Ron, did you get a mill turn machine? I missed the anouncement somehow. Sounds like you left the slaveship too. That's got to be a good thing. Guess I need to read more threads to keep up.

One way to check results is to click Delete and wave the cursor around over the geometry and watch the entities highlight. I sometimes carry out a delete to see what goes away, then undo. If you roll the mouse roller to zoom in-out after the delete, it repaints the screen but still allows the undo. Pick the arc first, then the intersections. Welcome new guys

Thanks, and Happy Labor Day!

Get the Dave Thompson post this time. I hear there's been a ton of smart guy R&D into it. He deserves to profit from the pain a bit. Tell the boss the post alone for the Integrex is worth the move to MC.

Play with the check boxes on right side of Transfom Operations Parameters. I have then unchecked normally.

What is the original root for the geometry? Is it several intermediate points that need to be smoothly connected? Is a true mathematical sine curve sought? Please forgive my overactive curiosity gland. I really dig machining math based stuff. I like the sweep solid idea.

If you have math can you use Fplot and just create an outer and inner contour? Is this a (sort of) circular cam track? Or in one end of plate and out the other?

What is the format of the info that you have? Can you get the math that was used (if any) to develop the shape?

Remember that you won't get a perfect vacuum so use a number around 60% of your 14.X psi for safety. Pumping volume and conductance are key to maintaining vacuum in the presence of any leaks. Even if the pump is adaquate, the plumbing must be large enough to handle volume at low pressure or a small leak could cause the part to release.

Can you run a mist unit for cutting lube? Anything is better than dry in this application. Spray bottle if you must. quote: but just as I got back and started blowing the chips out of the part...I was too late, too many chips built up and it broke. It only takes 2 seconds to have too many chips. They need to be removed constantly. Spray bottle in one hand and air hose in other.

If using lathe, always chain stock.

Well done.

Thanks again.

Thanks guys, I'll crack the catalogs again today.

Is anyone using three flute carbide drills in 304 ss?? I've got 200 PSI coolant, probably not enough for small coolant fed drills. Sizes from #36 to #15. Depth around .600" max. Need to do roughly 800 holes per size per year. Thanks guys'n gals.

Huge peck??

Well done dude!

Form Tap!!!

quote: the boss wants to make improvements Unless you are making a long barrel nut, one improvement might be to reduce the length of that thread. If that much length is needed tapping is probably better than milling. Much of the reason for milling is to precisely control thread depth. For example, to get exactly 4 1/2 turns of perfect thread so the 4 turn screw will never bottom out and then not waste time drilling a hole deep enough to provide chip clearance plus lead clearance plus tap tip clearance plus an extra turn or two.

I don't know if it helps you, but the G code file extention for the new control is .EIA

They might want to try just loading a DXF. If the geometry is very simple this will work.

Thanks Phil.

Howdy Jack. Happy Saturday!

Ability to comp from posted code for a different ball nose cutter size is more of a control issue. Can your control do it? If so the correct codes could certainly be added to your post. I don't know if any controls can do this. My guess is that they cannot since the control is just reading positions and can't know which direction it should comp to without having the complete overview of the surface being cut, like the CAM system does. I think you need to repost.

Is there a way to reorder chain points? I had an ID lathe roughing operation that worked. I changed the stock to leave from .01 to .02. I did NOT mess with the chain!! I also created a couple mill operations on a Cplane created via 2 lines. I got the milling ops looking right and regened and reposted the lathe code without paying any attention to it cause it WORKED. I ran the lathe code and CRUNCHED the new Integrex because the boring bar did not retract. When I looked at the geometry, the retract point had moved before the chain in the geometry list THIS OPERATION HAD JUST RUN PROPERLY Did I probably fat finger something that caused the geometry list to reorder??? Or is this a bug???