click on the Accept icon and click on the Undo

icon . Then redo the Line.

 Create Line #2
7. “Specify the second endpoint”; Type in 1.45 in D hit Enter, type in 0.5 in Z and hit Enter
and type in 0.0 in Y and hit Enter.

 Create Line #3
8. “Specify the second endpoint”; Type in 1.0 in D hit Enter, type in 0.5 in Z and hit Enter
and type in 0.0 in Y and hit Enter.

 Create Line #4
9. “Specify the second endpoint”; Type in 1.0 in D hit Enter, type in 0.75 in Z and hit Enter
and type in 0.0 in Y and hit Enter.

 Create Line #5
10. “Specify the second endpoint”; Type in 0.875 in D hit Enter, type in 1.125 in Z and hit
Enter and type in 0.0 in Y and hit Enter.

 Create Line #6
11. “Specify the second endpoint”; Type in 0.875 in D hit Enter, type in 1.625 in Z and hit
Enter and type in 0.0 in Y and hit Enter.

12. Fit the image to the screen by clicking on the Fit to Screen icon as shown below:

13. Then unzoom by clicking on the Un-Zoom Previous/ .5 icon as shown below:

 Create Line #7
14. “Specify the second endpoint”; Type in 0.5 in D hit Enter, type in 1.625 in Z and hit Enter
and type in 0.0 in Y and hit Enter.

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 Create Line #8
15. “Specify the second endpoint”; Type in 0.5 in D hit Enter, type in 2.0 in Z and hit Enter
and type in 0.0 in Y and hit Enter.

 Create Line #9
16. “Specify the second endpoint”; Type in 0.0 in D hit Enter, type in 2.0 in Z and hit Enter
and type in 0.0 in Y and hit Enter.

17. Click on the OK icon to complete this feature.

18. Select the Screen Fit icon to fit the part to the screen
19. Your geometry should look like the figure below:

TASK 4:
CREATE THE .125 FILLET RADIUS AND 45° X 1/32” –CHAMFER

 Create the .125 fillet radius.

1. Select Create>Fillet>Entities…

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2. The Fillet Entities ribbon bar appears and you are prompted to “Fillet: Select an entity”.

3. Click in the space for radius (circled below), and input .125 and then hit the tab key.

4. You are now transported over to the Fillet Style field (circled below). Click on the drop
down arrow to review the various fillet radius styles and then ensure Normal is selected
before moving on.

Style Field: Sets the fillet style to be created. The following styles are available from the drop
down list:
Normal = creates normal fillets on the corners of a contour, resulting in rounded corners.
Inverse = creates inverted arcs on the corners of a contour.
Circle = creates full circles in each of the corners of a contour.
Clearance = creates fillets on inside corners of a contour so that the tool will reach completely
into the corner to remove material.

5. Ensure the Trim option for fillet is activated, the icon is depressed as shown below:

6. Move over to the graphic screen and for the prompt “Fillet: Select an entity” click on Line
1 and then for the prompt “Fillet: Select another entity” click on Line 2 as shown below:

7. Click on the OK icon to complete this feature.

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8. The completed fillet is shown below:

 Create the 45° x 1/32” (.03125) Chamfer.

9. Select Create>Chamfer>Entities…

10. The Chamfer Entities ribbon bar appears.

11. Click in the space for distance 1 and input 1/32 and then hit the tab key.

12. This fractional 1/32 will then be converted to a decimal 0.03125 when you hit the tab key.

13. You are moved into the Chamfer Style options as shown below:

14. Ensure 1 Distance is selected as shown below:

15. Ensure the Trim option for Chamfer is activated, the icon is depressed as shown below:

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16. Click on Line 1 and then click on Line 2 as shown below:

17. Click on the OK icon to complete this feature.

18. The Chamfer should look like the figure below:

19. This completes the geometry for this part.

TASK 5:
SAVE THE DRAWING
1. Select File.
2. Select Save As…
3. In the “File name” box, type “Lathe-Lesson-2”.
4. Save to an appropriate location.

5. Select the check mark button to save the file and complete this function.

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Toolpath Creation
TASK 6:
DEFINING THE STOCK AND CHUCK PARAMETERS
1. Select the screen fit icon as shown to the right to display the geometry:

2. Ensure your screen looks like the image below:

a. The Toolpath Manager is open, if it is not Select Alt and O on your keyboard to open it.
b. The properties icon displays Lathe Default. If it is not refer to Setting the Environment
chapter at the beginning of the book.
c. The Lathe Lesson-2 Geometry is showing.

3. Click on the plus in front of Properties to expand the Machine Group Properties.

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4. This is Optional - To expand the toolpaths manager window, click on the outside of the
window with the left mouse button (hold the button down) and drag it to the right.

