Surface High Speed (titanium)?

[gcode]

quote:

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Does it limit the tool engagement angle also?

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I don't see anything like that..

 

quote:

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so that it doesnt travel two tool diameters past the edge of the material? (just a little sarcasm)

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I got to agree.. it really doesn't matter much

at 200ipm cutting aluminum.. but at 4ipm it makes

the toolpath pretty much useless for 304SS..

[MultiAxGod]

Steve, Volumill was the program you were thinking of. Discussion was heavy on it because it was a web based software not an owned license. Unusual for this day and age. It was created by the guys that created Surfcam Velocity and worked beautifully. I tried it on several unusual parts and it worked great. Took some getting used to though, waiting for the file to go back and forth. Do a search on Volumill and you will find a couple of threads where we discussed it.

Never got Mcam to work close to what I wanted. Cimco was good too but Surfcam and Volumill are better.

Good Luck Neurosis!

[Colin Gilchrist]

FYI,

 

Volumill finally has released a Chook version of their program. No more having to use the Web.

 

Dave, you should ask Steve Kidd about Volumill. It rocks and from what I've seen, is better than Truemill.

 

Heck, it was written by the same guy who developed Truemill for Surfcam.

[neurosis]

Colin,

 

Funny that you should mention that. I talked to him today! I asked a bunch of questions at the roll out. Some I was happy with and some a little disappointed. It looks like they are taking a step in the right direction with dynamic milling but it appears that they are looking at someone elses technology and re-inventing the wheel. We will see what happens in the future.

 

I will be looking in to volumill. I tried the demo of cimco's product today and it still was falling a bit short. It was 10,000 times better than what I was able to come up with in mastercam using surface high speed. I would trust it to make parts and not break cutters. The path was also very efficient. I would like just a bit more control but if I had to live with it (the cimco) I would be willing.

 

I hate contacting resellers because I can never get them to leave me alone. (grin) Does volumill have a fully working demo as cimco does?

[gms1]

hmm so volumill finally dropped that crazy web thing. Might give it a go now.

[Colin Gilchrist]

Looks like you can try it free for 15 days... Not too bad of a deal really...

 

And having it be an actual Chook in Mastercam is key in my opinion.

[neurosis]

is the 15 day trial for the c-hook or just the web version? I didnt see a 15 day trial for the chook.

[Colin Gilchrist]

I think you have to get it through a reseller. The quote on their website is:

 

"Try VoluMill integrated into your CAM system free for 15 days."

 

I'm assuming this is the Chook, but I'm sure Steve will know. I think it is pretty cool that the video example on their website was done by Cimtech in partnership with Helical and Gossinger (Okuma).

[Steve Hattori]

Looking at the Volumill website, it appears to me to be very similar to Cimco. The difference I see in the Okuma demo on the home page- In Cimco, whenever its doing trochoid clearing, I can have the return moves at rapid or a higher feedrate. Other than that, it looks like the same algorithm for clearing material. Cimco allows you call out entry-exit rads, or none at all, feed rates between cuts, radial and axial engagements, and everything else in a normal mcam tp param. It also collision checks the tool, shank and holder and works with custom tool shapes.

I will try out Volumill and run a comparo on an existing part to see how the toolpaths differ, if at all...

[neurosis]

Steve,

 

Sorry for the dumb question, but where do you adjust the feed rate between cuts? I cant find it anywhere. I am looking for it in the 3d adaptive clearing. I see where you can have it rapid or feed between cuts. Its possible that I just dont have my clearance setting correct. some areas it never lifts but it stays at the current feed rate, and in other areas (outside of the limit that I set) it rapids to clear and then moves to the next cut.

[Steve Hattori]

Neurosis, it uses the plunge feedrate when going between cuts in trochoid clearing- so I usually bump the plunge feed up, since it never actually plunges into anything. This speeds things up a lot if you have bosses or other spots where the cutter has to clear between two features.

[neurosis]

Hey! thanks Steve. I'll play around with it.

 

Im in the middle of trying to set up an appointment with our local reseller to go over the differences and benefits of both volumill and the cimco product. I am hoping that they give me a good comparison. Im looking forward to it.

 

I have the volumill demo now but dont want to install it until after ive been shown around volumill by the reseller.