Hi camminc,
thank you for your sharing. I believe that you are correct because I ever see the effect of dynamic analysis to improve surface quality even I never do it by myself.
I think this is an misunderstanding in this thread. The initial question is about HSM. HSM is a complex system. This include machine, CAD/CAM software, tooling system and programmer. Your point if view is only in tooling system area. Other people point of view specially is machine area. I haven't see people talk about CAD/CAM software and programmer capability in this thread.
Base on my experience in HSM, we must know the machine characteristic first. Must understand about spindle power, controller capability, data storage capability, data transfer, servo response, PLC response, etc.
After that we can select suitable tool and cutting method. The key point is programmer, because he is the person who will combine all those factor.
I always said to my colleague that HSM method is similar with F1 racing for easy understanding. We can see analogy between machine and F1 car, tooling system and F1 tyres, programmed toolpath and race circuit, programmer and F1 driver.
F1 team must aware about all factor and F1 driver must have ability to combine all those factor. You can imagine if the team have good tyres but their car is unstable, are they can win the race?
Or, they have good car, tyres but the driver don't understand the circuit, I think they will fail also.
The winner is a team that have good car, good tyres, understand the circuit very well and have driver who can drive it very well.
This is similar with HSM. The people who can combine all those things can get big advantages of HSM.
I have experience when making one mould. This is one year machine (installed at May 2008) with latest and highest controller of FANUC. By using same machine, I try to change cutting method, tool, cooling method and change some machine parameter related acceleration and deceleration, and I can improve machine productivity 100%.
Once more, HSM is complex system, we can't see from one point of view. Everybody who write in this thread is correct but they are see from different point of view.
This is just my opinion. Sorry for my bad english.