Scallop toolpath - V8 vs. V9

[Mark H]

I had a surface finish constant scallop toolpath I wrote in V8 and was pretty happy with it. When I brought it into V9 and regenerated it, it totally changed the way the toolpath flows. (I have the latest patch - APPMCH9.DLL dated March 6, 2002)

 

In V8 there was one smooth "spiraling" toolpath, the toolpath had one plunge and one retract. In V9, there were about 15 smaller "spirals" with 15 plunges and 15 retracts. The tool was jumping all around.

 

For a better view of what I’m talking about copy down the GIFs I copied to Cadcam’s FTP site, you can find them here…

Cadcam's FTP site - All pictures folder

 

They are named;

V8scallop_partial.gif – shows the start of the V8 toolpath

V8scallop_all.gif – show the complete V8 toolpath

V9scallop_partial.gif – shows the start of the V9 toolpath

V9scallop_all.gif – show the complete V9 toolpath

 

So my question is, are there some new settings that I am unaware of?

[cadcam]

mark can you share the surfaces with us?

[Mark H]

Sure give me a minute to strip out all the nonessential surfaces and toolpaths...

 

I'll put V9scallop.mc9 in MC9_files

 

and just to confuse you I'll put v8scallop.mc8 in MC8_files

 

BTW, in the V9 file, I have the original V8 toolpath locked down. (I opened the V8 file in MC V9 and locked it before regenerating it, then saved it in V9) Also, I have tried changing in the collapse resolution, it helped a little, but it still did not give me the one smooth toolpath as in V8.

 

[ 03-25-2002, 10:47 AM: Message edited by: Mark H ]

[Mark H]

I ended up zipping the files (V9scallop.zip and V8scallop.zip) since they were big files. The V9 file is up there now, and the V8 file is transfering as I type this.

 

Ok, they are both up there now...

 

[ 03-25-2002, 11:13 AM: Message edited by: Mark H ]

[cadcam]

I have all ready been play for about five min now.

[Mark H]

One final note,

 

In V9scallop.MC9, try rotating all the geometry about the origin 180 degrees (in the top view) and then regen. You will see a big difference in the toolpaths - weird...

[Matt Niadna]

Use a containment boundary.

[cadcam]

Matt tried that still know good.

the best so far is surface project using rails from the surface on bothe side . this gave a clean path.

[Matt Niadna]

Bring in the containment boundary I upped and leave everything in his toolpath as is. Just go into the parameters in the opps mgr and select my boundary as a center.

[Matt Niadna]

I personally would have used a multi-surf flowline toolpath going horizontally across the surfaces for this piece. But that's just me.

[cadcam]

Matt as for the boundry did waht you said no good.

as for the flow line jumps to much.

 

try the project blend new feture in 9 just like flow line but much much cleaner.

[Mark H]

Thanks for looking at it Jay and Matt. I'll be trying your suggestions later. Got some other fires that need to be put out... And thanks once again Jay for the use of your FTP site.

 

BTW, did anyone try rotating the part 180 and then regenerating? The situation I ran into was the tool wanted to jump around even more than the original V9 toolpath, yet no mods where made to the surface.

[Matt Niadna]

I am upping the file with the containment boundary. It does work. As far as rotating the part and getting a different path.....If you want to get a similar path when rotating the part you should change the bias angle in respect to your rotation angle. eg: rotate the part 180, change the bias angle to 180, and so on......

Jay, I had the same thing happen with the flowline path. It's the surfaces that are color #6 that ruin that one. With only the blue surfaces you can make a nice flowline.

 

[ 03-25-2002, 05:31 PM: Message edited by: Matt Niadna ]

[Matt Niadna]

V9SCALLOP Contain3.zip is the good one.

Jay, please delete "V9SCALLOP Contain" and "V9SCALLOP Contain2" they are failed upload attempts.

Thanks

[Mark H]

Thanks again Matt, I downloaded the new file and it looks just like the V8 toolpaths. 1 plunge and 1 retract, thats one smooth toolpath. Obviously MC changed the way they compute the toolpaths in V9, I guess I have some playing around to do...