CNC Machining Work In Progress.

[manike]

Hi Guys,

I thought some of you that are more technically minded might like to see what the C&C Extreme's and the NC paths look like while I am programming them. Here is a screen shot :)

http://www.automags.org/~Manike/ncprog1.jpg

The dark lines are NC paths. This one is actually the second design. The pattern you can see on the side is how we got the aztec look, but that's not what it is here. Here that is just a quick way to rough off the extra material before the finishing programs (not seen).

You can see that some of the shape is actually 3D modeled but not all of it. It very much depends on what I am doing as to wether or not I fully model a design. If/When I do Dave's design I expect I will model it to quite an extent.

manike

[manike]

Here you get to see how I work out if I can mill modules with the feed stubs in place or not. The gold bit is the tool, the green above it the tool holder. You can see I'm checking how near this cut is going to take me to the module. Let's hope I modelled up the module correctly. :)

http://www.automags.org/~Manike/swooshmodule.jpg

Looks like we will be milling modules then ;)

manike

[headcase]

That second pic is with the left side of the body facing up, right?(you can see the sear pic hole, at least I think that's what it is.)

If so, you modelled the module with both types of feed? The Blue should be the warp, while it looks like the vert is on there as well.

Does this just save you time, or is there another reason? Thanx for the pics, it's interesting to see what is going on.

I guess I'll be buying an extreme w/ warp and vert breeches, alone with the Manike(TM) frame. This is getting more expensive by the day. :)

[manike]

Well spotted :) Yes that is the sear hole, you can see how I filleted around it to make it all nice and smooth :)

Both pictures are actually of the same side up just viewed from different places. (To make it easier to see what is going on).

Both feed stubs are on the screen, but they are modelled seperately. I can just filter in whatever layers I want to see. That shot has both feed modules filtered in and so they are superimposed on each other. I have them both up as I didn't bother filtering the vert one out when I brought the warp one up. No other major reason. But sometimes it helps so I can visualise what designs will look like with both feeds.

You can see that some of it is modelled but if you look towards the back you will see the green surface coming out of the pink. This is the surfaces that makes the motorbike saddle look on the second one, but I didn't bother finishing to trim and cut back the surfaces as there was no need. I knew in my mind how it would look, and this leaves me more versatility if I want to make any changes.

manike

[Bonx0007]

I am glad the modules will be molded.

[Dave]

Wow! that is excellent. I will get a straight ahead picture of the first design(X-mag) in the right scale and get it to you as soon as possible! You will probably have it by tomorrow, as I have somewhere to go tonight, but you can bet I will be working on it either this afternoon and definitely tomorrow moring, hopefully making it as accurate as possible!! This is very cool-thanks for being so open about these designs.

-Dave

[Bluntman]

Hmm... now I see. That just clears everything up. :confused: :confused: :confused: :)

[OhMyAMoose]

I have no idea at what I am looking at... i wish I was a little smarter.

[manike]

You are looking at a virtual model of the Extreme automag body.

In this virtual world I can make changes so it looks differently or functions differently and then I can make files which tell a computer numerical control (CNC) milling machine how to make what I have designed.

The dark grey lines all around the body that you can see are lines indicating the path that the tip of the cutter on the mill will follow in order to machine what was designed virtually onto/into a real body.

This is a CAM system. Computer Aided Manufacturing :)

manike

[ZyperioN]

Wow thats exactly what i have been wanting to get ahold of. i have my own milling machine and i want to design a custom milled body. could you post the model file for a plain extreme body. thanx man.

[Vegeta]

He cannot post the model file. He is under contract from AGD remember? If he gave away the model file for the production model gun... then anyone with a block of stock aluminum and a CNC lathe could easily reproduce one, therefore defeating the purpose of AGD marketing the product, since people could get them from other sources.
Not to say that other people cannot just do a 3D Scan of the object and have a machine mill it, but doing that would require programming the tool paths of the object, which from what Simon has posted, looks to be pretty complicated.

Now back to the pictures. In the first image I am assuming the green thin lines are tooling passes? If so, that sure is a lot of work just to make one of those back end curves. I am not going to count but that back left handside curve under the valve alonee must have 20 or so.


