Machining solids and solids converted to surfs.

[pullo]

I have half a mold on my screen with some 3500 surfaces. Calculating a tool path using the solid as input ( a simple parallel tool path) takes 1 min 35 s. Machining the same part but the input is surfaces (create surfaces from solid ) takes only 14 secs. That's a 670%  difference. Converting the solid to surfs takes 58 secs.... but you do it only once.

 

You can guess how I am machining the other half  

 

I was wandering what is Your take on this.

I would love to keep on machining solids , but the time penalty is quite steep

 

Gracjan

 

 

 

[balnh]

I prefer to create a surface from the solid, as I only will be surfacing say one or two features. Then I can alter my surfaces as I please on a different level. Then again Im on x7 with no solids, I may be changing my tune when we upgrade.

[jlw™]

I pretty much always create surfaces.  I rarely get the path I want other than 2d/3d contour directly from a solid.  Not to mention you usually have to doctor surfaces to get what you want.

[AMCNitro]

Surfaces all, every day.  I always create a level where I put all my surfaces.