NC Lathe Menu

Used most often to machine the part along the length of the material with cutting moves parallel to the Z axis. However, you can change the Cut Angle to cut at any angle to the Z axis.

	Angle	Length
Rough Depth Of Cut		.25
Cut	180.00
Retract	90.00
Leadin	180.00	.1
Leadout	60.00	.2

	Angle	Length
Rough Depth Of Cut		.25
Cut	180.00
Retract	-90.00
Leadin	180.00	.1
Leadout	-60.00	.2

	Angle	Length
Finish Depth Of Cut		.01
Retract	90.00
Leadin	180.00	.1
Leadout	60.00	.2
Finish Passes = 1
Spring Passes = 0

	Angle	Length
Finish Depth Of Cut		.01
Retract	-90.00
Leadin	180.00	.1
Leadout	-60.00	.2
Finish Passes = 1
Spring Passes = 0

	Angle	Length
Rough Depth Of Cut		.25
Finish Depth Of Cut		.01
Cut	180.00
Retract	90.00
Leadin	180.00	.1
Leadout	60.00	.2
Finish Passes = 1
Spring Passes = 0

	Angle	Length
Rough Depth Of Cut		.25
Finish Depth Of Cut		.01
Cut	180.00
Retract	-90.00
Leadin	180.00	.1
Leadout	-60.00	.2
Finish Passes = 1
Spring Passes = 0

Used most often to machine the part along the diameter of the material with cutting moves perpendicular to the Z axis. However, you can change Cut Angle to cut at any angle to the Z axis.

Face Examples

Face Control Tab

OD Face turn with Cut angle = -90, Rough only

OD Face with Cut angle = -90, Finish only

Rough OD Face: Cut angle = -90

Rough ID Face: Cut angle = 90

Finish OD Face: Cut angle = -90

Finish ID Face: Cut angle = 90

OD Face with Rough and Finish Cut angle = -90

ID Face with Rough and Finish Cut angle = 90

	Angle	Length
Rough Depth Of Cut		.150
Cut	-90
Retract	0
Leadin	-90	0
Leadout	30	0

	Angle	Length
Rough Depth Of Cut		.250
Cut	90.00
Retract	0.00
Leadin	90.00	.1
Leadout	-30.00	.2

	Angle	Length
Finish Depth Of Cut		.010
Retract	0.00
Leadin	-90.00	.1
Leadout	30.00	.2
Finish Passes = 1
Spring Passes = 0

	Angle	Length
Finish Depth Of Cut		.010
Retract	0.00
Leadin	90.00	.1
Leadout	-30.00	.2
Finish Passes = 1
Spring Passes = 0

	Angle	Length
Rough Depth Of Cut		.25
Finish Depth Of Cut		.01
Cut	-90.00
Retract	0.00
Leadin	-90.00	.1
Leadout	30.00	.2
Finish Passes = 1
Spring Passes = 0

	Angle	Length
Rough Depth Of Cut		.25
Finish Depth Of Cut		.01
Cut	90.00
Retract	0.00
Leadin	90.00	.1
Leadout	-30.00	.2
Finish Passes = 1
Spring Passes = 0

Introduction

Face Off Control Tab

Remove material from the face of a part in preparation for performing other turning operations. You can remove a specified amount of material to the right of a point you select on the part. Most of the time this point will be the right most point on the part. In addition to a point on the face of the part and the amount of material to remove, you must identify a point on the outside diameter of the material and one on the inside diameter. The inside diameter of the material will usually be the Z axis so that all the material on the face of the part will be removed.

However, if you work with stock that has a hole in its center, you might want to identify a point on the inside of the hole as the inside diameter in order to avoid unnecessary tool moves.

The outside and inside diameters referred to above, are called the major and minor diameters, and when you perform the Face Off operation, SURFCAM will prompt you to select them. The amount of material to remove is identified in the Stock To Remove parameter on the Face Off Control tab.

Click Face Off on the NC > Lathe menu. SURFCAM displays the Select Point Menu and the prompt reads, “Select a point on the face.” Select one of the right most points on the part. The prompt then reads, “Select a point denoting major diameter or Done for prev point position.” Select a point on the outermost diameter of your material. If that point is the same as the one you selected as a point on the face, you can click Done to use the previously selected point. The prompt then reads, “Select a point denoting minor diameter or Done for 0.” Select a point that identifies the innermost diameter to which you want to cut. If the point is on the Z axis, you can click Done.

SURFCAM then displays the Lathe Face Off dialog box.

Introduction

Groove Control Tab

Cut grooves in a part. There are several categories of groove cutting available: OD Groove, OD Back Groove, ID Back Groove, ID Groove, OD Face Groove, OD Back Face Groove, ID Back Face Groove, and ID Face Groove. Select the category you want to use with the Operation parameter on the Tool Information dialog box.

Click Groove on the NC > Lathe menu. SURFCAM displays the Groove chaining menu and the prompt reads, “Select beginning element of part.”

Accurate chaining is critical to defining the groove. When selecting the beginning element of the groove, make sure you click on a point that is near the beginning of the element. Remember that when you pick the beginning element you are selecting both a point and a direction for chaining—the direction being from the beginning of the element toward the point you select.

The prompt then reads, “Select ending element of part.” Pick the point at the other end of the contour that defines the groove.

The prompt then read, “Select beginning element of material boundary.” Selecting the material boundary is optional. Either select the material boundary or click Done.

SURFCAM displays the Lathe Groove dialog box.

Create inside or outside canned cycle threads. This operation performs the rough and finish cuts for the desired thread.

Thread Control Tab

Drill the face of the part. Only the part centerline can be drilled. When you click Drill on the NC > Lathe menu, the Select Point menu appears, and the prompt reads, “Select starting location for canned cycle.” After you select the location to drill, the Lathe Drill dialog box appears.

Lathe Drill Control Tab

Cut a turned part off of the bar stock from which it was machined.

Click Partoff on the NC > Lathe menu. The Select Point Menu appears and the prompt reads, “Select a point on the back face.” Select one of the left most points on the part. The prompt then reads, “Select a point denoting major diameter or Done for prev point position.” Select a point on the outermost diameter of your part. If that point is the same as the one you selected as a point on the back face, you can click Done to use the previously selected point. The prompt the reads, “Select a point denoting minor diameter or Done for 0.” Select a point that identifies the innermost diameter to which you want to cut. If the point is on the Z axis, you can click Done.

SURFCAM will then display the Lathe Partoff dialog box.

Partoff Control Tab