Need help making toolpath

[MSlanker]

Relatively new to the world of Mastercam. Where I work just bought Mastercam mill 2D. The salesman told me this part could be done with the 2D toolpaths. I can't for the life of me figure anything out that works. I want to machine the 1" filets on the part taking .02 steps down in a zigzag motion, probably gonna have around .03 of stock on it. Any advice on how to do this with the toolpaths I'll have access to with the 2D version would be great.

[David Colin]

Surface contour or HSM waterline should be able to make it.

With Mill2D, trick could be to use only 1 surface at a time (or make 1 from several if needed/doable)

 

[Thad]

2D Swept should get it done for you.

[byte]

A lot of the time for 3d paths on a 3d license i would redraw the surfaces as a single surface

 

[gcode]

Does the 2D license allow the old school wireframe surfacing toolpaths?

Redrawing those surfaces to make one single surface is a good idea as well

If memory serves, 2D allows using the old legacy surface finish paths on one surface at a time

 

 

[MSlanker]

8 hours ago, David Colin said:

Surface contour or HSM waterline should be able to make it.

With Mill2D, trick could be to use only 1 surface at a time (or make 1 from several if needed/doable)

 

Isn’t waterline a 3D tool path?

[Thad]

1 minute ago, MSlanker said:

Isn’t waterline a 3D tool path?

Yes, it is.

[MSlanker]

Then I can’t use it correct? I know optirough comes with 2D does waterline also?

[byte]

3 hours ago, gcode said:

Does the 2D license allow the old school wireframe surfacing toolpaths?

Redrawing those surfaces to make one single surface is a good idea as well

If memory serves, 2D allows using the old legacy surface finish paths on one surface at a time

 

 

yes

38 minutes ago, MSlanker said:

Then I can’t use it correct? I know optirough comes with 2D does waterline also?

no

[JoshC]

35 minutes ago, MSlanker said:

Then I can’t use it correct? I know optirough comes with 2D does waterline also?

all 3d paths are included with 2d for single surface selections

i also would go sweep, heres a good video on sweep that camInstructor made https://blog.caminstructor.com/cutting-3d-forms-with-2d-toolpaths

[MSlanker]

1 hour ago, JoshC said:

all 3d paths are included with 2d for single surface selections

i also would go sweep, heres a good video on sweep that camInstructor made https://blog.caminstructor.com/cutting-3d-forms-with-2d-toolpaths

I saw that vid earlier in the week, when I tried it I would get errors about splines and I believe something about across isn’t in a defined view. I can’t remember exactly

[#Rekd™]

Attaching a Mastercam file is the best way to get help. List the machine you are going to use and the material etc..

[crazy^millman]

17 minutes ago, MSlanker said:

I saw that vid earlier in the week, when I tried it I would get errors about splines and I believe something about across isn’t in a defined view. I can’t remember exactly

No splines allowed with them so yes that would be an issue. Use the Simply Splines to make arcs and lines. Loosen the tolerance where needed to get arcs to fit.

[MSlanker]

43 minutes ago, #Rekd™ said:

Attaching a Mastercam file is the best way to get help. List the machine you are going to use and the material etc..

I can attach the file later today along with the other info

44 minutes ago, crazy^millman said:

No splines allowed with them so yes that would be an issue. Use the Simply Splines to make arcs and lines. Loosen the tolerance where needed to get arcs to fit.

I used curve all edges to get my wireframe on the part when I attempted it, is simply splines something similar?

[crazy^millman]

29 minutes ago, MSlanker said:

I used curve all edges to get my wireframe on the part when I attempted it, is simply splines something similar?

No the can be two completely different things. You can check the fit arc and lines check box, but if the spline is to complex it will not always work. That lower edge looks like a spline so it would need to be converted to arcs or lines if the option didn't do what you needed.

[MSlanker]

8 hours ago, #Rekd™ said:

Attaching a Mastercam file is the best way to get help. List the machine you are going to use and the material etc..

I attached the file, machine is just a 3 axis mill. We'll be using a 2" cutter with .122 radius inserts. Going for .02 step downs 

test.emcam

[David Colin]

Here is example with waterline.

test-waterline.emcam

[Thad]

15 hours ago, MSlanker said:

I used curve all edges to get my wireframe on the part when I attempted it, is simply splines something similar?

To clarify, Ron meant to say Simplify spline, not Simply. Simplify is a command to turn splines into lines and arcs. It can be found under the Wireframe tab, then under the arrow dropdown of Refit Spline. Your tolerance settings will determine how successful you are at converting to lines/arcs.

In order to drive the Swept 2D toolpath, you need lines and arcs. As you've seen, MC will error out if you select splines. Thus the Simplify command to turn the splines to lines/arcs.

[#Rekd™]

I put some Swept toolpaths on this file for an example.

The 2" rad cutter would cut into the floor on the slope area so I switched to the 1" flat end mill.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/0kmm5gk391ft6xi/test_JF.emcam?dl=0

 

[crazy^millman]

3 hours ago, Thad said:

To clarify, Ron meant to say Simplify spline, not Simply. Simplify is a command to turn splines into lines and arcs. It can be found under the Wireframe tab, then under the arrow dropdown of Refit Spline. Your tolerance settings will determine how successful you are at converting to lines/arcs.

In order to drive the Swept 2D toolpath, you need lines and arcs. As you've seen, MC will error out if you select splines. Thus the Simplify command to turn the splines to lines/arcs.

Thad, thank you for correcting my mis-statement.

[MSlanker]

I found the simplify spline command last night but still couldn’t get swept to work. I’ll look at the examples you guys made tonight… I found a YouTube video last night on turning multiple surfaces into one so I can use a 3D path so I’ll be trying that out tonight as well. I’ve been watching a lot of cam instructor on YouTube, do you guys know of any other vids on YouTube that would be helpful for some more difficult 2D tool paths I could watch or even books if there are any besides the basic 2D. Thanks for all the help.

[Aaron Eberhard]

I don't know of any youtube videos that go in depth on what's available with the 2d package as I haven't used a 2d only seat in, well, ever, so I'm not super aware of what the limitations are, BUT.....

If the reseller sales dude said that your package can do this shape, I would call them on it and cash in some of the included training time (they were in the quote, right!?) and have them walk you through how.  They'll be happy to help you out.

[ajmer]

here is a file using old school ruled

 

ajmer_ihs_test.emcam

[crazy^millman]

1 hour ago, MSlanker said:

I found the simplify spline command last night but still couldn’t get swept to work. I’ll look at the examples you guys made tonight… I found a YouTube video last night on turning multiple surfaces into one so I can use a 3D path so I’ll be trying that out tonight as well. I’ve been watching a lot of cam instructor on YouTube, do you guys know of any other vids on YouTube that would be helpful for some more difficult 2D tool paths I could watch or even books if there are any besides the basic 2D. Thanks for all the help.

This website offers their PDF's training material for free. Have you down loaded it?

[Thad]

3 hours ago, crazy^millman said:

Thad, thank you for correcting my mis-statement.

It was probably just autocorrect.