The program length setting is only in X4.

I ran a test dynamic mill path in our 7yr old haas VF2. 3 FL .5" carb E.M. 1" D.o.c. 22% woc 150 ipm. 7500 RPM (max) 6061 Aluminum Worked Great!!

I know this is an old thread, but it really saved me some headache!!! I am learning by trial and error, so little things like this really shortens the learning curve! Thanks a million JParis

Ok cool, so the datum (WCS) has to stay in the same position on the part on all operations? what about those three yellow boxes(x,y,z) that lets you change a "new" datum position? Its not a big deal if I have to leave it in the same spot, just curious..... and again Thanks!

Wow! Thanks for all the answers guys. Yeah I know I titled that incorrectly stating: using WCS "correctly" but I'm getting there. Maybe my terminology got mixed up on a few things. First - I am using View Mgr located in the WCS Tab. Say I highlight the Front View in View Mgr, then hit the "=" sign to make the tool relative to that side of the work piece. I then pick my points to drill, then on to the next side. Everything Verified good. just wanted to know If I am at least half-@ss doing it correctly LOL. I appreciate all the help from everyone!!

Ok that will work. My post outputs a M01 before a tool change; Op stop would work for that. Not so well if im using the same tool..... There is a different drill pattern on each side of the matl, but using the same tool. There may not be a way of doing this without manual entry, other than a post edit..... (you are talking about keying that in after its posted correct?) Am I missing something else? Didn't state this earlier, but this is a 3 axis vert. Sorry for my ignorance.

I'm happy to say that I finally sat down and figured out how to correctly use the WCS! Say I have a block of material that gets drilled on all sides. I use the view mgr to orient my t/c plane to drill a pattern on all sides, Then verify and everything looks great. Can I post the whole program using a pgm stop to orient the part in the vise between each side? Or does it have to be multiple programs in the machine control? Do I have to change tool length offset between sides? I'm thinking not..... I'm learning more and more things sloooowwwly but surely. Trial and error kinda deal. I know that you guys can give me a direct answer, Thanks in advance!!

Ummmmmm Yeah, he said he Wants the I & J not R to post.

I would definately be attacking this with a 1/2" or 5/8" E.M. I would go with 125 sfm and a .002 cpt with .08 stepover Gotta love those Garr tools, but your wasting too much money by using a 1" tool!

www.tools4aluminum.com

I know what your talking about, and Im pretty sure that it does nothing to the actual cutting path. I think its just there to show (calculate) the SFPM in the commands screen.

Thanks guys! Can't wait to try out that path on a few of our parts!

WOW! I never thought you could move Aluminum like that with just 7500 RPMs! Just did a simple .75 deep pocket with a 3FL E.M. 7500 rpm 215. IPM 18 % step over .75 DOC .2 Rounding R .01 micro lift The one (simple) thing I haven't figured out is how to chain or cut out an open pocket Can you not literally have an open chain? I've tried both solids and just simple geometry. Could someone please explain this process of properly cutting an open pocket w/o just tricking it by extending lines.....

Thanks a Million! I'll try the Z height thing in steep shallow.

Purdy simple(dumb)question: I'm cutting a small (2"*2") 3-D part, and I would like to know how to make the tip of the cutter protrude below the edges of the part. This is of course to clean up the edges and not leave the rad of the tool on the bottom sides. I can't use the surface contour and change comensate to tool center, because obviously it would cut to center on the whole part. Thanks in advance!

Cool, ok well then I guess I just need to do some more playing around with it.... I could definately see it being very useful, but like I said I haven't quite figured it out yet.

Using toolpath trim to delete some "unwanted moves" is the main focus of this feature Right? Anyways I've just tried this a couple times with some really bad results. Things like rapids through the part, and wierd plunges. I know that many of you guys prolly use that feature just about everyday. I would like to know: what are some of the baselines to use this (trim) to clean up some of my H.S. or Surface paths. Thanks alot in advance! Allways good answers here!

Yeah I might look into the HS paths. I was just kinda worried about a Terribly Huge program thats usually associated w/ the HS Paths. Might try the toolpath refinement with filtering to help fight that. Just trying to find a faster way to sling this Aluminum with a 3" facemill in a HAAS......yeah I Know- its still a HAAS.

I would like to be able to do a surface pocket without finishing the containment. I know you can uncheck that box, but when I do it seems like I get some problems. Things like wierd depths of cut or "missed" cuts. Reason for this is the part is actually an open pocket with multiple bosses, and a Lot of material to remove. Thanks in advance!

Thanks guys! yeah I've played with some 2-D pocketing with a containment, works quite well. That New Dynamic Mill looks to be pretty promising!!

Thanks, I'll give that one a shot.

I have a part thats pretty big (24"L * 9"W). There are some ribs that are 2" tall I need to machine around. I would like to knock out the bulk of the Aluminum with a 3" facemill. So far I've tried a few toolpaths (Surface H.S. and Surface pocket) trying to find the most efficient. What would some of you guys reccomend for this part, with the Little amount of info i've provided. BTW this is on a Haas VMC.

Ok, Thanks guys! I'm trying to get a better handle on this stuff in general. The text in the Post is just Confusing to me.

Hey guys, I think this is my first post here and I just wanted to say I've learned a lot just from reading various topics here! I've only been using M.C.(or any CAD/CAM)for about 6 or 7 months. I have been to the 2-D traing class and I do most of our programming here at work. I purchased the level 3 training manual to help me out on the 3-D solids and toolpaths even though we do Very little 3-D work(but it's too much Fun!) What has been puzzling me is how I go about editing our post(3 axis VMC.MMD)? I can go into the Generic Fanuc Mill, open it with Word and do some editing- still alotta stuff is over my head. When I try to open up the 3 axisVMC.MMD- which I'm guessing our reseller wrote? It is unreadable(just a bunch of characters and boxes)? Basically I like everything about the 3axisVMC.MMD post but I would like to change the Helix Arc to #1-All Planes in the general output settings. Only problem is I cant read it lol. If I wanted to put all the posted tools for the operation in the heading of my program in the Generic Mill post how would I go about that? Thanks so much in advance! These are probably simple issues, but I am a little Green.