2023 Dynamic OptiRough depth settings.

[srbeyke]

Hello all.

I have installed the 2023 release of Mastercam and I am having a bit of difficulty getting my  depths to work out the way I would like them to.

Using the OptiRough toolpath, is it possible to recognize all flat surfaces in a cavity the way that the old "surface rough pocket" toolpath did?

The results that I am getting "seems" to recognize the deepest surface but not the flat surfaces above that level.  This results in additional

stock left on different flat surfaces.  Please advise if I am missing something, or just don't have the settings right.  I read that 2023 gives you

more control than did previous versions.

 

Steven

[crazy^millman]

Look to the Step up. If you are not using it then you can see this.

[srbeyke]

Thank you for the reply. I will try your solution for test purposes, but I really don't think that

step up cutting will work in my application.  Thanks again,

 

Steven

[huskermcdoogle]

On 6/10/2022 at 7:29 PM, srbeyke said:

but I really don't think that

step up cutting will work in my application

Then you will need to create multiple Optirough paths with each step as the max depth top to bottom.

But I believe Ron is correct, step up would be the way to hit the other flats automagically.  Otherwise, your step down would need to hit each step evenly for it to clean each step with the same stock as you go down.  I "think" if you have a small step down, and a "large" step up (say 1/2 of the step down) it will hit those flats at your stock allowance, and won't add a bunch of extra passes.

[srbeyke]

Running a secondary toolpath as you mention might work well.

Again, will have to test it and see if it solves more issues than it causes.

Thank you for the feed back.

 

Steven

[crazy^millman]

10 hours ago, huskermcdoogle said:

Then you will need to create multiple Optirough paths with each step as the max depth top to bottom.

But I believe Ron is correct, step up would be the way to hit the other flats automagically.  Otherwise, your step down would need to hit each step evenly for it to clean each step with the same stock as you go down.  I "think" if you have a small step down, and a "large" step up (say 1/2 of the step down) it will hit those flats at your stock allowance, and won't add a bunch of extra passes.

Where you then have to decide if the Juice is worth the Squeeze as Nico says. I just did a process improvement project where I did 2" step downs with 1" step ups. There were no flats to worry about so I then came back with 2 different length high feed cutters to rough the steps down on the part. What was taking 5 shifts to rough before heat treat I have reduced down to 1 shift to make a complete part in the final heat treat condition of H900.

Depending on the part it might be worth doing the deepest pocket with one boundary and then making a stock model. Then doing the next step and then the next step. Stock models are the intelligence part of the software here. Yes it would be better if the process was click the easy button and done, but it is not. It up to us a programmers to make the calls on where and how we put forth our efforts to achieve the best results. Part I just mentioned I spent 8 hours fighting with a 5 axis toolpath to keep the machine with travel limits, no crashing into the 2 other parts I am doing at the same time and still machine the features I was machining in one fluid motion. Whoever runs the machine is probably going to get sea sick watching it run, but i wouldn't just settle on well that is to much work to do it the way I want it to be. I will just deal with break it up into 6 or 7 operations to make it easy to do it which would make a decent part, but not a perfect part. Here you are thinking correctly and have asked the right question. You got the answer and now have to determine is this part worth that much effort. Cutting 1-10 parts maybe not. Cutting 10-1,000,000 part then probably worth that effort. 

[ajmer]

Try step up equal to step down

[srbeyke]

A big THANK YOU to everyone who responded.

Your help and insight is much appreciated.

 

Steven

[tpreb6]

I use OptiRough on just about everything and I don't have a problem hitting flats.  All flats will get left with the material I specify on the Stock page.

You have to use Step up and set the Step Up to equal your step down or less but at least equal to.   ex: 100% S/D - 100% S/U, 50%S/D - 50% S/U, etc.  The cutter will go down your Step Down amount and then Step Up to any flats in that pass, then go down the next cut and Step Up to the flats in that pass.