Scallop toolpath

[JohnD]

Does anybody know if its possible to keep a cut moving from the outside to the inside instead of it jumping from outside to inside. example: a 2 inch work piece with a half inch hole in the middle, when there is no hole, the toolpath will cut from the outside to the inside just fine but when there is a hole in the middle it jumps from the outside to the inside, is it possible to stop that from happening

[Dan Bedore]

use optimize cut order on your finish contour parameters tab

[Mark H]

Use the new(er) Blend toolpath - Surface Finish Project, then on the Finish project parameters tab select blend. You will need two chains for this toolpath. An inside and an oustide chain for the toolpath boundry. It will not jump from inside to outside like the scallop toolpath will, but start on one side and work its way in. This toolpath is very similar to the scallop, it allow you to set the stepover...

[cadcam]

Along with marks suggestion set it for Blend then use Along 3D

Just so you know this will be alott like flowline in the tool path look but vary clean and much easer to control.

It does not do a spiral in path lile scallop.

 

[ 01-31-2003, 12:53 PM: Message edited by: cadcam ]

[Mark H]

Cadcam - Exellent point on the Along 3D

[JohnD]

Excellent, that was just what I wanted.

Thanks for all the input

[kathy]

This Blend 3D looks actally like what I need to use right now - I have a surface but want the tool to cut right up to the edge of the surface (flowline with containment).

I'm confused about the two required chains - the outside chain is clear enough - it's the containment boundry. How do I create the 'inside' chain to drive the toolpath..

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Kathy

[Mark H]

Kathy,

As for the inside chain... Think of a donut, the kind with a hole in the center. The inside "hole" is where you do not want the tool to go (the reason for the inside chain). And the outside perimeter of the donut is the outside chain.

[kathy]

Mark - Thats what would be logical to me - I have a rectangle step running along the top surface of my part. I want the tool to machine out the step to the surface (about -.050 deep from the top surface) and cut right up to the edge of the step, not have the tool c/l on the surface edge which violates into the top surface by 1/2 tool width. I also want to force the tool of the edge of the part (left / right).

I used the top and bottom partial chains as my inside/ outside chains, but the tool wasn't contained inside the boundry.

So I created more chains on offset them from the original by tool radii and reshot. It looks so-so ok in Mastercam, but I am getting errors in Vericut!

 

Kathy

I'll see if I can't get this posted on the ftp.

[kyle]

add a surface to fill the hole and will cut like you want.

[kathy]

Kyle - I need to cut in not out.

I've asked Jay to upload some .jpgs for me.

 

Tommorow I'll get MIS to upload the .mc9 file (it's 7.3 megs)

 

Thanks All, Kathy

[cadcam]

Kathy I will be looking to see the MC9 file.

I will be in the office most the day.

[kathy]

Thanks Jay!

 

The pictures are located @

 

ftp://mastercam:[email protected]/Ma..._Jpg,gif,bmp's/

LJ CORE SETUP A PIC 1 & 2 .jpg

 

Mark is going to try and upload the file this morning.

 

The 5-axis moves seem to work well @ the Fadal (we've been cutting proof board).

I'm also having trouble getting a flat tool into the small edge area at the bottom of the part. I've got an operation to cut it with a ball but unfortunetly the part material will only machine with a flat tool!

 

Thanks to all! Kathy

BTW - Webby if you would like to move this to a new thread that would probably be approiate. This is a bigg project for me and all help would be greatly appreciated. You guys might find it intersting also!

[Charles Davis]

I used Project Blend on a part yesterday. Consider syncing the profiles, and cranking up the Blend, Along Cut Resolution.

 

It will take some time to calculate, but the results are beautiful.

[kathy]

Charles - Thanks for you reply...

 

How do I 'synce' the profiles?

By cranking up the blend - do you mean the Total Tolerance field?

Where is the setting for 'Along Cut Resolution'?

 

Next I want to post a pic from Vericut which clearly shows an excess of material left on the 'step cuts' along the top edge on the cuts! This is what concerns me.

 

Kathy

[Charles Davis]

Go to the blend setting:

Set Cutting Method to Along 3D, Go to Blend, Set % of Stepover = 20%.

 

When you Chain, pick first on Sync. Lots of ways to sync profiles, but if both the outside and inside profile have the same number of entities, use By Entity.

 

Think of sync as matching entities on the two boundaries with each other. This can help produce a more symetric cut all around.