tool center bounderies

[Storkman]

When using the surface-rough-parallel toolpath with a toolcenter boundery, I have a problem making the tool hit the ends of the boundery when I use a large stepover. Is there any way to force the tool to use the exact start and stop bounderies?

[cadcam]

On the last paramater page there is a option to pick a start point.

 

Also try another angle on the same page.

[Storkman]

Thanks for your reply but my problem isn't starting at a peticular point but that the tool wont start at the designated "x" or "y" line it divides up the containment area and starts or ends anywhere from .100 to .500 inside the boundery. Especially when using half the diameter of the cutter for a stepover.

[cadcam]

So it wont do all of te path inside of the contanment?

can you share your file and what you have done?

What version are you using.

 

[ 08-05-2002, 10:06 AM: Message edited by: cadcam ]

[Storkman]

I am using version 7.2c. This is a problem for my other programmers. I don't currently have a file with this toolpath but I will try to find one to send you.

[Storkman]

I can't share my file with you do to our firewall. But I recently ran a surface-rough-parallel toolpath and it came up short on one end by .200 and the other by .100. Using a 1.25 diameter endmill with a .45 stepover. I had to keep extending my boundery to get it to stop and start roughly where I wanted.

[Kenneth Potter]

Have you tryed to Rechain your TBC with a different start point?

[Storkman]

the start point isnt the problem. mastercam breaks it into a various number of passes that dont always start and stop where you want. I have tried dividing the length of the boundery evenly and using that number for the stepover and it still doesnt come out right.

[Scott Bond]

quote:

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Is there any way to force the tool to use the exact start and stop bounderies?

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For getting the exact x and y while the z changes to the surface I use PROJECT.

[David S]

Try offset your contours which, you use as bounderies,about half of your tool Dia.

[Roger Peterson]

Extend your surfaces or make your tool containment boundary much larger than it needs to be and use the toolpath, next menu, trim function.

[Storkman]

Thanks guys. I'll try those. Extending it and trimming it back sounds like it will do what I want. I don't know why I didn't think of it. But I haven't trimed a toolpath in a long time. Thanks again.

[Storkman]

Well people, none of those ideas worked I'm sorry to say. Any more suggestions?

[cadcam]

storkman by any chance the corner you are trying to reach in the contanment boundry smaller then the tool you are using?

 

It would help alot if you could share so data with us so me may see what is happening.

[foolsh]

but it seems that surface rough parallel toolpath takes quite a long machining time compared to surface rough pocket?i backplotted the times for surface rough parallel and it shows a ridiculously long machining time!therefore i dared not use this toolpath lest i would be scolded by the boss!

[Hardmill]

If i'm reading right you can add a neg. value

on your boundary.

Also I always set my depths (abs.) and adjust for

stock to leave on drive surfs.

You may also try tweaking you step over.

 

PEACE

[crazy^millman]

+1000 on hardmill i sometimes create an imagiary bounding box that is not real relation to the part but something that I nkow is bigger i will also go to depths and use the abs and make it sometime a 1/4 deepr if I got the room to make sure it does all i want. Good luck.

 

When doing surface/rough/pocket play with the option od the cut sometime the different options will also give different results and sometimes making the step over smaller helps also make take longer but does not leave the ribs after it is done either.

 

Crazy Millman

 

PS on the surface rough pocket I believe you can tell it to finish outer boundray also.

[Müřlıń®]

quote:

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You may also try tweaking you step over.

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+1 to Hardmill.....In ver 7 I often had to play with stepover distance in order to get a path to crunch or do what I want.(same goes for 8)

 

Quit using that toolpath since ver 7 and started using surface/rough/pocket with a finish.

 

I only use the paralell toolpath now if I am cutting something other than steel or aluminum, like graphite or plastic.....

 

I use Iscar ball mills and they will only cut on the bottom and just a little past tangent on the side.

The rough/paralell wiped out so many tool holders on me it isn't funny.

 

Surface/rough/pocket may take a tad longer, but for me, it's the one to use. Especially for 3-d.

 

 

Murlin teh only does 3-d toolpaths