5. Click on Stock setup in the toolpath manager window.

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6. Select the Stock Properties button in the Stock Setup page as shown in the screenshot
below:
 Note: If the Properties button is called Parameters this means you are using the first
release of Mastercam X2 Lathe where some of the screens are different. To learn how to
complete this section of the Stock Setup refer to the Tips and Techniques section on the
Mastercam Training Guide – Lathe CD that accompanies this book.

7. In the Machine Component Manager-Stock window click on the Geometry button and
select Cylinder as shown below:

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 Lathe-Lesson-2

8. In the Stock setup set the values as shown below:

9. Click on the OK icon to complete this feature.

10. Select the Chuck Properties button in the Stock Setup page as shown in the screenshot
below:

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11. In the Chuck Jaws setup set the values as shown below:

12. Click on the OK icon to complete this feature.

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13. Click on the Tool Settings page and make changes as shown below:

14. To change the Material type to Aluminium 6061 pick the Select button at the bottom of the
Tool Settings page.
15. At the Material List dialog box open the Source drop down list and click on Lathe–library.

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16. From the Default Materials list click on ALUMINIUM inch - 6061 and then click on .

17. Click on the OK button again to complete this Stock Setup function.

18. Select the Un Zoom previous / .5 to view the

stock setup outline as indicated by broken lines as shown below:

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TASK 7:
FACE THE FRONT OF THE PART:
 In this task you will use a facing tool to face the front of the part in one cut.
1. Click on the Screen Fit icon to fit the part to the screen .

2. Then click on the Un-Zoom previous / .5 icon. This function reduces the size of
the displayed geometry to 50% of its current size.

3. From the menu bar select Toolpaths>Face…

4. When prompted to “Enter new NC name” ensure Lathe-Lesson-2 is entered as shown

below and then select the OK button .

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 After selecting the OK button you are confronted with Toolpath parameters page. The first
task here will be to select Tool #1 an OD Rough- Right – 80 deg.

5. Click on Tool #1 and make changes in the Toolpath parameters page as shown below:

Use the Toolpath parameters tab to:

Select a tool, set feeds and speeds, and set other general toolpath parameters.
This tab is very similar for most Lathe toolpaths.

6. Select the Face parameters page and make changes as shown below:

7. Select the OK button to complete this Lathe Face operation.

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8. A new Toolpath called 1-Lathe Face should be displayed as shown below:

 Note: the new Toolpath called 1-Lathe Face. This is where all the toolpath information is
kept. If changes are required to this toolpath just click on the parameter icon
and the Screens from steps 5 and 6 will be available. This is handy in
case a mistake was made in setting the toopath parameters or in case a modification needs
to be made.

TASK 8:
ROUGH THE OUTSIDE DIAMETERS
 In this task you will use the same tool as used for the previous facing operation Tool #1 an
OD Rough- Right – 80 deg.

1. From the menu bar select Toolpaths>Rough…

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2. In the Chaining window Chaining mode is set to Partial by default.

3. Click on chamfer as shown below:

After you have selected the chamfer ensure that the arrow is pointing towards the part as
shown below. If it is not select the reverse button in the Chaining dialog box

4. Then select Line 2 as the end entity in this chain.

5. Select the OK button to exit the Chaining dialog window.

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6. In the Toolpath parameters page select the same tool used to face the part Tool #1 an OD
Rough- Right – 80 deg and make changes as shown below:

7. Select the Rough parameters page and make changes as shown below:

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8. Select the Lead In/Out button select the Lead out page and extend the contour by .2 as
shown below:

9. Select the OK button to exit this function.

10. Select the OK button to exit Rough Parameters.

TASK 9:
FINISH THE OUTSIDE DIAMETERS
 You will finish the outside diameters in one cut using Tool #2 OD Finish Right – 35 DEG.

1. From the menu bar select Toolpaths>Finish…

2. Select Last in the Chaining dialog box.

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3. Select the OK button to complete the selection.

4. Select Tool #2 OD Finish Right – 35 DEG tool from the tool list and make changes as
shown below:

5. Select the Finish parameters page and make changes as shown below:

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6. Select the Corner Break button and make changes as shown below:

Corner Break
Use this dialog box to automatically
create radii or chamfers on all outer
corners of lathe finish toolpaths.
You can also set the feed rate when the
tool creates the radii or chamfers.

7. Select the OK button to complete this feature.

8. Select the Lead In/Out button select the Lead in page and change the Fixed Direction to
Tangent as shown below:

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9. Select the Lead out page and extend the contour by .2 as shown below:

10. Select the OK button to exit Lead In/Out.

11. Select the OK button to exit Finish parameters.

TASK 10:
CENTER DRILL THE .25” HOLE
 In this task you will center drill .2” depth using Tool #3 Centre Drill - .25 diameter.

