WAY TO CONNECT MULTIPLE CONTOUR CHAINS TO HOLD CUTTER DOWN AND FEED TO NEXT CHAIN

[honeybunches]

Per my previous post, I am trying to create an acceptable cut path to go around 6 small diameter pins while facing off the rest of the material. I have been happiest with creating separate contour chains around each pin because I really need a nice lead in/out to ensure nice, concentric pins. The pocket parameters seems to have the cutter changing from CW to CCW several times and there are no nice leads in the paths.

 

I am curious if there is a way to adjust settings to simply get the Z to stay down when moving to the next chain? is this an editor deal? I would like to feed to the next chain, not rapid so not sure how a guy might do this.

[JDowe]

Use the pocketing toolpath and select facing

instead of standard pocketing this allows the tool to go past the outer boundry but

cuts the islands to size set your lead in lead out as you want

[CNC PRO]

IMO, Use your standard pocket in the roughing/finishing parameters tab, if you select the "Finish" box then select "Finish outer Boundary" and "Keep tool down", you can then select your lead in/out; this should do what you want without having to create separate contours around your pins.

[honeybunches]

Yes, I do have the path staying down in pocket paths but getting the tool to go the same way around each pin is next to impossible and I have not found a way to adjust where the lead in/outs go like you can with a contour. I have always liked that feature.

 

Basically, the cutter runs around the pins nearly at random. I have it very close but it still decided to go CCW for 180* on a couple pins. If I could tell it to only go CW on closed contours, we would be golden.

 

Thanks for all the help guys.

 

OH, I am using the solid geometry for my pocket chains. Is this a problem? I seem to remember I can adjust the lead point on a 2D chain, but not a solid surface.

[Justin Beebe at Folsom Tool]

Viper1

 

I'm not sure if I understand what you want but try this.

 

Connect all the chains that go around the pins with other geometry so you have one chain. If you get an error message turn off infinate look ahead.

[Mike Whitten CAD/CAM Contractors]

viper1,

 

You may want to check out this video from eapprentice.net that demonstrates the pocket toolpath. pocket overview

 

Thanks,

Mike

[Guest]

Gots a file?

 

[honeybunches]

John, I sent you an stp of the part.