file as remaining material

[k turk]

let's say that my finished part is a pyramid and i am handed a cube of material from which to cut it. i don't want to machine all that material so i go to the bandsaw and make a rough pyramid leaving half an inch of material to the finish surface.

 

i've created a model of the bandsawed pyramid. how would i go about using that as a file to generate a Highspeed Roughing toolpath to remove the majority of the material and avoid cutting air? i was thinking i could use a Highspeed Rest Rough approach as there is a 'Compute remaining stock from CAD File' option, but i don't see a way to browse for the file of the roughed pyramid. when generating the toolpath with this selected i get a warning 'Operation does not have STL file.'

 

how would i go about trying to do what i'm trying to do?

 

thanks

k

 

(i've simplified the geometry for the explanation. i know i could create planes for each face and approach it that way)

[Redfire427]

This is kind of a sloppy way to do it, but generate a simple raster or parallel toolpath across your model using a 1/4" ballnose endmill( doesn't matter what size cutter ) leaving .5 for stock to leave. Now verify this toolpath using your original block size in your stock set-up and then save this verify as your STL file. This is now the CAD file that you will generate the rest roughing toolpaths from.

[Ocean Lacky™]

If you have a model of the part PLUS stock, just save it as an STL. When you create the Rest Rough toolpath, the last thing you do is select the STL that you saved. Turn Shading ON and set numer of triangles to '0' to see the STL model overlaid on top of your finished model

[Ocean Lacky™]

For clarity....

 

Rest rough tool path, set all parameters, click on green check mark, At this point, a window will pop up to browse for the STL file.

[k turk]

that is super. thanks

 

k