5 Axis machining a 3D model head.

[declfc]

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone has any experience in machining a 3D model head.

I have been asked to machine a 3D model head out of some sort of NYLON material (exact material to be decided yet). I have been using Mastercam to program 5axis machines for 12 years now in the aerospace industry so there isn't much I haven't come across, but this is new to me. Its will be one of those fancy demonstration pieces that you see machine manufactures showing off and machine exhibitions. It will be pretty much a full size head. My plan is to rough it out all over 3+2 method the try and 5 axis machine the rest in a rotary motion.

Has anyone got any experience with this sort of thing and could point me in the right direction as to which tool path would be best to use. Im currently playing about with 5 Axis Parallel cuts. Getting some ok results but not exactly how I want it. 

It will be cut on a DMG HSC55 5 axis, 22000 spindle speed.

Something a little bit different and it keeps thing interesting.

Thanks for looking.

[declfc]

Now having better results with Rotary 4-axis........

[crazy^millman]

I would rough with Multi-Axis Rough, you could also rough with Parallel if you defined a stock. Then Semi Finish with 5 Parallel in a 4 Axis output. You could copy the op and finish the same way. I did a Sponge Bob years ago and it was boring doing it the normal way. I threw in a bunch of axis control lines and made the head dance the jig cutting what was a very simple shape in all reality. 

[declfc]

Thanks for the pointers.

[jlw™]

I would love to do something like that for a money gig that would actually run.

[declfc]

Im using the Multi-surface - 5 axis now and that's generating a pretty good tool path.

[neurosis]

Care to share the file when you're done?  I'd like to see how this is done myself. 

[huskermcdoogle]

i'd do it with parallel or morph with a spline based pattern surface the smooths out the features but still has some contour that will allow better tool angles, all the while softening the acc/dec on all the axes,  

I also second using multi-axis rough, its a pretty solid path.  Depending on stock shape though, you might be able to do the entire thing with just one parallel or morph if you define the stock.

[HKing]

Hi, I am a senior student with a term project for my CNC milling class and was tasked to do something similar to this topic which is to mill out a bust of myself within a 3 in x 5 in (cylindrical) initial stock. Am using a HAAS 5X milling machine. No problem with roughing whatsoever but when getting to semi-finish and finishing I opted to use Multi-surface but my Mastercam 2018 always bugs out when initial computation reaches a certain facet (facet 604000). same with Rotary operation. Roughing operations reached facet 1200000 and went on to generating toolpath(s) with ease. Any idea on how to tackle this problem or would using another operation be better? 

I use a cleaned and processed .stl file generated from photogrammetry*

[gcode]

sometimes bumping your step over up or down a tenth or so will fix this