Surface Help

[Rstewart]

X4

 

I am trying to create a part with sort of a golf ball pattern on the surface. The surface is swept, so it's not flat.

 

I projected the outline of the surface on another level and xform> offset contour to get a sort of pattern to place my points on. Then I projected that onto the surface. Ok so now I have all my points on the surface.

 

The only way I know of placing dimples all over the surface from my points is Boolean Remove > sphere. This is ok for 5 or 10 points, but Not 150 points.......

 

Any Ideas?

[Thad]

Is color mask and/or window available when you make those selections? That might help.

 

Thad

[Rstewart]

Ok, I'll check on that.....Let you know.

[Rstewart]

Nope, just about everything is greyed out when doing a boolean remove.

 

ended up just selecting one by one

[hugh jars]

Do you actually need to represent the dimples with surface data? Can the dimples be produced by just hitting the spots with a ballnose cutter?

[JDowe]

How about Create a drill toolpath using the

points and a ball endmill - create an stl

file of your surface - verify the toolpath

using the stl and save the result

[Rstewart]

Yeah I just thought about creating a drill toolpath with a ballnose.

Only problem is the surface is swept, so each drill op would have to drill Inc z- some number....

Can this be done? Like highlight all points and drill each one same depth on a curved surface?

[Mike S @ S4A]

that is EXACTLY what depth expression as incremental gives you. Create a drilling op on your projected points. Then when you get to the linking parameters tab click the question mark at bottom left. This brings you to help specific to linking parameters (Clearance, Retract, Feed Plane, Top of stock, Depth). follow the links trail out to the extended explanation of absolute versus incremental in these settings....

To put it in brief; Absolute is absolute elevation in the current toolplane (over-riding geometry's ture elevation). Incremental is a relative relationship:

Incremental Depth is a positive or negativve shift from geometry true elevation

Incremental Top of stock is the same

Incremental Feed plane, Retract, and Clearance are relative to top of stock.

IMO this is a powerful but somewhat underutilized feature - one we cover (or review) at all levels of training ...

[Mike-T]

Inc depths on pretty much all paths here, Abs for clearance planes when I'm working with an 4th or 5th.

[Rstewart]

Thanks Guys! Yeah I know how incremental works, just didn't know it would work in this application (now I do )

 

Thanks again!

[Mike S @ S4A]

Anytime