Left or right side cutter contour

[jfong]

I'm testing the demo version of Featurcam11 2.5D and having a small problem trying to figure out how to set the toolpath to follow the left or right side of a curve. There is the groove feature but that seems to only set the toolpath to follow down the center of a curve.

If you choose inside/outside groove instead of face, you get a list of slot cutting type tool bits and not end mills?????

I have used mastercam before and it was easy to choose left, center, right computer compensation to do this.

Is there an easy way to do this?

Jim

[pmurray]

jfong,

After selecting the new feature wizard, select from curve: 'side'.

As it walks you through the settings, you will come to a screen that will let you select the direction/side of the curve you want the tool to cut on.

Hope this helps,

plm

[jfong]

I think I figured it out now. When I tried using the "side" feature before to cut the inside of a circle, it would pocket the whole interior. That was not want I wanted. I deleted the roughing out step and just used the finish step. It now does what it is suppose to do.

Thanks.

[duluthboat]

Another option for cutting inside or outside of a circle without cutting all of the extra material is to set “total stock” to maybe .005 in rough. Then you can use the finish for clean up. I often use a roughing end mill then change tools to get a good finish. Check out “total stock” in the help file, it is a useful tool.

Gary