Yes, it can be done on certain routers. Thermwood wouldn't be my first choice but I have done it years ago. You can get away with light cuts even in 5 axis but you typically don't have the torque that a mill has so the head will walk if cuts are to heavy. Very seldom can you use standard practice feeds and speeds that you would apply to a more rigid machine tool.

What Hardmill said!

You have to go pick the button under verbose in the verify window and tell it the file name. I use this all day long on very large files. Works well. Little hassle to change the file name but at least you don't have to wait for tools that are good to get to the point you want to see. Save the .stl somewhere easy to find.

Yes, I am aware of all that. You explained it well also. Yes, initially, in a hurry, I picked the Critical Depths in incremental. Still it shouldn't lock up. After realizing that, I went to the Select Depths feature in absolute. After picking the min and max, it asks you to pick a critical depth. The system also locks up there. I like the fact of the trick of going lower than your bottom surface and will try that the next time I need it. On this part, the floor was my check and I was happy that it didn't violate it. Haven't used the system for regular 3 axis 3-d stuff since X2, so forgot some of it. Too much 5 axis as always. New place I'm at has never done 3-d before, nor even used models, planes, etc., so it's been a challenge the past couple of weeks here. Thanks for the answers, it's always a pleasure to hear from you.

oops Sorry Colin. No, not when I right click in the value field. When I use the depth pick button. min picks fine, max picks fine, but when critical depth pick comes up and you pick a depth, that's when it happens.

My suggestion is the waterjet too, but we don't have one. Don't think there are any in the KC area! LOL! We're using diamond coated carbide, but it eats a tool per part right now. Spindles are only 24k, so don't think we can grind the pockets and holes in it. Plus the dust/chips are going to ruin the machine now as it is. Filters plug up after 1/2 a day runtime.

Colin, I think they just updated to MU3. I haven't worried about it since I have a brand new CPU that came today that I will be setting up and loading Monday, but yes, to answer your question, when I use the pick feature, it picks the minimum and maximum fine. Next question is the critical depths pick, when you make a pick, it just sits and locks up. No hourglass, can't get to any menus, can't escape out of it, or anything. etc. When I went directly to critical depths, it locked also, so seems to be a bug. I waited 1/2 hour to see if it would work but when I came back it was still sitting there in critical depth pick. I can set the min and max manually, and it does exactly what it should, just can't pick critical depths or it hangs.

min and max depth is the correct answer. If you try to pick them though, the system locks up when the critical depth pick comes up. Just set them manually and don't go into the pick menu. Top of Stock is not available in this operation.

Can't set a top of stock in surface contouring. What's a clearance height? LOL!

NM. Figured out another way to skin this cat! Critical depths seem to send it into never, never land.

OK. Went to critical depths. Pick a depth. It just sits there. Waited a half hour and still sitting there? Is there something wrong with this feature in X4?

I knew that! Sh*t, I'm too tired! Thanks C!

I am machining a pocket 2.3" deep with many features in it (standoffs, bosses, etc. Most tapered or shaped), with a .25" ball em. Ran a std. lgth. tool down 1.1" dp, for speed, using surface contour and building a flat surf at 1.2" dp. as check to stop the tool. Now for the dumb question, which I know I will take heat for, but too many hours and no rest, so bear with me. I want to run the extended tool 2.5" and bypass what has been run with the shorter tool down to 1.2" dp. essentially just machining from 1.2" down to 2.3" depth. capeche? Ok, I'm ready to take the, "how long have you been doing this again?" rhetoric, just give me the answer. LOL!

Nobody machined this stuff before? It's a nitemare. Combination of stone and granite. Manmade. Eats tools like mad. Thought of processing it like silica Aluminum maybe?

Anybody have any good information machining this stuff?

I used to have a contract with Leo and had a bundled 5 axis software programming package with them for a bit. Now this is pulling alot of things back out of a misty and foggy memory but I think that ***or back then couldn't do g18 or 19 or MotionMaster couldn't get it to work, they didn't set it up right, inverse time didn't work right or something like that, so all arc motion outside of G17 in those we converted to linear. Try switching your output to linear motion and it should work fine. Remember, even if a control has the capability to establish planes anywhere in space, it doesn't mean that the machine tool manufacturer could get it to work. Good Luck

Kitamura, Matsura, Mori or Makino. Can add a Haas 4th to any of them. Haas sounds like its doing what you want though? Big price differences.

Are you looking at the Mori from Ellison? If so, tell Larry and Leonard I said "Hi!"

Both are good machines but the Mori is better. Stay away from Mazatrol. Altough it can do a couple of minor machining things, when it comes to machining, you have to program it(cad/cam) and then the fight began!....LOL! I have programmed tons of both and while I DO like Mazak's, it is not near the machine the Mori is because Mori's are designed as mill turns not just an effort to put two different types of machines together. Better finishes, faster cutting feeds. That's the reason it's cheaper. Plus Mori started all of this many, many years ago. As far as software, forget Mcam. Esprit does it and does it right and still, as far as I know, it's the only software that does. It is great for 5 axis and 3d as well. It takes some UNBIASED learning to wrap your head around it, but with no crashing, locking up, stable tool patterns that work EVERYTIME, handling of Solids properly. It is the combination with the Mori's or even Mazak.

Oh yeah! I know just which one it is! LOL!

