Mastercam X7

Chapter 9

Step Block

A. Create Rectangle.

Step 1. If necessary create a new Mastercam file, click File Menu >
New

Step 2. Change to Front View

(Alt-2), Fig. 1.

Graphic View is changed to GVIEW =

FRONT at the bottom left corner of the
drawing area, Fig. 2.

Fig. 1

Step 3. Click Create Menu > Rectangle.

Step 4. In the Rectangle ribbon bar set, Fig. 3

Width

Height

Fig. 2

Step 5. Click down arrow in the

Auto Cursor ribbon bar and
click Origin
to place
rectangle, Fig. 1.
Step 6. Click OK
Step 7. Click Fit

Fig. 3

in ribbon bar to fix entity and close ribbon bar.

(Alt-F1) to fit rectangle on screen.

B. Set Grid and Snap .2.

Step 1. Use Alt-G to display Grid dialog box, Fig. 4

Check Active grid
Check Visible grid
Set X and Y Spacing .2
Click OK
.

Fig. 4

C. Draw Lines In Front View.

Step 1. Click Create Menu > Line > Endpoint. Or

click Line Tool

in the toolbar.

Step 2. Draw 2 lines, Fig. 5. Use grid to determine

location of lines.
Fig. 5

Mastercam X7 STEP BLOCK Page 9-1

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11-7-13

D. Save As STEP BLOCK

Step 1. Click File Menu > Save As.

Step 2. Key-in STEP BLOCK for the filename and

press ENTER.

E. Trim Lines.

Step 2. Click Trim 1 Entity

ribbon bar, Fig. 6.

Fig. 6

Step 1 Click Edit Menu > Trim/Break >

Trim/Break/Extend.

in the

Fig. 7

Step 3. Trim lines to shape of step. To

trim part of a line, click line to trim, Position
1, Fig. 7. Then, click line to trim to, Position 2. Repeat at
other line - click part of line you are keeping, Position 1, then
trim to Position 2.
Step 4. Click OK
in ribbon bar to fix
entity and close ribbon bar.

Fig. 8

Fig. 9

Fig. 10

F. Xform 3rd Dimension.

Step 1. Change to Isometric View. Use
Step 2. Click Fit

(Alt-F1).
Fig. 11

Step 3. Click the down arrow of Set Planes

in the toolbar and click Top
(WCS), Fig 9.
Step 4. Click Xform Menu > Translate.
Step 5. Click All
in the General
Selection ribbon bar, Fig. 10.
Step 6. Click All Entities in the Select All dialog box,
Fig. 11 and click End Selection
Step 7. In the Translate dialog box set:

Fig. 13

(ENTER) in ribbon bar.

Select Join
2
click OK

Fig. 12
.

Mastercam X7 STEP BLOCK Page 9-2

Fig. 12

Step 8. Right click drawing area and click Clear Colors

(Alt-R C).

(Alt-F S).

Step 9. Save

G. Create Flat Boundary Surfaces.

Step 1. Click Create Menu > Surface > Flat Boundary.

Step 2. Click the Chain

(C) in the Chaining dialog box, Fig. 14.

Step 3. Click the left vertical line towards top of block, Fig. 15.
Step 4. Walk Chain around the front lines of block in direction of Chain
arrows, Fig. 16 and Fig. 17.
If Chaining direction arrow points in wrong direction - click Reverse

in Chain dialog box.

Step 5. Click OK
Fig. 18.

in Chain dialog box, Fig. 14 and

Step 6. Click Apply

(P) in ribbon bar.

Start chain
here

Fig. 14

Step 7. If necessary, turn on Shading. Use Alt-S.

Fig. 15

Chaining
direction

Fig. 16

Fig. 17

Mastercam X7 STEP BLOCK Page 9-3

Fig. 18

Step 8. Chain around back lines of block. To chain, back

left vertical line towards top of block, Fig. 19.

Start chain
here

Step 9. Walk Chain around the back lines of block in direction of Chain arrows, Fig. 20.
If Chaining direction arrow points in wrong direction - click Reverse
Step 10. Click OK
Step 11. Click OK
ribbon bar.

in Chain dialog box.

in Chain dialog box, Fig. 20.

Fig. 19

in Chaining
direction

Step 12. Save

(Alt-F S).

Fig. 20

Mastercam X7 STEP BLOCK Page 9-4

Fig. 21

H. Create Ruled/Lofted Surfaces.

Step 1. Draw the next surfaces yellow. Click the color swatch in the Status Bar at the bottom of the screen. Click yellow, number 14 and
click OK.
Step 2. Click Create Menu > Surface > Ruled/Lofted.
(S) in Chaining dialog box, Fig. 22.

Step 3. Click the Single

Step 4. Click Chain 1 and Chain 2 on top of block, Fig. 23. If the chaining directions arrows are not pointing in the same direction - click
Reverse

Step 5. Click OK
in the Chain dialog box and Apply
ribbon bar, Fig. 24.
Step 6. Click Single
new chain.

(P) in

(S) in the Chaining dialog box to start each

Fig. 22

Step 7. Use Chain 1 and Chain 2 for next surface, Fig. 24.

Chain 1

Step 8. Continue and chain surfaces to cover block with surfaces, Fig. 25. Click Single

(S), select the

two chains, press ENTER and Apply

Chain 2

(P).

Rotate view to view back as shown in Fig. 26. To

rotate, hold down middle mouse button (wheel) and
drag.

Step 9. Save

Fig. 23

(Alt-F S).

Chain 2
Chain 1

Fig. 24

Fig. 25

Mastercam X7 STEP BLOCK Page 9-5

Fig. 26