Rough pocketing

[timbale]

Machine: Fadal 8030

Material: 7050 Alum 74x28x1.25"

 

I'm cutting a nest of 3 parts out of a large aluminum plate(74x28x1.25"0. The part is being held on a vacuum chuck. I have a roughing operation(operations 6-8) to clear out most of the material for a 3.0 face mill that comes down and machines the bottom steps. I'm roughing it out with a Hanita .75 3flute rgh endmill. Currently I'm have it programmed using the pocket facing cycle now. But, I'm not happy with it. When the machine makes its stepover the load meter on my machine spikes up momentarily to 150%, also the chips tend to get trapped. So I have to pause the machine to clear the chips so coolant can get to the tool. I've experimented with volumill but that dramatically increase my cycle time. I have also drawn the tool path, which will work but it takes a long time and i have to program 6 more parts like this. So, I'd rather not do that. Attached is the Zip2Go file. Any help would be appreciated.

 

Thanks

[austing]

You need to look at the surface high speed tool paths. Trochoidal motion is the only way to go on removing large amounts of material and not fully radially engaging your cutters.

[timbale]

I tried trochoidal and that increased that the cycle time dramatically. I decided to go another route, now I'm cutting a groove around the perimeter of the pocket with a .75 cutter in two depth passes and then pocketing the rest with a 2.0" 3flute cutter from iscar. I'm taking .30 depth of cut running it at 6000rpm and 100ipm. That seems to have worked out well.

[jeff]

I tried trochoidal and that increased that the cycle time dramatically.

 

Then it would seem your settings weren't correct.

it would help if you posted a picture of your part shape so we can better give you advice.

[timbale]

Then it would seem your settings weren't correct.

it would help if you posted a picture of your part shape so we can better give you advice.

 

 

I thought I posted a zip2go file with the original post. It has all the info. It says the file is too big. I'll see if I can shrink the file and repost it.