05-03-2011, 01:33 AM
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| | | Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Russia
Posts: 43
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Originally Posted by Gerry Sweetland  Hi all,
I have been using SC for a couple of weeks and I am starting to figure some things out but there is one area where I am not sure what I'm doing. I am having a hard time understanding the relationships in the properties screen . I think I understand what safe level is and have been using .1" like you do in the tutorials. But I am having a hard time understanding the relationship of Top level, Bottom level and Stock, etc. to my model geometry. I made a small part that required two setups to machine both sides. That came out well and did what I expected it to do, I just let the software do most of the parameters settings for me. I was kind of surprised how well it came out. But I have tried twice now to just do a simple surfacing operations to make over size stock to finished size (some T-Nuts to work with the PCNC770 and still use my 3/8" clamping set). Both times my fly-cutter would start the same amount I added to the finished part in "box around part" above the part and just cutting air. I have attached one of these surfacing projects (steel bar.stc) as well as the two projects (Cam frame guide.stc and Cam frame guide side 2.stc) that went well for me.
Can some one explain these relationships (Top level, Bottom level and Stock, etc)? Or show me in my project (steel bar.stc) where I need to make changes and why? I am thinking that if I knew how these worked I would know more about what I'm doing. I can do this manually but it is driving me nuts that I can not create a simple tool path in SC to do this. Any advice is sure appreciated and
Thanks a lot,
Gerry |
Hello Gerry.
It's pretty simple.
You are using a roughing waterline operation.
How does it work.
It takes the Z step parameters such as the Top and Bottom Levels, Z step (count or distance), Scallop, Clear flats, etc. to determine the z levels of slices to do. Slices are always limited by Top and Bottom levels. Than at each level SprutCAM intersects the CL surface of a part and the CL surface of a workpiece with a horizontal plane. Than SprutCAM subtracts the resulting area of the part plane intersection from the area of the workpiece plane intersection and generates a planar roughing toolpath based on the selected strategy (parallel or equidistant).
So SprutCAM will not generate any toolpath at a given level if the area of the workpiece at this level is fully covered by the area of the part, or there is no intersection of the workpiece with a plane at the level at all as in your case.  |
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