I cut H.T. D-2 a lot here. Its' not impossible it's just different. You need to use a CBN tipped insert or diamond tipped tool. Start out @ around 350 rpm and .0005" / .001" chip load. KEEP IT COOL AS YOU CAN. Take your time and play with the speeds and feeds a little and you'll get it. Turning heat treated D-2 is way slower than milling. If you have to many problems, give the tech guys at SGS a call and they should be able to hook you up. Good luck.

I was going to post the very same thing. I'm having the same problem except mine will come back where it was and and not on my other screen.

DUH... I don't know how I missed that. Thanks McLaren

Ok...This is making me crazy. I can't seem to figure out how to do a simple contour and zig zag down to depth. I have a line .835" long, I would like to take a 5/8" ball mill and go back and forth along that line to a depth of 2" with a ramp angle @ 5 deg. Can anyone lend a hand? It seems silly that all the complex 3D machining I do everyday and I can't seem to get this one simple thing to work..

I have used a few different Sodick wire EDM's and they seem to be user friendly. Robocut is not bad either.

Sometimes when I have a lot of unnecessary motion I'll adjust my cut angle and re-generate my tool path.

Thanks for the insight. I thought about using a spitter, but I was told the same about them. I guess I am going to stick with flood coolant and try to divert it down through our drilling table.

Has anyone used a cold air gun for drilling? How well does it work? I have been handed the task of designing our new drilling machine and I am trying to reduce or eliminate some of the mess. We cross drill parts here out of 1008 to 1038 mtrl round bar by the 100's of thousands each year. Instead of using coolant I was thinking of using a cold air gun. Our holes vary from 1/16" to 1/4" and up to 3/4" round stock.

I would recommend getting a speed & feed chart for that mtrl. from the manufacturer.

That's cool Every time I try something like that I get "ERROR...ERROR...ERROR"....

+1 OSG Helios....no pecking and no reaming!! you will LOVE it!

This might sound a little silly but I have got rid of chatter by wrapping a heavy rubber band around my boring bar kinda tight. and sometime around the part. Doesn't always work, but sometimes I does. Give it a try, you might be surprised.

Well, the company I work for want's to get into plasma cutting. I think we have decided on a machine we want to start with. It's an ESAB Piecemaker 2. Is there anyone out there currently using one of these and do you like it? Has anyone had trouble getting a post for one of these. I talked to my reseller and he told me if I got him a sample program he would be able to build me one. I don't know anything about the control on these yet but it has a Vision 51 control and runs out of windows ce. Any extra input from anyone would be appreciated. Thanks....

When I run into files like that I like using Dynamic Planes. It makes real light work of a problem like that.

You will have to narrow down some variables.

What type of tooling are you using? What type of aluminum? What type of steel?

I thought that's what MAC stood for "Mastercam Always Crashing"

I use STL files as well but what I have a problem with is the models not being where i put them. (explained better) I create my X_T files with my CAD ( Keycreator) and then move and translate them the way I want so when I open them in MC the part is already the way and where I need it. With out moving my model I create my STL. file. When I open it in MC I ALWAYS have to go back and measure where it went, Write it down, and then translate it back into position. Why cant it be brought in like an X_T file right where it was drawn?

Show off ! I can only dream of having the opportunity to program such a part. How much time do you have in that program? NICE WORK

Titan.....

Not that this will help but we have machine here dedicated to do only that. We call them pointers. We can load a hopper up and point bar stock like that at the rate of about 1200 to 1400 an hour. Sometimes it's cheaper to have the simple stuff done elsewhere.

Well then hit that S.O.B. with a hammer.....

File open..click on file and then click on "options" next to the green check..

HA HA HA .... 1 min & 48 sec....ZOOOOOMMMM!!!

Neil, see if this will help Manual

Well ...That was about too easy! Thanks