These videos rock, John. Keep up the amazing work! I bought a manual PM30-MV, converted it, and am up and running - programming & machining - solely from your and Lars' amazing videos. A thousand thank-yous.....
John, stock contours is the way to go to contain your toolpath in the last example. However, the contour you picked solves one problem (prevents crashing the clamps) but creates another: if your stock is what you described in your setup (or more), your toolpath now ignores this fact and the first passes will result being much more aggressive (much higher WoC), which in turn might result in chatter (good scenario) or tool failure (bad scenario). You can solve both problems, no clamp crashing & even WoC (i.e. even tool engagement angle) if you sketch 4 small squares that contain the four corners and extend beyond your stock. Then select these under stock contours.
No critique here, glad to see all the different ways to battle thru a part Learned something from all of it, and I think that was your point. Thanks John
Great job explaining the pitfalls of these 2D Adaptive toolpaths. I wish Fusion would come up with a more descriptive warning. When you changed your helix diameter, did you need to update the tool diameter in your sketch for a looser spiral cut?
I used two THREAD ops with the 1/2" endmill. One on the inner edge, one on the outer edge. Set "thread pitch" to .050 or .100. Set lead-ins to zero. It spirals right down gradually and works great. Can't do tabs this way but it is definitely fast. Thoughts?
Thank you John for solving my problem. Sometimes the way to resolve a problem is just around the corner, but till someone showes you you cant see it ;) This work exacly as you describe in a video on my part that I've send you. Works like a charm ;)
I wonder, can't you ramp down on the sketch line (the 6.15" one), and then clean the face that you want? is that worse than an adaptive?, or does it cause other problems like tool wear or whatnot? I'm no cam expert neither machining, the little cnc I've done was on a FAGOR 8025M (maybe 8050/ or similar, I do remember that faceplate style with the monochrome crt) without any connection to a modern pc. So in one os those between typing in over 9000 commands from CAM vs 1 helical ramp ... Maybe the controller was able to do searial but I'm certain there was no cable for it lying arround.
I'm wondering why not make multiple holes (10 or more) on the entire 6.15" line and then simply ramp down with a 2d contour much faster than the adaptive ?
Gang Drilling is an acceptable method if you are limited to using a drill press, hack saw, hand files and die grinder.... but is not ideal for most professional conventional machining operations. The holes cause what is called an interrupted cut, said interruption in tool pressure typically generates a horrible amount of chatter, wear, and dimensional instability in your part/process. As far as I know what john showed here is pretty much the way to go as far as method... you can go multiple id /od roughing paths with an alternating depth of cut to provide a good escape trough with flood coolant..and get a fine result...but ... if the tool is not supported on both sides in the slot... you get deflection that can also wreck your day. Is a pretty good video... good coverage of basic cutting technique / topics.. all of this holds true for stuff like cutting key ways as well... which is why key ways are best cut on a horizontal with an arbor.... any shape you slot or cut.. if the tool is not supported on all sides... it will deflect.... high pressure flood coolant is your friend here.... which is what the champ John said.
100% agree with you. I have worked with a few people that had very little understanding of what the different G code cyclus did. If they had a problem they would run back to the computer change the program on the computer and try again. The running back and forth between the machine and the computer gets really annoying to look at after a while.
Is there anyone who does similar sort of tutorials or online blogs for FeatureCAM ? I tend to see a lot for Fusion and Inventor HSM but never really FeatureCAM
I would have just spiraled down the whole slot in a continuous move. Using a .5" necked rougher, then come back with the endmill to clean up the walls. Technically just one wall, the slug don't matter. The machines I work on just don't have that capacity to handle that code. You basically used 3 Robodrills for just one slot. What a joke machine. What's the point in a rather decent table size if you can't use it, due to file size limits?
