surface blend

[brandon b]

What I have here is just the surfaces im having an issue with. Im not allowed to post any more of the part than this. there's just a bunch of pockets and a stiffener ribs in the center section.The white surfaces are from my model. The red is just a draft surface I made to help you picture the part a lil..Not sure if it helps any

 

So what I need help with is to clean up the toolpath a little bit. It twist up on its self around the tabs.

 

Or if theres another toolpath someone sees that may work. Im looking for a path just like this. walks around the part from the outside in.

[brandon b]

well for some reason my file didnt upload.. any suggestions

[Rotary Ninja]

What kind of file is it? If nothing else upload it to the FTP.

 

I am no expert, but from what I have seen to keep the ends of a blend toolpath clean you have to look at your blend lines. Where they extend off of the surfaces make sure they are the same distance past the surface edge. So if you are using a 1/2" endmill and it needs to extend over an edge make sure both chains extend .250" past the edge of the part. If one is longer the toolpath will start to get a little messy at the ends.

 

Hope this helps.

[brandon b]

This file is a emcx. I can upload the industrial file next week at work,,,if that's what the problem is...

 

That makes sense ninja. I will look into that when I get a chance.

 

Been in the hospital.. Wife just had our baby

[brandon b]

Just remembered .. The 2 chains are not similar at all.. The outer chain has tabs ,the inner is basically an oblonged rectangle sort of speak...I a see why it would overlap itself

 

[Rotary Ninja]

Congrats on the new baby! I am fighting with my soon-to-be ex to see mine. Cherish every minute you get

[brandon b]

Thanks. But sorry to hear your side of things

[Rotary Ninja]

You need to zip the file to upload it here. The forum won't allow you to upload eMCX-6 files. I sent you an email.

[Rotary Ninja]

Oh no. I see what you mean. Blend may not be the best choice for this part. The tabs are really causing the issue. The tool is transitioning outside of the boundary and when it comes back in the Z position is gouging your part. Is that what you are seeing on the part?

[brandon b]

yes thats what its doing. what other toolpath looks good? I tried a contour with 60 passes and projected on to the surface then trimmed the toolpath. I cant have the tool retract alot tho. The tool needs to stay in contact with the workpiece. I like how blend walks around the part. Scallop isnt creating anything better either.. Kinda stuck. Im running blend now. ill post a pic in a few hours when its done.

 

Im running on a newer model Fadal 6030.

[Rotary Ninja]

Instead of projecting a contour project a morph spiral pocket

[MotorCityMinion]

Keep in mind that the blend chains control how the tool paths morphs from one side to the other. Excessive compression can take place with 3D enabled and the tool path starts to get funky. On occasion, I'll brake the initial blend area into two tool paths, using different shaped blend curves with each path. If you want, have Kevin upload that file and I'll take a look.

[Rotary Ninja]

BLENDHELP.EMCX-6 on the FTP in X6 Files

 

I tried a morph spiral on it and it didn't work either. I would cut the tabs out of the blend chains and just do those with a separate parallel toolpath.

[MotorCityMinion]

LOL, my thoughts exactly, isolating the tabs is the first thing I've done. Knocking off the outside corners, then hitting them with a different tool path may help as well. I'm also trying to omit the splines from the tool path. Time consuming. There are quite a few options / things to try that require time. Without a Solid to verify against, it could all be for nothing. Did you see what I meant about the compression taking place and screwing up the tool path? The slope of the surfaces look shallow enough to enable 2d in the blend path. Lack of export options or C-hooks in the HLE make this a challenge.

[Rotary Ninja]

I've never used any c-hooks. So I have no idea there. But I think redrawing the chains like you said and maybe making it a more simple shape and using the part solid for various check surfaces (if need be) would be the way to go. It's not that difficult of a part. Just the included geometry is a bit hosed.

[MotorCityMinion]

Not too shabby. I untrimmed the surfaces. Just extend / trim your blend curves to suit your needs.

 

BLENDHELP MCM.EMCX-6 FTP: X6 _FILES

[brandon b]

,

[brandon b]

all your info makes alot of sense and is giving me another train of thought on how I may approach this again. I'm getting more and more new parts like this..

 

I considered breaking up the toolpath at first,but after getting one path pretty close I wanted to find out if it would work..

 

I will upload pics of the finished part later today..

[brandon b]

this is my finished blend pass

[brandon b]

the gouges look worse than they are. a .002 deep at the worst. I have +/- .005 so im still good. just have the burr shop clean it up.

[MotorCityMinion]

Nice part. Big one also.

 

As for the marks your pointing to. The tool path tolerance can influence this. How tight the machine is (back lash) plays a major role as well. Sudden or sharp direction changes can produces less than satisfactory results. Scallop tool paths really exhibit this condition. Tangential linking moves in HST tool paths will reduce these occurrences. The first file that was uploaded had a gap setting of 10.00" in the tool path. In areas of the surface that are shorter than this, the tool was actually back tracking on the surface to get to the start of the next cut. Add up all the variables and you can get what was shown in the picture.

[brandon b]

oh ya its big.. material is 55"x19"x3.5"..

 

The gap settings is 10. because i was trying to keep the tool in contact with the material. I hate surface paths that jump up and down all the time on thin floors like this.. the floors are .04 and .08 thick.

[Jayson Kramer]

When setting the gaps that hi you need to really review the backplot as I am all about keeping the tool down and have done some cool stuff with gap setting were most would create a surface I used the gap setting instead. you need to review and look for transitions that may gouge or even cut thru a wall.

[Jayson Kramer]

Go to the new folder called EMCX_EDU_Files and find the file that ends with Cadcam. look at the surface Scallop path takes care of your needs and min lifting and dose not roll over edges.

[brandon b]

When setting the gaps that hi you need to really review the backplot as I am all about keeping the tool down and have done some cool stuff with gap setting were most would create a surface I used the gap setting instead. you need to review and look for transitions that may gouge or even cut thru a wall.

 

yes I ran into this problem a few weeks back.. luckily i was at the machine blowing the chips away when the tool was on its way into a wall..

 

I got in a bad habit of setting the gap settings high when i was first learning. Now I just automatically throw a big number in and dont think twice about it. Need to start playing with it some. '

what kind of situations are you doing "cool stuff" with gap settings.