Paralell toolpaths

[Noel]

I was reading the posts for ver 10 suggestions and the one that interests me is the need for improvement to the parallel tool path to maintain a more constant scallop.I realize that this would be difficult due to the iregular shape of the cavities that it is being asked to cut .However what if there was a way to assign a different step over for different surfaces on the same model either by picking them in groups or by color.Generaly I cut the shoulder surfaces using a fine step over(.0003" to >002")with either side of the drive surfaces as check.Then cut the rest of the cavity with a coarser step over.Its a workaround for sure.Would multiple stepovers in one cut be possible is my question.

 

 

Noel

[mayday]

We have the same problems

try the new project blend toolpath

we tested that on some radial face cam sufaces with shallow to step sides and it worked quite well

[Jean-Simon]

Dr.Olds, Mayday is right most of the people don't know about project blend but it's a very very good one for all types of applications and it calculates the stepover relative to the surface normal so even if you have a straight wall still give you equal steps. Check in the samples (what's new v9) they show the difference between both. HTH

 

Simon

[Noel]

Still can"t get the boss to go up to ver 9.I'll try it on my demo version.

Noel

[Jean-Simon]

E-mail me the file if you want, I'll have a look at it.

[Noel]

Jean

Check you mail I sent a sample for you to play with.

 

 

Noel

[kwolf]

Dr Olds,

 

You can have Blend option in Project toolpath with the lastest patch for version 8.1.1 .

 

HTH

[Noel]

Kwolf

I have tried the blend in 8.1.1.It does seem to work better on angled faces but on vertical or near vertical faces it outputs large stepovers.I've been using MC for over 3 years now and have asked my rep numerous times about this and not once did he suggest using the project blend to cut this type of cavity.Go figure.What I am interested in is to find out if the project blend in V9.1 is better at dealing with these types of surfaces.I could post an example to the site if you like.The only problem is I'm not sure if it will backplot properly with the ver9 demo.However if I was to post with a cut showing what the cut looks like now you could tell if the new cut was any better than the old one.

Noel

[Zero]

Yes, the project blend in v9.1 (or even 9sp1) is better. It handles verticle (or near verticle)surfaces much like scallop does. I like to think of the project blend as a mix between a flowline path and a scallop path. Depending on how complicated your part and or your driving geometry is, it can take a while to process a project blend path, but the results are really nice.