general question for toolmakers

[Laz]

I am curious; when programming a large complex part, would you start the rough machining process prior to completing the final sufaced model for finishing? or do you wait until it's all done, just in case ?

[Oleg]

I try carry out simulation up to the end. Certainly sometimes it borrows a lot of time. But difficult details usually very expensive also it is necessary to try to exclude mistakes.

[RandyN]

I have worked in both mold and die prototype shops, and I always lean towards getting the rough pass to the machine asap, then spending time on the semi and finish passes while its roughing.

[cqualls]

I build large complex blow molds and generally start the rough cut before I have finished programming the finish cuts.

[jeff]

Whatever it takes to get the machine to start making chips....do it.

If we have a large complex part,then typically I am the one who programs and machines it,so I'll program the finish while it's roughing.

[Zero]

Same here. I work in a prototype shop, and of course everyone needs their stuff yesterday, so the parts are usually on the machines roughing while I'm writing finish passes and sometimes the finish passes are running while I'm still writing the leftover high detail area toolpaths. I would much rather write all the toopaths first and verify everything, so when I have the time to on a job I will, but that isn't very often.

[Tony]

Same here,Roughing right out of the gate.

I start on the stuff that may have to be farmed

out first.

[cadcam]

I think we all agree that rough and program finish while it roughs.

 

this how I do it to.

Even now a days programming for customers.

they want the rough as fast as possible then finish.

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

I don't send anything out to the shop floor until I'm at the detail stage of things. Because my parts are sometimes very complex and have multiple set-ups in multiple orientations, I can't afford to do it over if I miss a feature in the second or third operation.

 

With that said, mold work is so much easier to get the roughing out there first and worry about the semi-finish and finish later than doing that for the type of work I do. If I were doing mold and die work for sure I'd get the roughing out on the floor first because generally the largest concern for me with that kind of work is where the remaining stock is, not how one operation affects subsequent operations.

 

JM2C

[Scott Bond]

Hi all

 

My Aerospace projects are completed before they

leave my P.C..

For a slam dunk mold cavity I might do an immediate rough .

For a proto-type I let the shape dictate the method.

 

For an emergency delivery::::::: On these projects I not looking to get an "A" in standard machine shop practices, but I would be on time,with a nice part.

I am going to give them everything that I can think of .

 

[ 11-26-2002, 04:09 PM: Message edited by: Scott Bond ]

[Laz]

Thanx fellows; yeah I have my own experience as an operator to haunt me. My supervisor who was doing the programming would often have a roughed out block sitting for days on our big machine while figuring out the finish passes (natually that did not go over well with the big boy), but by the same token getting a good day or two lead time towards the parts completion and over-night finishing passes can be hard to excuse too.