Help with toolpath selection

[user1390]

This is my first post although I have monitored this forum for many years and have seen many unique solutions. Due to Customer and in-company security I cannot post a file so I will describe the part the best I can. It is a cylindrical part with a helical groove along the length,.05r .018 deep. The top edges are radiused with an edge break of .08. I would like to surface this entire form with a lollipop mill off center to eliminate the center of the tool cutting and leaving the line down the middle of the groove. This will be done on a vertical mill with true 4th axis. I want the tool to follow the part in length as the groove is cut. I am using MCX-6 MU3 for our system. What suggestions can you all give me?

[Guest]

Welcome

 

You would almost certainly be better served to create a file that somewhat mimics what you need so we can see what you need. Short of that we're just stabbing in the dark at what we "think" you need

[Jim at Gentex]

If the part looks like I think it does by your description, it sounds to me like you could use a multiaxis curve or flow toolpath.

Since it is a 4th axis machine I will assume you you have the multiaxis option in Mastercam.

 

On the 'Tool Axis Control' page, add a few degrees of lag/ lead or side tilt angle to avoid the center of the tool leaving a mark and you should be good to go.

 

I'm not sure how well it works for 4th axis toolpaths, but I know on a 5 axis path it works every time.

[user1390]

Thanks jim. I tried the multi axis flow toolpath and it still gave me a motion that followed the length of the part but made XZ moves to follow the contour with an A axis move I guess to control the stepover. It didn't make a helical move down the part.

[Jim at Gentex]

You can change the direction of cut in the flowline parameters.

 

As I said earlier, you can work with the lead / lag or side tilt angle to keep the center of the tool from dwelling where you don't want it to be.

 

Much of it is trial and error until you get a feel for it.

[Mic6]

I'm in the same boat security-wise so I always make dummy model files for help.

[Reko]

Would you guys use inverse time here?

 

I have a similar part that only moves about +/- 10 degrees in the A-axis per groove... and travels about 2" in the X-axis.

 

BTW, +1 to multiaxis/flowline