1. From the menu bar select Toolpaths>Drill…

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2. Select the Centre Drill .25 diameter tool from the tool list and make changes as shown
below:

3. Select the Simple drill – no peck page and make changes as shown below:

4. Select the OK button to exit Simple drill – no peck.

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TASK 11:
DRILL THE .25” HOLE
 In this task you will drill the .25” hole .75” depth using Tool #4 Drill - .25 diameter.

1. From the menu bar select Toolpaths>Drill…

2. Scroll down and select the Drill - .25 diameter tool from the tool list and make changes as
shown below:

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3. Select the Single drill – no peck page and make changes as shown below. This hole will
be peck drilled. The depth of the hole is .75 from the front face so click in the space for
depth and type in 1.25 and hit the enter key. Make changes as shown below:

The hole depth on the drawing is dimensioned to .a depth of 0.75” at the full diameter of the
hole. So the point of the drill will have to go deeper than 0.75”
You can use the depth calculator button to figure out the correct depth.

4. Select the Depth Calculator icon.

5. Make changes to the Depth Calculator as shown below:

6. Select the OK button to exit the Depth Calculator.

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7. The depth has now been updated.

8. Select the OK button to exit Peck drill – full retract.

TASK 12:
CUTOFF THE PART
 In this task you will cutoff the part using a .125 wide cutoff tool.
1. From the menu bar select Toolpaths>Cutoff…

2. Select the Alt key and the T key on the keyboard to hide the toolpath lines.

Toolpath Lines visible: Press Alt T to hide toolpath Lines:

3. Pick where Line 1 and Line 2 meet as shown below: (Move the cursor over the corner until

the visual cue for End point displays and then click on this point.)

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4. Scroll down the tool window and select the OD Cutoff Right Width .125 tool and make
changes as shown below in the Toolpath parameters page.

5. Select the Cutoff parameters page and make sure the settings are as shown below:

6. Select the OK button to exit Cutoff parameters.

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TASK 13:
BACKPLOT THE TOOLPATH
 In this task you will use Mastercam’s Backplot function to view the path the tools take to cut
this part.
 Backplot will enable us to review the cutting motions and identify any problem areas when
cutting the part.

1. Select the Screen Fit icon to fit the part to the screen .

2. Then select the Un-Zoom previous / .5 icon. This function reduces the size of
the displayed geometry to 50% of its current size.

3. To pick all the operations to backplot click on the Select All icon circled below:

 Another method to Select all the operations is by clicking on the Toolpath Group-1 in the
Tool Manager as shown by the arrow below:

4. The next step is to select the Backplot selected operations icon shown below:

5. Before you Backplot the toolpath ensure the button shown below are activated. These
buttons act like a toggle switch, pressed in activated the function.
Turn on: Display Tool, Display holder, Display rapid moves.

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6. Click on the Play button. If required set the play speed on the Backplot VCR midway along
the speed bar as shown by the arrow below:

7. After reviewing the backplot of the toolpaths select the OK button to exit Backplot.

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TASK 14:
VERIFY THE TOOLPATH
 Mastercam's Verify utility allows you to use solid models to simulate the machining of a part.
The model created by the verification represents the surface finish, and shows collisions, if
any exist.

1. In the Toolpath Manager pick all the operations to backplot by clicking on the Select All icon

.
2. Select the Verify selected operations button circled below:

3. Adjust the Verify speed to midway along the speed control bar.

4. Select the play button to verify the toolpaths.

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5. The verified toolpaths should appear as in the picture below:

6. Select the OK button to exit Verify.

TASK 15:
SAVE THE UPDATED MCX FILE

1. Select the save icon from the toolbar .

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TASK 16:
POST AND CREATE THE CNC CODE FILE
1. Ensure all the operations are selected by clicking on the Select All icon from the
Toolpath manager.

2. Select the Post selected operations button from the Toolpath manager.

3. In the Post processing window, make the necessary changes as shown below.

About Post Processing

NC file: Select this option to save the NC file. The file name and extension are stored in the
machine group properties for the selected operation. If you are posting operations from different
machine groups or Mastercam files, or batch processing, Mastercam will create several files
according to the settings for each machine group.
Edit: When checked, automatically launches the default text editor with the file displayed so that
you can review or modify it.

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4. Select the OK button to continue.
5. Enter the same name as your Mastercam part file name in the NC File name field
LATHE-LESSON-2.

6. Select the Save button.

7. The CNC code file opens up in the default editor.

8. Select the in the top right corner to exit the CNC editor.

9. This completes LATHE-LESSON-2.

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LATHE-LESSON-2 EXERCISE

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