2.5d Pocketing

[Guest]

I'm running V9.1 Level 3 and looking for the best way to machine some relatively complex (multiple levels, islands etc.) 2.5d pockets (vertical walls / flat bottoms). I want to remove the majority of the material with a roughing endmill and then clean up the rest (walls and pocket bottoms) with a finisher. I would like to finish the pocket bottoms for aesthetic reasons. I've tried the following methods and had the following problems:

 

1. Toolpath/Pocketing/Island Facing w/ additional contouring to finish - yeah it works but I've got too many chains and not enough time, and then I get a rev from eng'g and hell if i'm going to do it all over again. (besides, I'd like to think I spent the extra $10k on Level 3 for something)

 

2. Surface Rough Pocket - makes a great roughing path, but the finishing tool sees a lot of air because it machines the whole pocket at each depth.

 

3. Surface Rough Pocket for rougher, Surface Rough Pocket Finish Only for the finisher - again, a great roughing pass, the finisher doesn't cut air, but also doesn't cut the bottoms/tops of the pockets/islands.

 

4. Surface Rough Pocket for rougher, Surface Finish Contour, Flats enabled for the finisher. Great roughing path, finishing path does what I want, but always seems to leave one or two nubs (as if it's in parallel spiral mode not constant overlap spiral)

 

Any other bright ideas or slight variations on the above? none of these seem quite up to the task.

 

all help greatly appreciated...

[t smith]

Nick,

#4 seems to be the way to go, can you adjust the step overs to get rid of the nubs.

Tom

[robk]

quote:

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1. Toolpath/Pocketing/Island Facing w/ additional contouring to finish - yeah it works but I've got too many chains and not enough time, and then I get a rev from eng'g and hell if i'm going to do it all over again

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Nick, window in what you want chained instead of selecting every chain individually.