This lesson will demonstrate how to insert a Mastercam drawing into your current Mastercam drawing. This feature is usefull for adding fixture components like  clamps, vices  and  tombstones,  or  design components like  screws, nuts,  spacers and washers.

For this example we need to create a counter bored, hex head cap screw hole, complete  with a 3D screw.  The sample part and the sample screw were both drawn using solids.  Both are self extracting zips of regular Mastercam .MC8  files.

Save & unzip the sample part to your Mastercam drawing folder and open it.
You should also turn on Shading (Alt S).

 

Select the menu choices shown below.

If you've downloaded the the sample screw & unzipped it,
select the sample screw file  and Open it.

     Select "Do it"

The system will now display the "Point" menu.  You should select the "center" locations of the 3 round ears on the part.  If you Autocursor is active, move your mouse to the edge of the ear and  the center point should highlight. Click to accept the center point.

Select each center point.

And again.

  Press "Main Menu"
 

Next we want to remove the outer screw body from the main part solid body.
Select the menu options shown below.

 

Mastercam will prompt you to make some selections.
First select the main body of the part, also refered to as the target.
This is the item we're removing from.
Be sure the cursor changes to a 3D box as shown below.

Then select the first screw shaft.

The second screw shaft.

And the third screw shaft.

Select Done and the cavity for the counter bore is created.

All that's left is a hole with a screw in it.

OK, Cool! Now what are you going to use this for?  Let me list some of the possibilities.

• Mold components.
• Guide pins, ejector pins  and holes.
• Gate profiles and runners.
• Making cutting tools.
• Place standard inserts (CNMG 432, etc...) into a cutter body.
• Place screws into the inserts.
• Insert Items and check clearances.
• Add clamps, and bolts to your fixtures.

How do you create a component library?  Draw something. Boom! Done.  Any Mastercam drawing can be inserted into another drawing. You may have used the "File - Merge" function to combine drawings. I'm sure you noticed that Merge brings the file in just as it was drawn, around XYZ zero.  "Create - Pattern" lets you place items  from the zero point where it was drawn,  into a specific location.  Patterns can also be scaled, rotated and mirrored for added flexibility

What can you import with "Create - Pattern"?   Any geometric entity. Lines, Arcs, Splines, Surfaces and Solids.  These items will be imported keeping all of their attributes. Color, Level, Line Style.   Notice I said Level.  Go back to your Mastercam drawing and turn off level 99. The Screws disappear for easier machining.  This is a powerful tool.

Have Fun.

Mike