toolpath help

[Tim Pruett]

Is there a toolpath that will keep a constant scallop height and very the depth of cut other than flowline? I usually parallel cut just about everything but it takes forever. Thanks in advance.

[htm01]

uh,scallop comes to mind.

project can be a good sub for parallel depends on the part.

[Tim Pruett]

On what page in the scallop toolpath does it give you an option to set the scallop height?

[Tim Pruett]

OK, I found where to set the scallop height but whenever I change it, it changes the stepover amount. I'm looking for a toolpath that will

VARY THE DEPTH OF CUT and keep a set scallop height value. So it will make shallow cuts on the top of a radius about half way around and then start making deeper cuts as it gets closer to the bottom of the radius. I'm cutting a boss with drafted side walls with a .05 radius at the top edge, it's flat on top.

 

Cimatron has a toolpath that will do this. I know that's gonna get me yelled at but man this just sucks having to parallel cut everything. Somebody please help.

[Thee Rickster ™]

The 'w' cut is nice.

 

I cut drafted bosses all the time and a waterline

with added cuts is the closest you will get to

cimatrons.

 

if you use .01 step down

use .0005 - min stepdown

and .01 - max pro step over

 

Play with the min step down till you get close to

what you want.

 

Hope this helps

 

[ 02-03-2010, 01:38 PM: Message edited by: Rickster ]

[Steve Z]

surface finish flowline, will give you the control you want (DOC and scallop height)...just not sure if it will help with what you are trying to machine....try it out....let me know what you think...gl Steve

[Hardmill]

For the most part Tim no one surf toolpath

is the "one" for everything.

Use a couple different and mix it up to get

the best out of each.

Ive used this approach to surfacing and its for

the most part the proper way to go.

 

 

PEACE

[Toonz]

What's wrong with Flowline? It does everything you are asking for!

[Tim Pruett]

Hardmill, I have 14 toolpaths on one electrode. I was trying to simplify some of the programing I have to do. I just thought maybe I could finish the entire electrode with one toolpath the way cimitron can.

 

Toonz, every time I try to flowline an electrode with more than a few surfaces I get the inevitable "surface conflict error". Any ideas how to fix this. I love flowline, whenever I can get it to work.

 

 

Rickster, I tried the waterline toolpath and it still looked like it kept a constant depth of cut.

[Steve Z]

or maybe a surface high speed toolpath to rough your electrode....area rough or core rough(depending on what you are cutting), then finish with a waterline or raster toolpath. I have found the Surface HST very helpful...goodluck

[Toonz]

Yeah, the reason you get the conflict error is that the across and along of the surfaces are are reversed (perpendicular) on one or more surfaces.

 

The solution is: 1. To either recreate the surfaces so that they are all oriented the same way.

 

or: 2. Toolpath all the surfaces that match orientation in one or more ops, and the same for the remaining surfaces.

[Tim Pruett]

Toonz,

 

I know how to fix the problem, but I think I souldn't have to fix 30 out of 46 surfaces to get a program to run correctly. The problem with mastercam is that in all of the other programs that offer a scallop height setting, if you change it, it changes the stepover amount and keeps it constant. Why can't surface finish contour as an example have a setting for scallop height and keep it seperated from the stepdown amount like flowline does. Toolpathing would be so much quicker.

[Storkman]

waterline is my favorite. but ur right, no scallop setting