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Multi-axis roughing


So not a Guru
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1 hour ago, huskermcdoogle said:

Under approach moves in the roughing tab, helical dropdown?  Then under links between slices, uncheck use default links, and then change the dropdowns to use ramp and whatever retract setting you want.

Yeah, I figured that out, but I'm still struggling with it. It doesn't seem to be following it's settings, I set all of my linking to "retract to rapid" & "use ramp", sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. And for some reason, the "Within group" link keeps resetting itself to "direct" & "don't use ramp" 😡

2 hours ago, huskermcdoogle said:

You still running 2019?

Yeah, I have 2021 installed. I may try it and see if my settings will stick.

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There were some issues with inconsistent linking and helix generation in 2019 that can cause what you're talking about- I've experienced it myself. It has been greatly improved in 2020/2021. One of the triggers is if you're trying to hit multiple pockets/multiple floor areas with a single op. Try instead creating one op per pocketed area if that's the case.

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12 minutes ago, Chally72 said:

There were some issues with inconsistent linking and helix generation in 2019 that can cause what you're talking about- I've experienced it myself. It has been greatly improved in 2020/2021. One of the triggers is if you're trying to hit multiple pockets/multiple floor areas with a single op. Try instead creating one op per pocketed area if that's the case.

I'm about to switch to 2021 for this job.

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38 minutes ago, So not a Guru said:

I'm about to switch to 2021 for this job.

There was a bug with Multiaxis roughing I have not tested it in Update 2 so need to make sure the settings for thew tool step over are set correctly in the 2019 file before bringing into 2021 or just make the toolpath in 2021. Is is name differently and has some more functionality added to it in 2021.

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12 minutes ago, So not a Guru said:

Holy-moly, the new toolpath is simultaneous multiaxis, it is 3+2 and It followed less of what I set then the 2019 path!

Apparently the multiaxis roughing has been discontinued?

Multiaxis Roughing was renamed as Pocketing and had two additional strategies added- wall finishing and floor finishing. Other than these changes, it is still "Roughing" as well.

If you'd like, PM me or email me with the file and I can help troubleshoot.

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7 minutes ago, So not a Guru said:

Seems like a great toolpath...if I can figure out what I'm doing.

Fence surfaces are your friend with this toolpath. Say you have an open pocket area you want to machine. Then make a floor surface extended outside for enough room for the tool to fit into. Then make your boundary lines like you would for a pocket toolpath. Then make the fence surface from that surface. Now those become additional walls. I demonstrate that process in this file.

Dropbox link

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19 hours ago, crazy^millman said:

Fence surfaces are your friend with this toolpath. Say you have an open pocket area you want to machine. Then make a floor surface extended outside for enough room for the tool to fit into. Then make your boundary lines like you would for a pocket toolpath. Then make the fence surface from that surface. Now those become additional walls. I demonstrate that process in this file. 

Dropbox link

 

That's a fine way to do it, Ron, but I would argue that stock is even more important than fence surfaces, although you can often get the same results with fences.

Basically, think of this toolpath as pouring water into a pan and your floor surface is the bottom of the pan.   The walls of your pan will make up what the algorithm knows to get rid of.  If your walls have a break in them for whatever reason, then there's no volume.  If your walls have a low point, it can calculate up to that point.  If you give it volume (stock), it knows exactly what & where there's material to remove. 

For example, this shape will give you this toolpath if you only choose walls & floors:

image.png.514d6e2e0d3a99a54a471ea2a36ae4e9.png

Even though, as a human, you might assume you're going to be starting with a forging that sweeps along the top, the algorithm doesn't know whether your stock is nothing (the pocket has already been machined most of the way), a big square, or the pocket filled in, so it goes with what it knows which is the walls.

Now, let's add some stock:
image.png.80e6692935fc15acf6706693ee0d6041.png

Now the toolpath looks like this (stock hidden for clarity):

image.png.c7e4f2a3aea79e0a4753f1bf76eef099.png

Notice how it plunges into the air and then sweeps into the material just like you'd hope at the thicker parts.   That's the value of stock.

 

Another example, this time with an "open pocket:"

image.thumb.png.90078eb6fc56dd3de84bf9f7aead8f32.png

in this case, the green is the floor, the light blue is the walls and the stock goes all around the part (it would be a turned profile).   In this case, you'll want containment to keep the toolpath where you want to go, so I created curve on the edges of the walls and then used a Blended Spline to sweep patch them together.   Note that I made sure my containment area had some "air" so my tool didn't have to helix into stock:

image.png.fa7cd8873139dcf4cf8e0cd50e98abae.png

Hope this helps!

image.png

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Aaron thank you and information always help me. It is a process and using each part of the software is a huge undertaking. Stock is an important part of the process and those examples do a great job of showing where and why it is needed. I was just giving some suggestions and tips and always appreciate you or anyone else helping us all to be better at our work.  Stock in the sample I made would allow the toolpath to approach completely different and that is an improvement on that approach.

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3 hours ago, crazy^millman said:

Aaron thank you and information always help me. It is a process and using each part of the software is a huge undertaking. Stock is an important part of the process and those examples do a great job of showing where and why it is needed. I was just giving some suggestions and tips and always appreciate you or anyone else helping us all to be better at our work.  Stock in the sample I made would allow the toolpath to approach completely different and that is an improvement on that approach. 

Soooooo many ways of solving the problems :)   Glad to offer a different perspective where I can!  

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