I think you are mostly right Bob, but for the last 2 years I have been working in a Haas shop and these guys are able to afford a lot of machinery by going with Hass. They have 10 five axis machines ( 3+2 trunnions ) and 5 smaller mills, and they are getting delivery on their first true 5 axis next week. They were looking at two VF-6's, but I think I sort of talked them into a true 5 axis. If this one can produce the way I think it can, the owner told me in another 6 months, he will buy another one. The reason I think Hass is a good idea, is that we are a prototype shop. The owner has about 15 mills... where if if he went Makino, he'd have 4 or 5 mill using the same dollars. I'm fairly certain we are putting out more than double the work had he gone with better machines, but had less of them. The best example is the Haas UMC750 he just purchased... he said the Makino in the same work range cost about 8 times the money... I find it hard to believe we would get 8 times the work through that one machine, so in this case, I have to agree with this owner... even with the Makino kinematics being much faster, for a prototype shop, we will put far more through 8 machines than 1. Now, we don't do production in any way on them... maybe a two or three week run at most... and I do know the Hass repair guys on a first name basis, so I do see your point. I guess I'm really just agreeing with you... right now, I just happen to work in a Haas shop, so I see the advantages from the price perspective.

Using smoothing produces a lot more code... small segments that you can randomize, minimize and eliminate arcs altogether, if you so choose. If you use this, your controller definitely needs high speed machining because of the large amounts of code generated. If used with the proper setting for your machine, you can get excellent finishes that require very little polishing... but again... it depends on what you are trying to achieve with the equipment you are using. If you want to experiment with smoothing... I think your controller would use a G05 ... but I have not used a Fanuc in a long time, so perhaps others could chime in to give a bit more advice. The main thing for you to do, is try the settings I gave you, then post your results... watch the machine run... give us some feedback... post some pictures of your results. Then, you can test other settings and compare your results to your first attempt. As others have stated... it is really a process... based on your time requirements, surface finish requirements, machine tool, controller, end mills, etc.

There are many recommendations because of many factors such as machine limitations... like anything else, the more options you have to really dial something in to your needs... the more complicated it can get... here is a good starting point: 30% cut tolerance 70% Line arc tolerance I am assuming your machine can cut arcs in all three planes, hence the check boxes no smoothing If you can, post the details of the machine you are using ( maker, controller, options, etc. ), then post up some pictures of the surface finish you are getting with these settings... then you will get a lot of help with suggestions for your machine tool to get better finishes and results!!! Good Luck!

G96 and G97 are modal... you can only be in one mode or the other. G97 is just a direct RPM... the spindle never changes RPM when in this mode. The formula for figuring RPM is: SFM x 3.82 RPM= --------------- Diameter So... say you are programming 6" Diameter... you want to rapid to safe distance away... say... X6.1 Z0.1 If you program G96 S400 ...when you look at your actual spindle speed when your tool arrives at X6.1 the spindle speed will be 250 RPM's because: 400 x 3.82 RPM= --------------- = 250 6.1 Now, you could program G97 S250 ...and you get the same result at X6.1 Z0.1 ...an actual spindle speed of 250 RPM's The difference is when you are roughing and changing diameters: -in G97 mode... the spindle STAYS at an actual spindle speed of S250 RPM's -in G96 mode... the spindle speeds up the RPM as it gets closer to X0 (staying at the proper SFM) Now, a typical post processor might be designed to kick out a G97 S250 first... and then when it arrives at X6.1 Z0.1 it will change over to G96 S400... that way you don't get the radical speed change when it rapids from home position to X6.1 JM2C

If you are worried about that... just add extra way oil on the ways? I have a hard time believing it though. JM2C

Nice video Cathedral. <out of likes>

It seems like the CAM system would crunch the toolpath numbers more accurately for a ball nose endmill... but obviously a bullnose would be a more efficient rougher. So, my question is, is it wise to use a bullnose endmill to rough multi-axis toolpaths? ( Specifically, like the file above... when I use a bullnose, it gouges the solid in verify )

Hi, I'm having a hard time coming up with a roughing strategy for the attached 4-axis part. Multi-axis Roughing gives me an error that says, "Exception raised in calculation routine. Can not build surfaces by set of surfaces with needed tolerance." I would appreciate any help with this or other multi-axis toolpaths for this part... I have it set up for a 4th axis, but I do have a 5-axis available. Thanks!

Horizontal to your cutting plane

You have it right Thad. I used quotes because I was trying to say, change the "From" field box to .5 to avoid flat surfs... because it defaults at 0 Poor wording on my part.

What Thad said... Under steep/shallow set the "From" 0 angle to .5 Degrees You can also avoid straight walls by setting the "To" 90 angle to 89.5 degrees

Can you post your file? How are you trying to accomplish it? Surface/Finish/Project?

Me too... started saving before going into verify... then it doesn't crash... if I forget to save before entering verify after a fresh boot... crash... Lol I'll keep an eye on this thread for suggestions.

I'm with Bob and Jay

Very cool

Hit the space bar to repeat the last command.

Hmm... that one made me think

This is actually a very good question... I have programmed a lot of multi-axis stuff where my "Tool Plane" and my "Comp/Construction Plane" are always the same... I'm wondering the same thing as MIL-TPF-41... Under what circumstance would you want these to be different, if ever?

Turn off gouge checking. Also, you an use "direction" to control the cutter's entry and exit.

2D Dynamic

Awesome, thanks John!

Me too!

I'm going to do it on a 5-Axis Haas Trunnion... I mocked up the shrink fit tool holder so I could choke up on a ball end mill to keep from having to reducing the speeds and feeds using long stick-outs... I'm trying to avoid hanging tools out a country mile. I'm tipping it 15 degrees and I'm going to let it finish "casting" type surfaces out of a solid piece of aluminum... great finishes aren't critical. It looks really good in Verify, so I'll post back and tell how it worked. Thanks.

I have never used it before, but I have a part that I'd like to try it on... Has anyone used "Collision Checking" and "Tilt Tool to Avoid Gouge" in the Holder section of the tree? I was looking for feedback, like how well does it work and are there any pitfalls to using it? Thanks!

I had a Quadro 4000... download a temperature monitor and watch that thing run at 80+ deg Celsius all day... and when it gets too hot, it slows down so as to not overheat!!! Google it... those cards have heat problems. Get the Quadro K4000... the Kepler technology makes a HUGE difference!