does anyone know the easiest way to mill a runner with a ball cutter and follow a centerline that runs down a 15 degree wall to a depth of 1.225 from zero at p/l.
engraving does not go down z depth
and i need several paths to remove the stock.

What Version do you have?
The V23 has a 3d engrave that will follow a 3d path but it doesnt clear stock. To clear stock away you would have to create some other geometry to run another operation on. Is that what you are asking?

Can you extract your edges from the solid, then use a 2-d profile with spring passes for the stock removal?
Can you post your file or a print of the part?

Dave

ya sort of.
i dont know why they didnt offer pick depths in the engraving.
if your going to do letters .015 deep and use a .016 ball mill you need to pick it several passes.

also i just drew a wire path so i wouldnt have to create surfaces of a trapazoid runner going down a 15degree wall, following it.

This is a good point. If you wanted to profile a 3d chain, there is no easy way to rough it out.

BobCAD 07 / 23 will let to select and machine the 3D path at a single depth but there is not option to rough it out.

In the older version of BobCAD you had a 3D rough on any chain, so it would be quite easy to do in V21 or earlier.

Something BobCAD should add to the software is a roughing option for the 3D engraving feature.

Really it should be more that an engraving feature is should be a 3D profile feature with roughing options. Anyone agree?


http://i564.photobucket.com/albums/ss86/damjuice/runner.jpg

Solid with a 3D profile


http://i564.photobucket.com/albums/ss86/damjuice/runner2.jpg

3D Engrave tool path


http://i564.photobucket.com/albums/ss86/damjuice/runnerv21.jpg

V21 3D profile 3D rough



I am not sure if I understand the "runner" correctly, and but do these screen shots come close to what you are talking about?

i dont see any screen shots.
i had to use the 3d evgrave for a tool path and edit my offset at the machine to drop .125 deep in .005 incriments.
which is a major pain in the butt. cant program anything else have to sit and watch the machine to keep it going.

does anyone know the easiest way to mill a runner with a ball cutter and follow a centerline that runs down a 15 degree wall to a depth of 1.225 from zero at p/l.
engraving does not go down z depth
and i need several paths to remove the stock.

V22?
Have you tried a slice planar? Set your boundaries closer than the step over. This will allow you to pick the depth of cut for each pass.

Yeah I don't know if a planner tool path is going to work. Really all he is doing is a 3D profile. The planner would want to step over not to mention it wouldn't follow the shape he would be cutting. Like a u shaped profile.

You are right. I tried it and couldnt make it work with a planer cut