Surface finish parallel

[ebottens]

So I am kellering a 1.5in rad on the front and back edge of a block of aluminum. I used two different toolpaths, the parameters are the same on both of them. When you backplot it, the starting Z depths are different by .06 and when you read the code they are stepping over different ammounts too. Whats going on to make that happen?

[ToolMan184]

Are you sure they are exactly the same? I use Surface Finish Parallel everyday and I have had NO problems with it.

[ebottens]

yeah I have double checked everything and its all the same. Now that I am looking at it though it looks like maybe I used two different kinds of surfaces to drive the tool? The only thing that makes me think they are different is one has more lines than the other.

[ToolMan184]

Put your surfaces on different levels and make sure you select the same surfaces for each operation. I keep my geometry, surfaces and solids on different layers for this very reason. It is easy to select the wrong surface if your not careful. If you put them on different levels you can turn off what you dont need.

[ebottens]

they are on different levels, I do that for the same reasons you do and also to help my eyes out a little. So I dont know how much of a problem it really will be, as long as it comes out right in the machine. And they are running it like that right now to see if it will come out ok. Thanks for your help toolman

[ToolMan184]

Any Time.

[mcpgmr]

In back plot does the tool run the same direction on both tool paths? Does the tool start at the same point on the surface?

[ebottens]

The tool starts at the opposite corner on each side. So on the front edge, it starts on the left side, on the back in starts on the right. I tried putting them both on the left and both on the right, and I get the same z depths as before.

[ToolMan184]

iS YOUR ANGLE THE SAME ON BOTH? IT SEEMS ONE IS 0 AND ONE MAY BE 90.

[ebottens]

I am assuming you mean the machining angle box in the parameters? They are both at 0.

[ToolMan184]

Hmmmmm

[RobertELee]

Ones not set as a check surface is it??

[ebottens]

Nope, I didnt select any check surfaces, I didnt think I would need them since there wasnt anything in the way of making the radius.

[DavidB]

Can you email me the file?

[ebottens]

sent

[DavidB]

The surafces are not an exact mirror of each other thats why that have different starting Z values.

I mirrored the left side surface and used the mirrored surafce in your second toolpath and now both toolpaths are identical they start at Z-1.803.

 

HTH

[ebottens]

ah cool, thanks! I will fix that today.