toolpath suggestion

[alan2k7]

Hi everyone;


I am new to Bobcad. I just got promoted to Bobcad operator after the main guy just quit. I have to pick up what he was working on. To tell you the truth that i have been working with BObcad less than 3 months. I did some projects ok, but when i start working on the latest one, i have been stuck for a week. Deadline is near. I need some help from you guy if possible. Please take a look at my drawing, and i welcome any suggestion.

My machine is Haas mill serie Tm

Thanks

[tobyaxis]

Originally Posted by alan2k7 Hi everyone; I am new to Bobcad. I just got promoted to Bobcad operator after the main guy just quit. I have to pick up what he was working on. To tell you the truth that i have been working with BObcad less than 3 months. I did some projects ok, but when i start working on the latest one, i have been stuck for a week. Deadline is near. I need some help from you guy if possible. Please take a look at my drawing, and i welcome any suggestion. My machine is Haas mill serie Tm Thanks

Do you have a Full 4th Axis?

Honestly I would rather do this part on a Lathe between centers. It would be more practical.

Does your shop have a Lathe?

[alan2k7]

Thank for replying my post. My company does have a lathe machine. But the guy refused to do it??? My mill don't have a 4 axis one. Anway i upload my drawing in bobcad format for better viewing
I plan to cut it down to 90 degree first, the turn the part around to continue.
I will choose planar finish with tool tip, 90 angle, select boundary Z extend -.6 setting.
Let me know if the settings are correct?

[HuFlungDung]

Yes, that looks like a lathe job alright. However, if you are a bear for punishment, you could do it with a ball end mill, and the part set up suspended in midair between two vises. You would have to flip it over, of course, since only the top half would be accessible to the tool.

If the groove radius is equal to a commonly available endmill, that would help simplify the job a great deal. What this would involve in programming, is to plot a circle 'in orbit' around the arc center of each groove. The top half of such a circle would become the toolpath for the ball mill, using the center of radius (not the tip) of the tool as a reference point.

Most likely you would want to rough cut this first, so plotting successive arcs on a slightly ever larger radius than the original would serve that purpose. If that seems too daunting, then you could rough on the exact same path as your finish path, but use a ball mill one size smaller. In fact, use a square end mill for the first roughing, as it will cut a little better if you do a direct plunge into the part, however, it would be better if you created a horizontal lead in movement to the vertical arc path.

Getting your machine to run G2/G3 arcs in the vertical plane can be a learning experience. Once you know the arc center locations (from your drawing), it would not be too onerous to hand code the path. Normally, Bobcad's 'post settings' are set to eliminate vertical arc center information, but one of the regular Bobcad guys might be able to help you reconfigure a special machine config to run true arcs in the vertical plane.

[alain aleman]

On the lathe is the better way, less time than a milling.

[tobyaxis]

Originally Posted by alan2k7 Thank for replying my post. My company does have a lathe machine. But the guy refused to do it??? My mill don't have a 4 axis one. Anway i upload my drawing in bobcad format for better viewing I plan to cut it down to 90 degree first, the turn the part around to continue. I will choose planar finish with tool tip, 90 angle, select boundary Z extend -.6 setting. Let me know if the settings are correct?

Those settings should do well. If they need a little tweeking it will probably be in the step over.

Someone should tell your Lathe Guy that this is a Lathe Part, with secondary milling operations. Honestly, I'd be looking for another Lathe Guy. This is an easy part.

If you need any other help with this post in this thread. We will be here.

Cheers!!!!!!!