Optimized Rest Milling for Profile Cutting

[slimneill]

Is there a way to do Rest Milling in aspire with profile cuts?

I watched the tutorials for Rest milling online but they are all for 3d part milling. I don’t want to be machining out the entire pocket, I just want to optimize the profile cutting to cut as much as possible with a larger cutter and then a 2nd tool path to go slower with a smaller cutter in the sharp corners and confined areas.


Here is an example of a pattern I’d like to cut out of ¼” plywood.

I would like to cut out profiles with small radius corners and detail but would like to use a 3/16” cutter for the bulk of it and then only go over the low clearance spots with a 1/8” or 1/16” cutter.

Any help woudl be appreciated

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[plcamp]

Is there a way to do Rest Milling in aspire with profile cuts?

I watched the tutorials for Rest milling online but they are all for 3d part milling. I don’t want to be machining out the entire pocket, I just want to optimize the profile cutting to cut as much as possible with a larger cutter and then a 2nd tool path to go slower with a smaller cutter in the sharp corners and confined areas.


Here is an example of a pattern I’d like to cut out of ¼” plywood.

I would like to cut out profiles with small radius corners and detail but would like to use a 3/16” cutter for the bulk of it and then only go over the low clearance spots with a 1/8” or 1/16” cutter.

Any help woudl be appreciated

I believe that the Rest Machine option performs a comparison between your model and what you have machined. So I guess my answer would be 'no'. You could make a profile 'path' for the 3/16" cutter, one for the 1/8" cutter and finally one for the 1/16" cutter or any combination. I believe this would essentially give you the result of rest machining. Remember, if your pocket is deep there may be a clearance issue for your cutter.

[slimneill]

Yes from the tutorials, it does a comparison of the 3d part. But from what I can see, it won't let you do the comparison in a 2d cut path and I believe, I may be wrong just testing things still, but 3d cutting requires a 3d cut path which means a pocket cut path. So I won't be gaining any overall time if I'm forced to pocket cut everything.

Anyone know of a program that does smart 2d cutting for smaller cutters?

[ger21]

Do two profile cuts.
One with the larger tool, and a slight offset, and another with the small tool.

[louieatienza]

It would take a bit of prep work, but one way to do that would be to make a copy of your file, then draw circles around all your inside corners centered at the corners, and the diameter of your large tool.. You just draw one, then copy and paste. Trim all the other lines away, join all the rest of the vectors, then program your paths with the smaller tool as inside profiles, or even pockets if you feel the slug will bind the tool. Then after you do that you can run a profliel pass with the larger tool.

[slimneill]

It would take a bit of prep work, but one way to do that would be to make a copy of your file, then draw circles around all your inside corners centered at the corners, and the diameter of your large tool.. You just draw one, then copy and paste. Trim all the other lines away, join all the rest of the vectors, then program your paths with the smaller tool as inside profiles, or even pockets if you feel the slug will bind the tool. Then after you do that you can run a profliel pass with the larger tool.

Yeah this is what i was thinking I may end up doing. I don't want to run a 1/8" or 1/6" cutter over everything if i didn't have to. Was just hoping there was a automatic way.

Is it better to do the small cutter corners first or last?

[louieatienza]

Yeah this is what i was thinking I may end up doing. I don't want to run a 1/8" or 1/6" cutter over everything if i didn't have to. Was just hoping there was a automatic way.

Is it better to do the small cutter corners first or last?

In this case I'd run the small cutter first, so there's no chance of your pieces moving.