Surface Toolpath Help

[ducati]

I am trying to help a friend with his first mold. And of course this

is my first try to put a tool path to a mold file.

The bottom of the cavity starts out round but then begins to flatten

out to about 1/4 or 3/8 flat bottom and we need it to be rounded.

I have tried different selecting the tool path geo different

but still get the flat bottom. The model file is round but for

some reason I am producing the flat bottom.

Can someone explain how to make the correct changes.

Since file is too large ( 2.7 m zipped) to upload I can email or other options.

 

 

Thanks

Ken

[Reko]

The bottom of the cavity starts out round but then begins to flatten

out to about 1/4 or 3/8 flat bottom and we need it to be rounded.

I have tried different selecting the tool path geo different

but still get the flat bottom. The model file is round but for

some reason I am producing the flat bottom.

 

What kind of tool are you using? If it is a flat bottom EM, or bull nose EM, it will leave a flat bottom.

[ducati]

What kind of tool are you using? If it is a flat bottom EM, or bull nose EM, it will leave a flat bottom.

 

 

Rough with a flat 1/4

finish with 1/4 ball and 1/8 ball end mills.

[MotorCityMinion]

Sounds like tools are not the problem here. Tool path selection is. Post a picture.

[ducati]

Not sure if this is what you wanted to see or not.

First time posting a picture.

 

hehe

[MotorCityMinion]

Billy club?

 

For the finishing, I'd try SF Blend or Parallel running in line with the curves, staying off the end walls by a few. SF contour or waterline on the end walls. Use depth limits and or a containment boundary to try and keep the tool from rolling over the edges. Another option is to extend the top face by a few thou in the vertical and use depth limits. If possible, change your finisher to a larger tool, say 5/32 or 3/16. When I get some time, I'll try and mimic the drawing and show you how to set up the SF Blend.

[MotorCityMinion]

The hat in the pic is the boss, SF Blend, along 3d spiral, light blue chains. The main tube is SF Blend, across, dark blue chains. The ends machined with SF Contour with shallow enabled to add cuts and a 2" gap setting using the green chains as a containment.

 

[MotorCityMinion]

Double posted. Can a mod remove the second post?

 

[K2csq7]

When I get some time, I'll try and mimic the drawing

WOW, that's some nice help. You should get a free T-shirt for that 1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[within a thou]

Have you tried surface finish leftover using a parallel finish to clean up the areas that are coming out flat?

[ducati]

Have you tried surface finish leftover using a parallel finish to clean up the areas that are coming out flat?

 

 

Thanks for all the help. I will need to find some more info

on the correct method to select the drive surfaces, because

I believe I am selecting them wrong. However,

we ran the file on another Centroid Control and it ran

fine with a round bottom. We have contacted Centroid dealer

to find out what settings could be different between the two mills.

The mill the file does not run on correctly has the most current

upgrade on the SW but some settings must be skewed.

 

Thanks again for your help. I need to do some more reading

on the toolpath selection options and processes.

[MotorCityMinion]

FYI, I selected the entire model, not individual faces. Containment boundaries, drive chains, and depth limits determine the areas to be machined in this case.