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Hands-on: Inventor HSM Express 2014

90 minutes Hands-on For Beginners
Peter De Strijker - Technical Specialist, Autodesk Benelux


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Inventor HSM Express

In this tutorial, you will learn how to machine a part using following topics:
Interface
Create the Setup
Face
2D Adaptive Clearing
2D Pocket
2D Adaptive Clearing 2
2D Contour
Create the Chamfers
Create the Countersinks
Drilling
Tapping
Simulate and Post Process

Before proceeding, please open the part CAM Mania Tutorial.ipt in Inventor HSM Express, which
can be found in <FDS-ROOT>\AIA2013\IHSMEXPRESS

HSM Express Interface

Inventor HSM Express is a fully integrated CAD/CAM system which allows effective generation of
high quality 2D milling toolpaths for high speed machining.
The commands offered on the Inventor HSM Express ribbon are shown below:

Once a part or assembly file is loaded and a strategy selected from the CAM ribbon, the CAM
Browser becomes active replacing the familiar Inventor Model Browser. The CAM Browser lets you
view and modify all machining-related data in the current part or assembly.





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Create the Setup
On the CAM ribbon, click Job panel Setup .
The Setup operation dialog is displayed with the Model tab active.

In Model group, click the Model button and select the part within the stock bounding box.

In the Work Coordinate System (WCS) group, make sure that Stock box point is selected
from the Origin: drop-down menu.


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From the Bounding box point: drop-down menu, select Top corner 3.

Activate the Stock tab

Select Add stock to sides and top- bottom from the Stock offset mode drop-down menu.
Change Side offset to: 0
Change Top offset to: 1 mm
Change Bottom offset to: 5 mm

Click the OK button , or right-click in the graphics window and select OK from
the marking menu, to exit Setup and close the Operation dialog.







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Face the Stock
Perform a facing operation to clear the top face of the stock and ensure that it is completely flat.
On the CAM ribbon, click 2D Milling panel Face .

Click to open the Tool Library.









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From the Tutorial library, select 50 mm face.

Click to close the Tool Library dialog.




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In the Feed & Speed group, change Lead-in feedrate to: 1000 mm/min
Change Ramp feedrate to: 300 mm/min
Change Plunge feedrate to: 300 mm/min

Start the Calculation
Click at the bottom of the Operation dialog box, or right-click in the graphics
window and select OK from the marking menu, to automatically start calculating the toolpath.

The toolpath is now calculated and a preview appears in the graphics window.














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Rough Out the Three Pockets
The next step is to rough out the three pockets with an adaptive clearing strategy.
On the CAM ribbon, click 2D Milling panel 2D Adaptive

Click to open the Tool Library.
From the Tutorial library, select 5 mm flat.

Click to close the Tool Library dialog.
In the Feed & Speed group, change the following values:
Tip: Use Copy and Paste to duplicate the settings between the various parameter fields.
Spindle speed to: 10000 rpm
Ramp spindle speed to: 10000 rpm
Cutting feedrate to: 1500 mm/min
Lead-in feedrate to 750 mm/min


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Lead-out feedrate to: 750 mm/min
Ramp feedrate to: 750 mm/min
Plunge feedrate to: 750 mm/min
Feed per revolution to: .0.1 mm

Activate the Geometry tab

Click the Pocket selections button and select the bottom face edges at each pocket and
apply.

Be sure to enable the Machine cavities check box.


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Activate the Passes tab and adjust the Stock to Leave value to 1 mm.






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Click the Linking tab.

Set No-engagement feedrate to: 1000 mm/min

Start the Calculation

Click , or right-click in the graphics window and select OK from the marking
menu, to exit 2D Adaptive and create the toolpath.







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Finish cut the Three Pockets
The next step is to rough out the three pockets with an adaptive clearing strategy.
After roughing out the pockets, use a 2D Pocket strategy to create a finished cut.
On the CAM ribbon, click 2D Milling panel 2D Pocket

Click to open the Tool Library.
Make sure that tool 5 mm flat is still current.

Click to close the Tool Library dialog.








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Activate the Geometry tab

Click the Pocket selections button and, once again, select the three faces at the bottom of
the part like before.


On the Passes tab, change the following:

Enable the Finishing passes check box.
Stepover to: 0.6 mm
Finish feedrate to: 1000 mm/min
Maximum stepover to: 3 mm
Disable the Stock to Leave check box


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Click the Linking tab.
Change these values on the Linking tab:

Maximum stay-down distance to: 30 mm
Enable the Lead-in (entry) check box.
Horizontal lead-in radius to: 0.5 mm
Linear lead-in length to: 0.5 mm
Vertical lead-in radius to: 0.5 mm
Maximum ramp stepdown to: 10 mm
Helical ramp diameter to: 6 mm
Minimum ramp diameter to: 6 mm


Start the Calculation

Click , or right-click in the graphics window and select OK from the marking
menu, to exit 2D Pocket and create the toolpath.





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Intermediate tool path simulation

Right-click on the Setup folder in the CAM Browser and select Simulate (All) from the pop-
up context menu.
The Simulation player is displayed in the graphics window.
Be sure to check the Stock tab.

Click first rewind and then Play button on the Simulation player to playback the defined
toolpaths.
When the simulation is complete, click the Close button in the Simulation dialog box, or
right-click in the graphics window and select Close from the marking menu.








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Rough Cut the Outside of the Part
Use an adaptive clearing strategy to rough cut the outside of the part.
On the CAM ribbon, click 2D Milling panel 2D Adaptive

Click to open the Tool Library.
Make sure that tool 5 mm flat is still current.

