Newbie- 3D cut - What am doing Wrong!!

[ScoobyDoo]

Can someone please put me out my misery!!
Using FeatureCam 3D, I’m cutting a square cube where the corners get milled out down about 2 inches, the center is left standing ( like a square boss) and then the center of the boss gets dished out about 1 inch deep. I’m trying to do a rough and a finish cut but I don’t want the rough cut to “dish out” the center. SO I don’t include those surfaces as part of the rough cut but it still wants to cut in there!!! With an endmill no less, plunging into the part!!! SO then I try to just cut the sides one at a time by picking just those surfaces but FeatureCam wants to cut from both sides of material leaving just a wafer thin wall totally removing the boss that is suppose to be left standing ??!?!?!? I have it set on boss figuring it would only cut from the outside in and even if I pick the opposite side walls and call them out as check surfaces it still cuts right through them!!!

I am by no means an expert with this program or even CNC for that matter. This was just thrown at me when they let the other guy go and it was supposed to be no problem to use this software and teach myself…….yeah right!!!!!

[duluthboat]

There are two good places to change things in your file. On the left is the tool box, select the part view. Look for the feature you want and open the properties box. This where you can change hundreds of things about this feature. Also at the top in Manufacturing, select process plan, you can deselect the features you do not want to cut, you can also reorder things here.

I have said this many times before, you will have a much easier time learning FC if you start at the beginning. Everything you need is in the help file. FC also has a forum. If you want to discuss more personnel help you can PM me and we will talk off line.

Gary

[Mike Stevenson]

Hey Scoob,

Please post a pic of what you are talikng about. This is the internet not radio. I need my 3D.

[ScoobyDoo]

Originally Posted by Mike Stevenson Hey Scoob, Please post a pic of what you are talikng about. This is the internet not radio. I need my 3D.

Here's what I am trying to cut. Like I said even if I just pick the surfaces on the front edge at the origin and then pick the others as check surfaces the program cuts from the back forward and then from the front towards the back leaving just a thin wall of stock and wipes out everything else!!!

[duluthboat]

If you just want to cut the outside of the boss I would forget about FR and go to top view and select everything that defines the boss and project them to one plane. Then create a curve, then a boss feature. It is things like this that bug me about FR.
Gary