Side milling external radius with end mill

[SFR]

Hi,

 

First of all I wanted to say that this forum has been very helpful for me as I am new to Mastercam and learning much. After searching the forum and not finding a topic that addresses my question I am ready for my first post.

 

What I am trying to do is illustrated in the attached picture. I would like to know if there is a simple way to side mill around an external radius. The blue lines in the picture show approximately where I would like to position the end mill to rough the radius. The picture is a top view of a sample part on a HMC with B axis rotation. The way I have this figured out so far is to create a plane at the various different positions I want the end mill to be at and then just use a contour path to rough the radius.

 

Is there a simpler way to accomplish this? Maybe a multi axis, or surface tool path I could try?

 

Thanks!

 

 

[Guest]

Wireframe 2D Swept

 

You're really going about it the hard way

[BenK]

I would use a surfacing toolpath. It will give you a better result and fewer headaches. Optirough for roughing and Flowline to finish is always a good choice for something like this.

[JayM]

It would be much easier and probably a better and more stable cut to use a 3 axis toolpath such as the ones already recommended.  I think everyone is wondering - Why would you want to rotate and cut the radius the way you are describing?

[SFR]

Thanks to everyone for your replies.

 

I know there are easier ways to machine the radius. I was asked to try this way to see if it would be a faster way to rough it than stepping down along the radius.

 

I was not able to get the Wireframe 2D swept to work. I am running into issues when trying to chain the radius. I select my first chain, hit enter and then Mastercam asks me for the intersection point. After I click on an intersecting point then it pops up an error stating that I can only have 3 chains. As I said I am new with Mastercam, so I'm sure I'm missing something pretty simple. Can someone please walk me through this toolpath?

[JayM]

Yes it can be done, I probably wouldn't though.

radius multiaxis.zip

[SFR]

Thanks for the example file. I currently am running X7 but will be upgrading to X8 next week, so I will look at it then.

[Colin Gilchrist]

The file uploader won't let me upload a "mcx-8" file, so I renamed the file extension to '.txt'. just rename the file extension to 'mcx-8' to see the file.

 

Here is my take on it. There is no need to create Lines to control the Tool Axis. Not having to create them saves you a step...

 

 

 

Area Type: Full, start and end at exact surface edges

Extend/trim: enabled (click the plus sign, set option to 60% of diameter)

Cutting method: One way

Maximum Stepover: .5

 

Tool Axis Control: Surface with lead/lag

Tilt at side of cutting direction: 90 degrees

Side tilt definition: Ortho to cut direction at each position

radius multiaxis-No_Lines.txt

[Justin Beebe at Folsom Tool]

Here is one way. Mill out the square pocket from the front plane with a 2D tool path then surface finish flowline from the bottom up to rough the radius also from the front plane. Then a flowline to finish from the front plane.

[JayM]

 

Here is my take on it. There is no need to create Lines to control the Tool Axis. Not having to create them saves you a step...

 

Yes but it doesn't necessarily give that last pass at 90deg in the corner.