How To Turn Off Z-Step?

[StudentMCUser]

Hello.

 

I have a heightmap which I need to mill out. When I try to generate a toolpath (parallel is the only one which seems to work) what happens is this:

 

The mill cuts out the entire topmost layers, passing back and forth needlessly, then does the same thing for the next deepest layer, then the next, etc. This is highly inefficient.

 

Would anyone please suggest a more efficient toolpath? (Is there some way to restrict movement so the drill bit remains roughly on the surface I'm trying to carve out?)

 

Thanks,

Mats

[Fig sign]

Mats .

Put you file on ftp to look on

[Chris Rizzo]

You using Parallel Roughing? Sounds like you want it to make just one cut at final depth of part (hope your cutting foam or the like!) If that is the case, try parallel finish. Also, check your cut depths box, and check "allow postive and negative Z motion"....

 

Also,

quote:

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drill bit remains roughly on the surface I'm trying to carve out

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Sounds like you need some tooling too, use a ball endmill..

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

quote:

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...Also,

 

quote:

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drill bit remains roughly on the surface I'm trying to carve out

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Sounds like you need some tooling too, use a ball endmill..

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+1000 YOu don't EVER want to use a drill bit for anything other than drilling or spotting.

 

JM2C

[Simtech]

If it is an embossed form, you might consider using the Toolpath-Rough-Pocket toolpath.

 

Luc

[P_Scott]

StudentMCuser,

 

Surface toolpaths come in two varieties. There are Roughing operations and Finishing operations. Roughing operations are designed to remove the majority of material from a block of stock before the supplied surface shape can be machined. Finish operations are designed to remove the very least amount of material after all roughing has occurred. If you want to only machine the surface and most of the material has already been removed, use a Surface-Finish-Parallel instead of Rough-Parallel.

 

quote:

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drill bit

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I suggest going to the library and looking for a copy of "Mastercam Version 9 Mill and Solids" book, published by Scholars International (ISBN #1-886552-16-9). The first chapter contains information about NC, CNC and machine configurations. Chapter two discusses the tools used and processes for machining. It's an excellent read for a beginner and will be a great investment in your future. Milling Machinists refer to the cutting tools as "End Mills". There are several varieties of end mills, most of which are typically not used for drilling. HTH

[StudentMCUser]

Thank you all, helps a lot.

 

Endmill is what I meant, thanks for the terminology help there. =)

 

However, does a 2 hour milling time seem odd to rough out a 3d surface (5cm x 5cm x 5cm)? It seems it would be more efficient if at every XY-gridpoint, the program would just plunge down, stop at the surface, and come back up (instead of cutting out successive Z-surfaces). Is there something more memory/time-efficient than roughing a surface out one slab at a time?

[Chris Rizzo]

I think we might need a bit more info here, to be of more assistance.

-What material are you cutting?

-What are your feeds (IPM), and speeds (RPM).

-Size tools?

 

If your running very slow feed rates (i.e. toolsteel), then a toolpath could take quite a while...if your running the same toolpath in modeling foam, feeds are MUCH faster, and can run the identical toolpath in minutes.

 

Give us a bit more information and maybe we can get you some better results...

[Jimmy Wakeford from Barefoot CNC]

Student

If you want to z down at each point you can use:

surface-rough-plunge (Make sure you have center cut end mill)

 

If you just want to machine eack "area" to depth you can use surface-rough-pocket and under gap settings check "optimize cut order.

 

HTH

[StudentMCUser]

The pocket toolpath seems optimal. Unfortunately, the "optimize cut order" checkbox was grayed-out when I opened the gap settings dialog, so I could not change it.

 

I'm trying to rough out a heightmap out of a 5x5x5cm block of polycarbonate plastic.

 

Thanks.

[Badmofo]

try worknc. mastercam has still not clearified or workred on 3d modeling capabilities to the expectations of mc users! theie help section is vague.

[Jimmy Wakeford from Barefoot CNC]

studentMCuser,

Check out mcam9millmc9samplessurface machiningpocket-rough clean corner.mc9

also check out plunge-zigzag.mc9 in same folder.

 

while checking out the param pages you can click in any box and press f1 (simple help) or alt&h (comprehensive help)

 

Badmofo

You may not have noticed, but studentMcuser is a student trying to learn MC. If you've been using MC since dos then you should be aware of of its modeling capabilities. (By the way work nc is just now starting to add modelling into their software.)

But post on Hoss, 5 more freebies.

[Chris Rizzo]

Surface pocket is xy planer. Cuts in the xy axis, then Z moves independently.

 

Surface Parallel is yz or xz cutting. Cuts in x or y direction while moving z.

 

Surface pocket will give you that "stair step" look of a topo map. Sounds like you'd also might want to use the 'detect flats' feature, which is found under the CUT DEPTHS button. It will place z-level cuts at the depth of each "stair step".

 

If yer only cuttin' polycarbonate in 5cm x 5cm,your cycle times of a few hours sound way long. However I cannot say for sure without seeing your part.

[StudentMCUser]

I am trying to avoid z-level cuts; I'd just like the machine to plunge all the way down, all the way back up, move over a tiny bit, and repeat.

 

Is there any way to do this? Toolpath-rough-plunge doesn't work, as described above. Does anyone know what's wrong?

 

Thanks.

[Chris Rizzo]

First generate a simple 2d pocket routine, with a 0 cut depth. THEN try rough plunge, and select NCI for type...and make sure your previous "phatom" 2d routine is selected as the source.

[Jimmy Wakeford from Barefoot CNC]

surface-rough-plunge is what your looking 4