Toolpaths w "Small" Arcs

[SN_MCam_User]

Self-admitted Newb when it comes to machining in general...or maybe better way to say it is I'm trying to learn continually... 

This piqued my interest when it was touched on in another thread ( Boss Milling LOGO ) so I thought I'd ask here; small arcs (in dynamic toolpaths) being linear bearing killers...    How small is considered small?   Is there a rule of thumb (%) never to dip below? Steel...aluminum...other...?  

Haven't done much research on the topic...but machines don't grow on trees for some of us...so wondering what the community had to say...

[Leon82]

Machine control look ahead parameters can be used to smooth them out. Some people say the radius should be double the step over. 

It should probably find out which works best for your machine.

[Robert Ouellette]

it is more a fact of the linear bearings not getting enough lube while machining small arcs. if you machine a slot only on x with toroid moves the bearings will run out of lube on the y axis very fast. because the bearings are only moving a few thou on the y axis and it is not enough t movement to get fresh lube in there. it has nothing to do with the smoothing of the tool paths. It is the size of the movements. The machine needs distance to get fresh lube in the bearings.

 

[Matthew Hajicek - Singularity]

^^^^ What he said.