Mirror Toolpath / Origin

[Chris Rizzo]

Simple question I think. I'm mirroring an entire part's toolpath...how do I know where my new origin is? Of the mirrored toolpath. I'd like to keep it the same corner of my vice as the first part, I just want to cut the "opposite".

[cadist]

CMR, I gues the origin remains at it's place. New coords are calculated by mirroring the original toolpath.

HTH

[Chris Rizzo]

I figured something out. I drew a midpoint line in my stock, and used that as my "entity" to mirror about. That seems relativly safe.

 

My question still stands, though. First time using mirror (on a mold no-less ) I've read just about all the old mirroring threads trying to figure it out.

[DavidB]

Origin wont change. You can mirror toolpath using any plane (line).Be aware if you have a Climb milling toolpath that you've mirrored it becomes Upmilling. For this reason I'd rather mirror geometry or create a sepperate Toolpath.

 

HTH

[cadist]

quote:

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I'd rather mirror geometry or create a sepperate Toolpath

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+1 Alway good practice.

[Hardmill]

Not something i'm a fan of at all.

Mirror the geometry, YES

But then re-pick geometry and regen.

Especially an issue where your tool needs to climb cut.

Yes mirroring to a line about the center of your geometry

is the way to go.

 

PEACE

[Chris Rizzo]

Thx guys for the input.

My part has about 30 ops, and it'd take some time to mirror the geo and reselect everything. But it sounds like that's the safe way to go.

 

Oh, I'm machining UHMW (plastic), so I can get away with EITHER climb or conventional, it's furry either way.

[Chris Rizzo]

first group of ops I tried was F#Ck#d up! I'm selecting new geo.

[Travis_Buchanan]

I have had good luck with mirror toolpath. I would be happy to look at the file for you.

[?Mark]

quote:

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My part has about 30 ops, and it'd take some time to mirror the geo and reselect everything.

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I'd mirror the geo and in every op reverse all chains and select compensation left which will give you climb milling as in original ops. or whatever you had originally. Do it this way all the time with no problems.

Regards, Mark

[?Mark]

By the way, you want to CLIMB in UHMW.

Regards, Mark

[Chris Rizzo]

I mirrored part, and relselected geo. Worked flawlessly.

 

CLIMB in UHMW.

 

I'm trying to convince the customer to switch to delrin.

[Hardmill]

 

PEACE

[?Mark]

quote:

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I'm trying to convince the customer to switch to delrin.

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Not much difference between the two.

With UHMW when doing contour or pocket you need to leave a bit of stock for one final pass to get a good finish.

Sounds like a food industry...

 

Hope it helps

 

Regards, Mark