Helix only won't helix only?

[Greenworks Tooling]

When using optirough I have helix only checked.  It's a big mold so I ran a verify with no red marks, posted out, and started running.  I didn't catch that after a few stepdowns it decided to ramp instead of helix.  Tried burying a 1" endmill into aluminum .5 deep full width.  Lucky I caught it, but it pulled the endmill out of the holder .03 first.  Basically caught it right before snap bang!!!  Why in the heck did it decide to ramp when I specifically told it HELIX ONLY??  Got me to where I'm not trusting the software now.  Unless there's something else I'm not catching??

[Greenworks Tooling]

Fixed it by reducing the helix radius, but dang!  If I tell it not to ramp don't ramp!  Alarm out in the software, don't make the cut, anything but bury the tool in the material!!

 

[gcode]

The old school toolpaths have an option

"If Entry attempts fail" ( Plunge or skip)

It sounds like Optirough needs a similar test

 

[gcode]

9 minutes ago, gcode said:

The old school toolpaths have an option

"If Entry attempts fail" ( Plunge or skip)

It sounds like Optirough needs a similar test

 

the Skip Pockets smaller than  option will work here, but it requires some work from the user

your setting must be smaller than ((helix+tool radius + stock to leave)  *2 )

that should prevent the tool from plunging into an area too small for your defined helix entry

[Greenworks Tooling]

3 minutes ago, gcode said:

The old school toolpaths have an option

"If Entry attempts fail" ( Plunge or skip)

It sounds like Optirough needs a similar test

 

Yes, I used to use X6.  Surface rough pocket.  It would skip instead of doing anything.  I mean it did try to ramp, but a full width cut at your specified step down kind of defeats the The "opti" in opticut.  It's supposed to put an even load on the tool all the time.  Not wildly overload it.

[jeff]

29 minutes ago, gcode said:

the Skip Pockets smaller than  option will work here, but it requires some work from the user

your setting must be smaller than ((helix+tool radius + stock to leave)  *2 )

that should prevent the tool from plunging into an area too small for your defined helix entry

You just quoted yourself, have you been hangin out with Del and his wacky tobacky?