How to face stock.

[TXFred]

It's dumb question time.

My standard first operation is to face the stock to z=0. In MasterCAM, there was an option to face the defined stock, with no need for any additional geometry.

In Sprut, it seems that I have to select part geometry to face. And then Sprut only wants to face the area around the part, rather than the entire stock.

Is there a way to tell SprutCAM to face the entire stock? I may be a fool, but I cannot find that feature.

Frederic

[MetalShavings]

Hi Fredric:

I might actually have an answer this time instead of me whining about not having the answers; unless of course I've misunderstood your question.

Are you just wanting to face the top surface of your stock to z=0 or do you want to surface the top and sides of your stock all in one operation?

I wasn't able to use the Roughing-Plane Operation to do both. I had to use the Roughing-plan/surfacing operation just for the top of my stock and then switch to the 2D section and do the sides.

I think this is a situation where there's the "Right Way" to do this and then there's the way I've muddled together in order to achieve the same outcome. I'm flying by the seat of my pant and hope I don't crash.

In either case I think you still have to go into SprutCAM's Stock Perimeters and add some stock to your work piece first; at least that's how I managed to get results.

I hope I'm using the correct terminology. If I've just added more confusion just disregard this reply.



MetalShavings

[TXFred]

Here's the problem.



The top image is the machining result. The bottom image is the toolpath and surface (in blue).

I want Sprut to surface the entire block of metal, not just the area over the final part.

I'm using a roughing plane op now. I just cannot find a way to tell Sprut, "Never mind what the part is shaped like. Surface the entire chunk of metal."

Frederic

[MetalShavings]

Hey fredric:

I got a chance to talk to Eric the SprutCAM Guru over at Tormach. He seems to be a pretty sharp guy when it comes to this software.

He may have helped me fix the issues I was dealing with. I have yet to check to see if the reconfigurations we did will work or not. Actually we just deleted some duplicate files.

I mention Eric because while I had him on the phone I happened ask him about this very subject. As it turns out, he basically said that the operation you've posted can be done the way I had stumbled across.

That is, using the Rough-Plane operation for the top surface and then using the 2D menu to create the operation for machining the rest of the work piece.

From looking at your pics it appears that you've selected the top face of your part and created your surfacing operation based on that selection only. I could be mistake though.

If I understand you correctly you're saying that your tool path covers only the areas shaded in blue and you want it to surface the entire top face of the block; correct?

Is the lower right corner of the actual part you're attempting to machine up a little higher than the remainder of the top face?

This may be an optical illusion but, on the upper pic, (the yellow one) are the upper and lower left corners left slightly higher than the remainder of the top face or is it just the opposite?

Did you add any material to the top surface of your part? If not, maybe SprutCAM is interpreting your attempts as wanting to surface only the top of the part and not the top of your stock. If that makes any sense.

MetalShavings

[Gerry Sweetland]

I tried using Roughing Waterline.

I brought the model into SC and located Z +.05 after sewing faces, then I created a work pc. around part Z+.05.

I then choose Top level under Job assignment and clicked on the face of the part. (you should click top of part before clicking Top Level under job assignment)

I have attached the SC Project file for you to check out. Hopefully you can open it OK, I'm using SC ver 1.5 45786

HTH,
Gerry

[TXFred]

Thanks, Gerry. That did the trick.

I've learned today, twice now, that I should be more open to using the waterline toolpaths. They're pretty capable, and quite intelligent on top of that.

Frederic

[Gerry Sweetland]

Thanks, Gerry. That did the trick.

I've learned today, twice now, that I should be more open to using the waterline toolpaths. They're pretty capable, and quite intelligent on top of that.

Frederic

Cool, and you're welcome. Glad it worked Fred.
Gerry