Starting contour from a drilled hole

[Hertz]

Morning guys. I have making a lot of parts recently that use an endmill that cannot plunge (Fiberglass specific) 

The part has a bunch of various sized holes. I use a 1/8 fiberglass drill to make a pilot and then come in with a 1/8 endmill to contour it to size. Of course I need the contour to start at the placement of the drilled hole. The problem is I have been doing it (I'm sure its the wrong way) by putting a contour path and then back plot and write down the placement of the plunge, then I add points to those locations and that is where I add the pilot drill, thus preventing the endmill from plunging. So the question is, can I pick an entity to drill and then have the contour plunge in that exact location before it contours? Hopefully I explained that clear enough.

[CJep]

Are you using an arc to define the drilled hole location?

Did you try selecting the center of the arc when selecting the contour geom?

You may need to change the selection type in the chain dialog to point.

[Hertz]

Here is a sample of what I mean. They are not always holes I need to make. In this sample is a slot. Without adding geometry to the part, if I select to drill on the center arc, can i get my endmill to contour to start at the same place? I have use entry point selected in lead parameters but I'm not sure how that is supposed to work as it is not going to the drilled hole.

CONTOUR TEST.mcx-9

[Colin Gilchrist]

Yes, this is actually pretty easy to accomplish.

 

Start your Contour Operation. In your chaining dialog, change your Chaining Mode to "Point". Select the center of your arc/hole.

 

Then switch the chaining mode to "Full Chain" or "Partial", and chain your contour like normal.

 

In the Lead In/Out, there is a checkbox for "Use Entry Point". Enabling this will cause the toolpath to use the "Chained Point" as the first plunge point for your entry. Then the other lead in options apply from that location. (so if you do a line/arc entry, the Line start point would be the hole you chained.

[Colin Gilchrist]

Here is a sample of what I mean. They are not always holes I need to make. In this sample is a slot. Without adding geometry to the part, if I select to drill on the center arc, can i get my endmill to contour to start at the same place? I have use entry point selected in lead parameters but I'm not sure how that is supposed to work as it is not going to the drilled hole.

 

The only thing you are missing is to use the "Chained Point" to put a point before your contour chain.

 

By the way, if you add a "Chained Point" before the Contour Chain, and a different "Chained Point" after the Contour Chain, Mastercam will use the first point as the entry point, and the 2nd point as the exit point. I've had to do this with Slot Mills to get the entry/exit in specific locations for clearance.

[Thad]

I have no idea what CJep is talking about , but Colin is spot on.

[Hertz]

Awesome. Thanks for the tip Colin. Worked great.

[Alien]

Morning guys. I have making a lot of parts recently that use an endmill that cannot plunge (Fiberglass specific) 

The part has a bunch of various sized holes. I use a 1/8 fiberglass drill to make a pilot and then come in with a 1/8 endmill to contour it to size. Of course I need the contour to start at the placement of the drilled hole. The problem is I have been doing it (I'm sure its the wrong way) by putting a contour path and then back plot and write down the placement of the plunge, then I add points to those locations and that is where I add the pilot drill, thus preventing the endmill from plunging. So the question is, can I pick an entity to drill and then have the contour plunge in that exact location before it contours? Hopefully I explained that clear enough.

Are you tryed Toolpath-Circle path-Start Hole op?

[bmwjoe]

On 8/16/2015 at 2:02 AM, Alien said:

Are you tryed Toolpath-Circle path-Start Hole op?

I am trying to get more information on how to apply this toolpath as we often have this type of application.  The only way I have been able to apply it is to do it after all the pocket  operations, where it puts the toolpath at the end.  It does generate centers for all of the tool starts.  I then take these centers and generate a drill toolpath and delete the original start hole.   Where can I find more information?

 

I purchased Mastercam 2017 Handbook Volume 1, but I don't see it.

[Colin Gilchrist]

On 3/28/2017 at 12:45 PM, bmwjoe said:

I am trying to get more information on how to apply this toolpath as we often have this type of application.  The only way I have been able to apply it is to do it after all the pocket  operations, where it puts the toolpath at the end.  It does generate centers for all of the tool starts.  I then take these centers and generate a drill toolpath and delete the original start hole.   Where can I find more information?

 

I purchased Mastercam 2017 Handbook Volume 1, but I don't see it.

This is exactly how it works. You create all of your Pocketing or paths to remove material, and then run the "Start-Hole" path. This puts the Drill Operation at the end, and you just move it in front of the Pocket Ops.

You do have to be careful, as this creates the Points "at the current plunge location" for your Pocket Paths, but this is not "associative" to the Pocket Paths. If you redo the pocketing, you must redo the Start Hole path. (Best to delete the existing points/operation, and just create a new one.)