5-axis toolpath help needed

[Bob W.]

Is there a 5-axis toolpath equivalent of the 3-axis scallop surfacing toolpath? I have seen the multi-surface selection but I haven't looked too deeply into it to see if it will do what I want. It seems to do the equivalent of contour and parallel toolpaths. I need a scallop toolpath and convert to 5-axis is posting out with gouges so I want to try a different approach.

[crazy^millman]

Bob take a 3 axis toolpath in a 3+2 close position that will get just about everything you need. Then back plot the toolpath and save the center line geometry to a level. Then use curve 5 axis with lines to control your axis and should be good to go. Can only do this with ball endmills.

 

HTH

[Jeremy Herron@DBS Solutions™]

I have had some good results with triangular mesh as well.

[Aaron Eberhard]

Sounds like your 3 to 5 settings are a bit wonky.. Can you post up a file?

 

Jeremy is on the right path, though, if you want a specified scallop height, the Triangular Mesh toolpath will do it.

[Bob W.]

Bob take a 3 axis toolpath in a 3+2 close position that will get just about everything you need. Then back plot the toolpath and save the center line geometry to a level. Then use curve 5 axis with lines to control your axis and should be good to go. Can only do this with ball endmills.

 

HTH

 

Damn, didn't even think of that. Pretty slick idea, Thanks!

 

I have had some good results with triangular mesh as well.

 

Currently playing around with this and it looks very promising but a lot of guess and check...

[Bob W.]

Sounds like your 3 to 5 settings are a bit wonky.. Can you post up a file?

 

Jeremy is on the right path, though, if you want a specified scallop height, the Triangular Mesh toolpath will do it.

 

Gouges are showing up in Vericut when the B-axis (tilt) goes from a positive to negative angle. I'm pretty sure it is a post or setting issue, or maybe a Vericut setting issue. None of these gouges show up in back plot or verify.

[Aaron Eberhard]

Sounds like you're not using TCP in Vericut (or your file?), so you're seeing the mark from when the tool repositions before its' actual position is compensated.

[Bob W.]

Sounds like you're not using TCP in Vericut (or your file?), so you're seeing the mark from when the tool repositions before its' actual position is compensated.

 

How do I go about fixing that? I am not programming or machining the TCP control options on my machine, it is all point to point.

[gcode]

triangular mesh is the way to go.

there are a million options and switches, but they give near total

control

[Bob W.]

Okay, could someone please explain what a containment curve does? I have selected it to try and contain my toolpath to a certain region but it is violating drive and check surfaces, and the containment boundary all over the place. Very frustrating. My surface normals are all correct and I have tried several different settings but still get the same geometry violation. I am using the 2D containment curve around a small pocket that is being machined. All other surfaces are selected as check but it doesn't seem to matter.

[Tyler Robertson]

Bob take a 3 axis toolpath in a 3+2 close position that will get just about everything you need. Then back plot the toolpath and save the center line geometry to a level. Then use curve 5 axis with lines to control your axis and should be good to go. Can only do this with ball endmills.

 

HTH

 

you have to make sure to use comp surfaces with this approach, and/or use center tool and no tool comp

[Tyler Robertson]

triangular mesh is very dependent on the tolerance settings so if you don't get exactly what you want right off the bat try a more precise tolerance

[Aaron Eberhard]

How do I go about fixing that? I am not programming or machining the TCP control options on my machine, it is all point to point.

 

Bob - Do you mean you're not going to run the file on the machine with TCP?

 

Sorry if this is a recap, but I like to be thorough for anyone reading the thread TCP Basically allows the control to compensate for a tilt in angles all through a move, not just at the vector itself (like a G43.3 Tool Tip Comp would do).. If you only have Tool Tip Comp, you can get gouges in between the vectors, since the machine won't, say, move the Z to keep track of the B, and only adjust at the next vector.

 

You'll definitely want to have Vericut set up to match your machine, or you'll get false positives. I haven't used Vericut enough to know how to turn it on or off in there, though.. Sorry!

 

If you're not using it on the machine, try setting the file to use a MUCH finer step-over or Max Angle Step.. I generally set my max angle step to ~.125-.25* anyway..

[Mick]

There is a Vericut macro to turn on TCPC, On our Okuma MU500 (trunnion 5 axis) G169 turns on TCPC, and in Vericut, G169 is set to call the macro "RTCPON". Works perfectly.

[Bob W.]

Aaron,

 

The moves are already pretty fine (.010" max distance) and the gouges are huge, like the tool going on vacation through my part :-) I can't run TCP on my machine (Yet) because I don't have a post set up for it. It is something I do plan to implement in the near future though.

[Jeremy Herron@DBS Solutions™]

What machine Bob? How about your max angle increment?

[Bob W.]

The machine is my Makino A51 horizontal machine with a rotary installed. I'm not sure what the max angle increment was set to.

[Jeremy Herron@DBS Solutions™]

Should be pretty easy to add TCP to that post. What post are you using?