Defining Machines with Interchangeable Heads

This section describes how to create and manage a milling machine along with mountable milling heads.

Previously, the creation of Milling Machines and Milling Heads, with the capability to do a head change during simulation, was not supported. This functionality enables to create such machines to be used in simulation.

The below scenario describes how to create a new Milling Machine Head, which can then be inserted into the milling machine CATProduct.

Creating a new Milling Head

1. Click New Milling Head , to create a milling head in the context of a product document.

   In the PPR tree, one node, MillingHead.1, is created under the sub-node, Mechanisms, of the Applications node.

2. Define the Tool Mount Point and Head Base Point (listed in the drop-down menu), using Create Mount Point .

   Head Base Point is the point on the milling head, that will go and snap to the Head Mount Point on the milling machine, during simulation.

   For more information on Creating Mount Points, see Defining Tool and Work-piece Mount Points.

3. You can then, optionally, define any kinematics that will be part of this milling head.

4. Save this document.

Inserting the Milling Head into the Milling Machine

Open an existing milling machine.

1. Right-click the root node in the Product tree, to open the contextual menu.

2. From the Components sub-menu, select Existing Component...

   The File Selection dialog box opens.

3. Browse to the location of the milling head, created in the previous scenario.

   Upon selection, the milling head is inserted into the milling machine.

4. You can then jog the milling heads or the milling machine, individually.

• D5 created milling machines with milling heads are not supported.
• Milling heads with up to only two rotary joints will be supported for simulation.
• During simulation, the milling machine and milling head, together, should have only up to three linear and two rotary joints.