All the macro's for the Renishaw are free. The probe routines are already in the Haas when you buy it that way, or are supposed to be, but it's very simple to put them in. It's the calls in your program that are necessary. MLS, your exactly right when it comes to inspection. Most parts lists, models or drawings give a specific weight control, or refer to a spec, that is allowed to hold the part for measurement. YOU MEAN MOST SHOPS DON'T CHECK IT THAT WAY OR AT 68!!!!! ROFL!!!! I almost fell over when I read that. Most shops out here don't do much of anything the correct way anymore and it seems a miracle to me that the U.S. Military stuff even works. There is so little experience left in this area as to be appaling. Oh yeah, there is some guys who learned how to make a machine move, but have zero experience as to what it really needs to do to make a part correctly and/or why!

Um, that's been there since X I think Ron! It's a good feature to use and good of you to inform others. I thought everyone already used it. Easiest way is to put what solids you need on other layers and then when you go to pick what you need, turn the layers on and pick them. Turn 'em back off after picking. Just pick your solid and your done. No repicking when you re open a file or anything, because its already in the file (ever moved an stl on your computer while cleaning up data and now you don't have your stock! LOL)

To answer your specific question,"What does it take to get there?" Custom Definitions and Posts on the software side. A control, capable of doing what you need it to (hardware, can I get the data out, etc.). You have to make points to inspect and you have to have the macro calls in your post for the particular type of feature your trying to inspect for the proper probe (Renishaw, Blum, etc.). Usually in Mcam it is done through custom drill cycles that tie into the definitions and post through variable and integers to make the calls correct. Once you have some of that figured out, it's not too hard to get it to adjust the machine on it's own. Just be careful with your math. That's where most common failures occur. For getting the data out of your machine, that depends on the control and how it's hooked up (usually not properly to get your print commands to work correctly). If you have a dataserver that is hooked up correctly and a decent control, spend some time going through the documentation. Learn how the macro calls, variables, calculations and actions take place. YOU will generally be the one to figure it out. Study it or try to find someone in your area who has done many different types. Or listen to a slew of ways that others have done it and try to pick things out that will work on your particular combination of equipment. No one way works on all applications. Study the macro variables and where it parks and calculates the numbers from. I have seen ding dongs write over necessary variables in the control for the probs own math and really screw things up (crash, boom, bam, oops, there goes your probe!). ALSO, remember, in aerospace, unless your machine is certified, you really can't count on the numbers for parts that are spec'd fracture, maintenance, durability or safety critical. There are things you can do, but it's a very, very fine line when it comes to true inspection to try to use the same device that made it to check it. You can attach standards to the machine for the probe to check first to verify itself and the machines accuracy, however, we all know that changes throughout the day and night. Plus, never forget, your part is under stress from clamping when your checking it (usually, but depends on what and where you're checking). Ok Ron, here's another free plug for you guys! LOL! Yes Verisurf is great, but it is only one piece of the pie! And before anybody chimes in crying, this isn't a slam to IT guys, software guys, machine tools guys or probe guys. I am just trying to make you aware that there are many steps to make it work correctly and flawlessly.! Great for SPC also. Take your time, your the one that needs it working! Not to slam Haas, because they are good machines for what they are, but there IT department has a very hard time making this type of stuff work correctly depending on the version of the control. Don't get too frustrated! Hope you don't have that new junk probe system they are using now instead of Renishaw. Have fun. Getting this kind of stuff running properly is what makes this trade interesting!

That's true Matt but you can;t rely on the model in some cases, Ron's post addresses that when it asked is the model or the print the last word. It can vary. I know all about ITAR Ron. Deal with it everyday. Had the highest security clearances in the country. Both DoD and DoE. I remember on my DoD clearance, the agent told me, "I don't care if the President tries to come through that door, you don't let him or tell him what you're doing!" LOL! Yep, we need to meet up sometime. Tell Ernie and the crew at TriTech I said Hi. Ernie might remember me from the old Compucor/Camsoft days. Dealt with the TriTech guys recently for Achates in Sorrento Valley other customers. Sheesh I'm getting old. Working from home now on F18, F22 and F35 parts.

Experience only. If you gave the same part, to go on the same machine, to 20 guys here, you would get 20 different programs and all would probably make the part fine. Now, I say fine, because the end result would be a part that meets inspection criteria. Where the experience counts is; one part will be the fastest and the rest will be a percentage of that in time. Read the next question to see if the fastest is the best. Another factor to consider; machines and tool life. These two factors will give extreme variations on the programs. A guy who is used to programming on a machine that only has a 3500k spindle and is used to programming from one direction let's say, will give a slower program on a 30000k spindle, accurate machine if he doesn't have experience with it. Consider how many parts and how is it being held. Again guys without much experience will always argue that it has to be done a certain way (we've done it this way for forty years and that's the only way it will work!!!!), which in the end will kill production (they are mostly gone anyway ro will be soon, especially with this economy). Guys who have been exposed to a variety of machines, holding methods, good bosses who let them take chances and didn't kill their spirit if it didn't work, will always find a way to make it faster and better. Seeing results from experience. There are certain softwares that can "look" at certain features of a part and determine "it's" best method based on criteria that has been input. Someday, somebody is going to get smart and there won't be any programmers. They'll be operators just like at the machine. As I reread your question, it really doesn;t make much sense though. Are you asking for maching certain functons of it, the entire part or how can you picture it in your head? Ron, How does ITAR have anything to do with "seeing" the part? You mean you couldn't get the email to look at it in the first place! LOL! Sorry, just funning ya! How are things going with Ernie? Are you still at V&M part time?