3D Mould toolpath suggestion

[DavidB]

Hi guys I'm machiing this large mould in Auminium and I was wondering how to generate a toolpath that does not give 90 degree transitions.

It's being run on an older machine and the 90 degree transitions leave marks in he mould.

Is here a way to get this hybrid toolpath or a scallop toolpath to collapse withe radius's in the toolpah?

PA45-AGMR-1_MOULD_SURFACES.MCX-6

[BNFab]

I am a noob but are you talking about on the "open" side of your part? If that is an opening and you can let the tool run out of that side, would it help to extend the containment boundary on that side and put a nice corner radius on your 2d boundary?

[DavidB]

No Im talking about the collapsing of the toolpath itself. The toolpath collapses with 90 degree movments I'd like to eliminate.

[DavidB]

These transitions I'd like to be radi. These transitions mark the mould because the machine is old.

[TK-32™]

An Optirough toolpath perhaps

[Greg Williams]

You could use waterline and add some cuts

[DavidB]

That looks nice Greg but the shallow areas will have big stepovers.Im looking for a finishing toolpath to finish off the mould.

Cheers Dave

[Micromoldmaker]

Why the objection to the "knitting" lines?" We polish our molds and it's no biggie to get rid of the tool marks provide the step over amount is reasonable. Those are the tool paths with a small step over I run over night to get the most out of machining time and a good finish. "Surface Finish Constant Scallop" should give you a good, even finish. I usually stay away from the high speed tool paths, too many gouges in my experience.

[Brewster]

Have you tried Surface Finish Blend?

[JayM]

How about High Speed Spiral? It would produce more retract movements but will no have any sharp corners.

[Guest MTB Technical Services]

Why the objection to the "knitting" lines?" We polish our molds and it's no biggie to get rid of the tool marks provide the step over amount is reasonable.

 

Because there is CAM software out there that will generate mold surface toolpaths without the need for polishing.

It's actually quite common now.

[mayday]

Power.

[Guest]

I don't have the ability to do it but I would be looking at a Hybrid path, using the newer smoothing settings and shifting the points randomly. You can also adjust the transition angle so you can get the position where you want it

 

That can alleviate the "zipper" line effect

[Thee Rickster ™]

Mill.

[Thee Rickster ™]

I don't have the ability to do it but I would be looking at a Hybrid path, using the newer smoothing settings and shifting the points randomly. You can also adjust the transition angle so you can get the position where you want it

 

That can alleviate the "zipper" line effect

 

He is using that path.

I have exhausted the settings, I gave up

[Hardmill]

Old skool paths may be what your after

Flowline the top and use scallop onthe floors and fillets with "Sharp corner smoothing" checked

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PEACE

PA45-AGMR-1_MOULD_SURFACES_HM.MCX-6

[Thee Rickster ™]

The problem with hybrid is, if it collapses a cavity out side in then

as iit cuts rads down the transitions become sharp

 

if there was a way to start from the center and cut to outside, then reverse the path and

direction so that it cuts from outside and climb mill then you would have exactly what

David is looking for.

 

IS there a way to get it to at minimum start from the inside to out?

[Tyler Robertson]

Give me 10-20 minutes, hybrid is my friend

[Thee Rickster ™]

Nice Work Hardmill!

 

(Work and Hardmill in the same sentence....FTW!

[DavidB]

@ JParis The toolpath in the Mastercam file I uploaded is a Hybrid toolpath.

 

@ Micromouldmaker The machine being used is an older machine and Im trying to see if I can get MC to do arc transitions in this case. But why would you want to polish a mould in this day and age. Its hard enough competing the Chineese

 

@Brewster I have never been able to create a blend toolpath I just dont understand how to create one. Could you throw one over my uploaded MC file and upload it?

[DavidB]

The problem with hybrid is, if it collapses a cavity out side in then

as iit cuts rads down the transitions become sharp

 

 

Id like to start from the outside in and work in as there are vertical walls. But your spot on with your comment once the corner rads have worked in the transitions turn into sharp corners.

 

On a new HS machine with a good controller this wouldnt be such an issue. But even for HSM wouldn't radi be better for the transitions?

[Tyler Robertson]

Give me 10-20 minutes, hybrid is my friend

 

woops late on this and yeah given the straight walls you're looking at separate toolpaths

[Hardmill]

woops late on this and yeah given the straight walls you're looking at separate toolpaths

 

Thats a given with most mold (not mould) situations.

theres never a one path solution (well almost never)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PEACE

[Tyler Robertson]

Thats a given with most mold (not mould) situations.

theres never a one path solution (well almost never)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PEACE

 

Yeah especially before we had hybrid. Did a mold yesterday that hybrid finished beautifully with one path, but it had draft. Organic-shaped molds can often get away with scallop, but almost always a waterline/contour/flowline - hybrid can add that in

[Tyler Robertson]

not sure if you'll like the direction of motion

 

*edit: if I attached the file it would help\

 

 

*second edit: After actually reading the initial posts I see it's the 90 degree transitions that are the problem, sorry! I assumed it was the transitions between the 90 degree wall and rad. that file still has 90 degree turns but you can use it as an example of a consistent hybrid path

PA45-AGMR-1_MOULD_SURFACES_TR.MCX-7