Keep Tool Down in X8

[Jim at Gentex]

OK this is the first issue I've had with X8 and it's driving me crazy! 

 

• Create a multiaxis curve toolpath to cut a slot in a part.
• Set all parameters as I want them to be (Tool, Speed / Feed, Coolant, Depth Cuts, Entry / Exit, etc...).
• Regen and backplot the operation, and all is as it should be.
• The same feature appears on the part in 3 other locations, so I copy and paste the original operation, then select the new geometry at the 2nd, 3rd, & 4th slot locations.
• Regen and backplot the 3 new operations, but now the tool stays down between passes in the 3 copied operations as if the 'Keep Tool Down' box is checked, but it is not checked in the original toolpath parameters or the copied parameters.
• (I didn't change anything on the parameters page, just copied and pasted the operation as is and selected the new geometry.)

 

I've used this same procedure many, many times but this is the first time I've seen the tool retract between passes as it should on the original toolpath, but stay down on the copied ones.

I'm sure my chains are all good, and all going in the same direction from the same start point.  

 

Has anyone else had this happen or know how to correct it?

 

Thanks in advance. 

 

[Guest]

I just had something weird happen doing a 5 axis curve....

 

I was getting a duplicate path in a slightly different orientation

 

Checked my geometry, all good.....deleted the OP, saved the file shut down, restarted, re-made to OP, all is fine...

 

Not a clue

[?Mark]

Copying toolpaths so you can take advantage of the same settings with different geometries doesn't work very well in 5-axis. Sometimes not at all. As you found, only re-creating toolpath from scratch will work. I see it all the time. It's as if there is some "residual" info that you can't clear.

[Jim at Gentex]

Copying toolpaths so you can take advantage of the same settings with different geometries doesn't work very well in 5-axis. Sometimes not at all. As you found, only re-creating toolpath from scratch will work. I see it all the time. It's as if there is some "residual" info that you can't clear.

 

Yes, it does seem that way.

However, I used this same technique in earlier versions up to and including X6 and it has always worked.

(We skipped from X6 to X8, so I'm not sure if this was an issue with X7.) 

This is the first time I have seen this kind of odd behavior from a copied toolpath.

 

For now I will just re-do ops 2,3,&4 from scratch to get the job done, but it would be nice to be able to use the copy / paste feature without worrying about parameters randomly changing.