Plunge Milling Retract Issue

[Rotary Ninja]

I have created a plunge mill toolpath. The top of the material is -Z-0. My surface parameter page is all set to absolute. The clearance plane is set to 2". My retract plane is set to .250". Feed plane is .1". Top of stock is set to 0. The tool starts at 1.8883" and feeds from there. I have changed every setting and nothing will get it to start any closer than that unless I lie to it and tell it the top of stock is a negative value. But even then it starts from well above the part. I would share the file. But I really can't.

 

Here is a bit of the code generated...

(ROUGH PLUNGE POCKET)
N120 T17 M6
N130 G0 G90 G54 X13.0622 Y-3.991 S1050 M3
N140 G43 H17 Z1.8883
N150 M8
N160 G1 Z-2.866 F5.
N170 G0 Z1.
N180 Z1.8883 - These values should be .100" above the material.
N190 X12.7694
N200 G1 Z-2.866 - My cut depth is 1". So this isn't right either.
N210 G0 Z1.
N220 Z1.8883
N230 X12.4766
N240 G1 Z-2.866
N250 G0 Z1.
N260 Z1.8883
N270 X12.1838
N280 G1 Z-2.866
N290 G0 Z1.
N300 Z1.8883
N310 X11.891

 

Thanks.

[Rstewart]

Do you have Rapid Retract ticked?

 

Maybe try some incremental values instead?

[Rotary Ninja]

I have tried incremental, absolute, rapid retract on, off, clearance plane on, off, etc. I have changed every setting in the toolpath parameters. I have even tried adjusting my stock thinking maybe it was some kind of stock recognition. I was just told by our reseller to try setting the retract and feed planes to abs 0. For some reason this works... sorta. But it rapids to the top of the part, and positions with the tool at the top of the part. But the first plunge is still going -2.866" which should be going to -1.000" according to my settings.

 

(ROUGH PLUNGE POCKET)
N120 T17 M6
N130 G0 G90 G54 X13.0622 Y-3.991 S1050 M3
N140 G43 H17 Z1.
N150 M8
N160 Z0.
N170 G1 Z-2.866 F5.
N180 G0 Z0.
N190 X12.7694
N200 G1 Z-2.866
N210 G0 Z0.
N220 X12.4766
N230 G1 Z-2.866

[Rotary Ninja]

If I set the feed plane to .010" instead of 0." I get this...

(ROUGH PLUNGE POCKET)
N120 T17 M6
N130 G0 G90 G54 X13.0622 Y-3.991 S1050 M3
N140 G43 H17 Z1.7983
N150 M8
N160 G1 Z-2.866 F5.
N170 G0 Z0.
N180 Z1.7983
N190 X12.7694
N200 G1 Z-2.866
N210 G0 Z0.
N220 Z1.7983
N230 X12.4766
N240 G1 Z-2.866

[billb]

In surface/rough/plunge, there is also a "Cut depths..." push button.  With that, you can set your cutting depths to absolute and set your top depth and bottom depth where you wish.  I think the default cut depths might be incremental.

[JoshC]

maybe if its a propriety part you can just re-create something simple and similar in a separate file and share that one. That way you can keep your non disclosure agreements yet still provide us some kind of similar example to review.

I made a simple quick video recently for plunge milling here: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/94415403/Customer%20Support/Champion%20Company/PlungeMilling.mp4, not sure if that helps but the depths worked well in the video.