New B-Axis Contour Turning Toolpath

Mastercam 2023 introduces a new toolpath to the Turning suite for the Mill-Turn product. B-Axis Contour Turning is a finishing toolpath that allows for rotation of the B-axis while the tool is cutting. This new toolpath can be found in the General gallery on the Mill-Turn Turning contextual tab.

The B-Axis Contour Turning toolpath features a top-down workflow, represented by the icons on the left side of the panel.

Select from two toolpath types on the Basic Motion Control page: Automatic or Manual.

Automatically Create the Toolpath Motion

Automatic mode produces safe toolpath motion that keeps the insert in contact with the contour. The Tool Angle Limits expander offers quick restriction of the angles that the toolpath is allowed to travel within.

Manually Control the B-Axis Angles

Manual mode offers the user full control over the B-axis angles along the contour. After choosing Manual, a selection list box automatically expands to quickly select tool axis control lines. If necessary, you can use the Tool Offset Angle parameter to define an offset from the lines.

Adjusting the Toolpath Motion for Both Modes

For both Manual and Automatic mode, use the Advanced Motion Control page to control the finer details of toolpath generation.