How much you trust ?

[Rakesh]

Goodmorning everybody

I just want to ask 3d surface toolpath guys that do you trust that much in 3d high speed toolpath that you can make first tool program and see the varification on the screen and right away cut the part and the mean time when part is machining you make the next roughing program and machine it not waiting for to complete the whole program first till the last operation and do varification. So do you trust the toolpath which did roughing is not already taken off the negative material in some area and when the finish toolpath come their is not enough material to clean up?

[Ocean Lacky™]

In a word, Yes!

[Sandybar]

Yes! do it everyday. Somtimes without verification. MasterCam rocks

[Dan@clover]

I must trust it, for I do it everyday. some parts are to large and complex to program all at once leaving the machine idle.

 

try explaining to the boss that he has a machine idle because I'm still programming the part and not sure if my toolpaths are good. Won't go over well here.

 

idle time is lost time

[peon]

Rakesh, I do it everyday and all day. No worries here. I used to operate and program my own machines and NEVER verified the programs. I only started verifying programs when I started programming for other machinists and trodes. If you are new to surfacing toolpaths, I suggest selecting all surfaces and use a boundary to be safe. After you get some experience, you will learn to ONLY select the surfaces that you need to machine with confidence and keep your part file smaller.

[Rakesh]

From the reply of you guys now I am confident to start machining the part as the programme proceed and not to wait till whole program is finished and varified.

One more thing I came across and I should get you guys thought that when You have model if it is solid that I felt that I was very limited that there is no thing as the check surface and only thing is left is to use the boundaries. So how you guys approach, Do you change your model first to surfaces or you think boundries are enough to limit the toolpath?

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

If I didn't trust it, I would not use it. I can get any CAM system I want, I chose Mastercam. I have access to CATIA, I have Esprit, Part Maker, and Mastercam. I use Mastercam to program my parts.

[The_Evil_Machinist]

I trust mastercam in its 3d hsm roughing. I use it everyday and in roughing, I just post and go. No verification. Just look at the backplot lines and be like, "Meh good enough for government work".

 

quote:

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Do you change your model first to surfaces or you think boundries are enough to limit the toolpath?

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I program off solids and just use boundaries. Has worked fine for me.

[[email protected]]

quote:

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I program off solids and just use boundaries. Has worked fine for me.

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Me too, but you can turn solids into surfaces in MCAM if you like. Just go to "Create" > "Surface" > "From Solid"

 

HTH Rakesh

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Oh, I create as little geometry as possible. I go off the solid whenever possible even for boundaries. It's not always possible but I try. It makes things easier if there are Rev. changes. On occasion, surface finish/pattern requirements necessitate that I create Coons surface patches to drive toolpath from. Obviously when surface machining you may need to create check surfaces and the like, but it's just part of the nature of the beast.

[MotorCityMinion]

1 good thing about the programming and running it as you go along is that you can see the part starting to take shape between ops, changing strategies as needed, refining toolpaths and what not. This is particularly good if your just getting started with surfacing. If possible, verify using a solid.

[peon]

On small and simple parts and trodes, I'll program from the solid. But, most of my work is larger and very complicated, therefore, I will convert the solid into surfaces. I have had MUCH better luck programming from surfaces on larger parts. The large solids cause a lag on my rocket ship system.

[Chris Rizzo]

as long as your post is correct for your control, and you always, always have "output feed move" toggeled on.

[haasvf2]

Yep, Straight from the post to the machine. No issues.

[Jim at Gentex]

I also trust Mastercam and the output from my post. Like CNC Apps Guy said, sometimes the nature of the beast requires us to create our own geometry for toolpath purposes, but I also try to keep that to a minimum.

 

If you are uncertain that your post is giving you good code, you can always invest in Vericut or another verification software package.

 

With Vericut you can double-check your code in a virtual environment to see exactly what it will do before running it on the machine.

[Gary]

I just hit the green button and run. So far so good

[Dave.L]

quote:

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Oh, I create as little geometry as possible.

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Can not AGREE more!!!

 

quote:

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I just hit the green button and run. So far so good

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As long as you have done your work to test your post, YEP, post and go all the way!

[Thee Rickster ™]

I only trust it if I did not use OPTIMIZE toolpath.

If you use waterline on a component with lots of

ribs to cut, it sometimes cuts one line of toolpath

at the bottom 1st then goes back up to the top of the rib to start cutting the rib as it was suppose to.

 

You really have to watch closely in verify to catch

it.

 

Take optimize off and you get a billion retracts

but it corrects the gouge.

[Jayson Kramer]

I follow the mass here, I have been trusting the 3D paths for along time as started doing molds and allot of lights out.Allot of good points like make sure you have a proven post and if using the HSM and the linking using the transitions were you give it a feed instead of using the rapid, make sure you know the mag feed for the machine or you find the machine sitting.

[Verndog]

For the most part I trust it, but if I'm cutting expensive material blanks then there is a VERY FAST way to double check for gouge. After you make toolpath and verify, just save the STL file as say "OP1.STL". Then file/ merge / STL in MC and turn on save as mesh (import on its own level). Now you imported a solid looking STL that you can make say color 15 (white). Now turn on your finished part model and shade...make sure its some other color say 12 (red). Rotate part around and look for red color ANYWHERE...if you see it then there is a gouge.

 

And yes...MC can gouge from time to time (more so with bullnose) depending on parameter selection, toolpath and tolerancing choosen. This whole process takes under 3 mins and is well worth the time in many cases. Practice this 1 year and you will get a raise.