And people wonder why they charge so much for these bodies. it takes hours of work just to develop the model of the body and geometry alone, and on top of that, the tooling for the machine.





I still think it woudn't do any harm in releasing a model of the base extreme, not for machining but for modeling, is a filetype like .max or .3ds....

[manike]

Vegeta there are "N72752M30" 72,752 blocks of code that go into cutting the CNC body style! If you take into account the ace pocket below etc. then there is around 100,000 individual instructions telling the tool which points in 3d space that it needs to go to :eek:

Yes each one of those lines you see at the back is an individual cutting path.

Each of those back fillets takes quite a bit of cutting but they are so smooth and lovely that they are worth it :D It's amazing how much nicer that fillet is over the stock body and yet many people take it for granted ;) glad you noticed!

manike

[ZyperioN]

Yeah i understand the problem with releasing the full cam model

but maybe it would be possible to release a model of it without the milling instructions programmed in, i doubt anyone would go in and replace the whole code. i just want the thing for experimenting with modeling and milling techniques. I would sign any confidentiality agreement needed.

[manike]

Zyperion It's not up to me.

The thing is, if the model is released all the time, money and work that goes into the design and prototyping is then available for anyone to copy very easily. There is a huge investment in this project and the last thing anyone wants is someone to start making copies and ripping AGD(E) off.

If you want practice then model up your own version :) that's the best practice.

manike

[ZyperioN]

damn i really wanted to try making my own milling, any idea when they will become available or atleast some way to computer-design the milling?

[manike]

Originally posted by ZyperioN
damn i really wanted to try making my own milling, any idea when they will become available or atleast some way to computer-design the milling?

er, model up your own version?

Or buy an extreme and measure it and build your own model to work from. Depending on where you want to mill and what you want to mill, it might not be that hard. After all the inside is pretty tubular ;)

manike

[ZyperioN]

yeah im not to concerned about milling the inside lol :D

[Timmy63]

I am assuming you use a ballnose end mill for the curves on the profile right? I was just wondering what size end mill you use and how many tools you use to complete the outside profile. Also, if you can tell me, I was curious as to what CAM software that is that you are using. I am familiar with a few different CAM programs but that one didn't look familiar.

[FooTemps]

so... are you gonna show us that other body you were working on too?

[manike]

Timmy63, Yes it uses a ball nose cutter to get the curves. It's mainly done with a 12mm diameter tool. Off the top of my head it uses 4 different cutters...

Foo there are pictures of my other gun in some other threads.

manike

[TransMan]

Wow thats interesting i think ill try making a body for my RT which shouldnt be as complicated. If you wouldnt mind telling me what program that is i would appreciate it I have a CAM program but its a lttle older than that one and im thinkin about getting a newer one thanks.

[Pand0ra]

The program he uses is Tebis.
Probably one of the most powerfull CAM program out there.

Here's a link to the website of tebis:
http://www.tebis.com/tebis_neu/index.php3

In another post Tom stated next year they'll release drawings to allow poeple to make their own bodies.
I don't think it'll cause any troubles to the incomes of AGD. Don't forget the body is just one part of the marker.
you still need all the other parts to make it work.

@++

[manike]

Originally posted by Pand0ra
Probably

:eek: how dare you :)

manike (who works for Tebis which is why he has all this nice software to play with).

[TransMan]

In another post Tom stated next year they'll release drawings to allow poeple to make their own bodies.
Ahh but will there be one for the Old RT besides its fun when u make somthing yourself if i get one drawn up and get it to work. ill post it here so anyone else can may be a while though im working on some other projects including what could posibly be the fastest paintball gun ever. :D :D :D if all goes well there rate of fire will be REALLY HIGH and it should actually shoot paint that fast but i cant give any more info but im sure you guys will be the first to hear about it ;)

[Pand0ra]

Originally posted by manike


:eek: how dare you :)

manike (who works for Tebis which is why he has all this nice software to play with).

To say it's the best I would have to play with it too :D .

@++

[steveg]

Hmmm tebis the most powerful, that smells of technical roundtable unsubstantiated marketing claim hype













;)