Activate the Geometry tab


Click the Geometry tab and ensure that the Pocket selections button is still active.
Disable the Machine cavities check box to ensure that machining occurs on the outside of
the selected profile, and not the inside.
Attention: When you disable Machine cavities, the Stock Contours check box is
automatically enabled and the stock contour is displayed on the part.
Select the outer profile as shown in the following image:



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Click the Heights tab.

From the Bottom Height drop-down menu, select From model bottom.
Set Bottom offset to: -0.25 mm

Start the Calculation

Click , or right-click in the graphics window and select OK from the marking
menu, to exit 2D Adaptive and create the toolpath.








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Finish the Outside of the Part
Finish the outside of the part with a 2D Contour operation.
On the CAM ribbon, click 2D Milling panel 2D Contour .
Click to open the Tool Library.
Make sure that tool 5 mm flat is still current.

Click the Geometry tab and ensure that the Contour selections button is active.
Select the same outer profile as you did in the previous 2D adaptive operation.
Make sure that the contour arrow points out as shown in the image below. Click the arrow to
reverse its direction, if necessary.


Click the Heights tab.


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From the Bottom Height drop-down menu, select From model bottom.
Set Bottom offset to: -0.25 mm












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Click the Linking tab.

Start the Calculation

Click , or right-click in the graphics window and select OK from the marking
menu, to exit 2D Contour and create the toolpath.


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Machine the Chamfers
A 2D Contour operation is used once again to create the required chamfers.
On the CAM ribbon, click 2D Milling panel 2D Contour .
Click to open the Tool Library.
From the Tutorial library, select 10 mm 45 chamfer.

Click to close the Tool Library dialog.



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On the Geometry tab, click the Contour selections button and select all four chamfers on
the top surface of the part.
Make sure that the contour arrows point out as shown in the image below. Click an arrow to
reverse its direction, if necessary.



Click the Passes tab.
Because a chamfering tool was selected, Inventor HSM Express automatically enables the
Chamfer group.
Set Chamfer tip offset to: 0.5 mm

Start the Calculation

Click , or right-click in the graphics window and select OK from the marking
menu, to exit 2D Contour and create the toolpath.







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Drill the holes in the Part

On the CAM ribbon, click Drilling panel 2D Drill .

Click to open the Tool Library.
Make sure that tool 10 mm 45 chamfer is still current.
Click the Geometry tab. Ensure that Selected faces is selected from the Hole mode drop-
down menu and that the Hole faces selection button is active.


Select the conical face of one of the countersunk holes.
Enable the Select same diameter check box. The other three countersinks are automatically
selected.


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Important: If Select same diameter is disabled (grayed out), you have most likely selected
the edge of the cylinder instead of the face. Be sure to select cylindrical faces to use this
feature.

Click the Cycle tab.

Select Drilling - rapid out from the Cycle type drop-down menu.
Start the Calculation

Click , or right-click in the graphics window and select OK from the marking
menu, to exit Drill and create the toolpath.

Repeat the Drill operation to create the four drilled holes by Duplicating the former Drill
operation.


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Double click to edit the Drill operation and change the tool to 3 mm drill.



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Click to close the Tool Library dialog.

On the Geometry tab, click the Hole faces button and select the bottom face of one of the
threaded holes.
Enable the Select same diameter check box. The other three threaded holes are
automatically selected.
Click the Cycle tab.
Start the Calculation

Click , or right-click in the graphics window and select OK from the marking
menu, to exit Drill and create the toolpath.




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Tap the Four Holes
Finish all machining operations by tapping the four holes.
On the CAM ribbon, click Drilling panel 2D Drill .

Click to open the Tool Library.

From the ISO Taps library, select 4x0.7mm right tap.






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On the Geometry tab, click the Hole faces button and select the face of one of the threaded
holes.
Enable the Select same diameter check box. The other three remaining holes are
automatically selected.

Click the Cycle tab.
Select Tapping from the Cycle type drop-down menu.

Start the Calculation

Click , or right-click in the graphics window and select OK from the marking
menu, to exit Drill and create the toolpath.





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Lets run the final tool path simulation

Right-click on the Setup folder in the CAM Browser and select Simulate (All) from the pop-
up context menu.
The Simulation player is displayed in the graphics window.
Be sure to check the Stock tab.

Click first rewind and then Play button on the Simulation player to playback the defined
toolpaths.
When the simulation is complete, click the Close button in the Simulation dialog box, or
right-click in the graphics window and select Close from the marking menu.
Final result should look like this


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On the CAM ribbon, click Toolpath panel Setup Sheet
An html tool setup sheet will be generated.







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Next, click On the CAM ribbon, click Toolpath panel Post Process .
The Post Process dialog box is displayed.

Tip: As an alternative, you can also right-click on the Setup folder in the CAM Browser and
select Post Process (All) from the pop-up context menu.
Select heidenhain.cps - Generic Heidenhain from the Post Configuration drop-down menu.
Accept the default output folder or choose another.
Start the post processor by clicking the Post button. Accept the default file name or provide
another.
Click the Save button.
Because the Open NC file in editor check box is enabled by default in the Post Process
dialog box, the post processed file is automatically loaded into Inventor HSM Edit.



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From the editor you can edit, inspect, and transfer your NC program to your CNC machine.
The editor provides a number of CNC code-specific functions including line
numbering/renumbering, XYZ range finder, and file comparison. The editor also features a
DNC link for reliable RS-232 communications with a variety of CNC controls.

Remember: You can also post process individual operations by right-clicking the operation
in the CAM Browser, and selecting Post Process from the pop-up context menu.

Congratulations! You have completed this tutorial.