2-D Pocket using Facing option

[ARP]

Having all kinds of trouble machining a simple part that needs to have some boss' sticking out of a flat surface. The boss' are only 4mm round pins but they need to be part of the same block not dowels put in after machining.

When I use 2-d pocketing with the facing option, the toolpath cuts 2 of the 5 pins off as though they aren't even there. I can see all the geometry is picked in the Geometry section. If I make a larger boundary outside of the block and use 2-d pocketing with standard option the toolpath is good.

Is there a bug with the pocket-facing option?

I've got some nice souvenirs for my desk now. Maybe Mastercam would like to pay me for the extra time I've spent and the wasted material.

[Ron Branch @ Verisurf]

Use the Standard pocket. Expand one side of the pocket to give you room for the tool fit it. Expand the other sides to 60% of the tool. Now you have a facing routine that will do what you are after that will give you results you are looking for.

 

HTH

[ARP]

Thanks Ron. I figured there were work-arounds but should I assume that this facing option is really not suupposed to be used?

[ARP]

This is from my reseller:

"I don't think the "facing" within the pocket toolpath for the type of application you are trying to do will work. Based from Mastercam's help file, with the facing parameter enabled Mastercam can face the entire part or just face any islands on the part. The key here is that it does not state that it will make an island."

 

Why then do they offer facing as a different style of toolpath and also offer facing inside the pocketing option?! Its redundant. Besides that, I've done it for years with earlier versions of Mastercam!

This is crap! It's a simple 2-D pocket with some pins sticking out of the surface! I should be able to machine this without using surfaces, or making fake boundaries or whatever else. Hasn't anyone ever machined a pocket with features inside it that need to be avoided?

My verify looks great...its just too bad I can't make it into reality. Maybe thats something for the techs to consider - reality. What ends up on the machine is what matters, not some fantasy on the screen.

[Bryan Johnson]

Use "Offset Contour" for outside boundry. It is very quick.

 

But I agree. This would be a nice enhancement.

[Fred from Université de Sherbrooke]

You could try the 2D high speed CORE toolpath for this... works very well.

[Goldorak]

x4505565 for the 2D HSM core mill

 

chain the stock then chain all the pins , set machining parameter and voila!

[ARP]

"2D HSM core mill "

 

Is this an X3 feature? I'm using X2.

 

Correction to my original post:

I also ran a toolpath using the "Standard" option in pocketing and picked some features inside the expanded pocket and got another scrap part.

[3R!< W3NG3R]

Is there anything wrong with the geometry? Maybe some chains aren't closed. I would send it in to QC ([email protected]) and see what they say. It would be best if they could get the file too.

[ARP]

Eric,

I sent the file and nc code to my reseller. Problem is, the verify looks great... it only bites you when you actually cut something.

[JDowe]

Pocket facing should work - make sure the

lead in lead outs on the pin finishes are not

destroyiny the pins

[shazam/TPP]

post it on the FTP site.

[EazyE]

Just throwing this in here, If you verify is good than perhaps you are getting a dogleg somehwere that is cutting off your pins. This has happened to me more than once. Try changing your retracts a bit and see what happens.