Need Help! Having trouble with Z-Level Rough and Finish Operations in Bobcad v24


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Thread: Having trouble with Z-Level Rough and Finish Operations in Bobcad v24

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    Default Having trouble with Z-Level Rough and Finish Operations in Bobcad v24

    I haven't had much luck getting answers over on the Bobcad forum so I thought I would try here. There seems to be a fair amount of Bobcad Usage here. Anyone like it? I am having problems getting a part to pass quality using Z-Level Rough and Z-Level Finish. This is what I am seeing for problems on the most recent part. I have a solid part that was imported into Bobcad v24 from an IGES file. I created a z-level rough using the solid as the geometry. I have left an xyz allowance of .020 with a .100 depth of cut and a .200 stepover using a .500 endmill. The roughing operation is leaving over .030 in the z direction on some surfaces but not all. I expected the Z-Level finish with 0 xyz allowance to clean everything up, but the final depth is not being cleaned on all surfaces. Are the Z-Level Rough and Z-Level finish operations supposed to be aware of each other? I often find myself cutting air and don’t see any rhythm or reason to the paths. How do the depth of cut and stepover in the roughing operation and depth of cut in the Z-level finish affect the final result? For example if there is not enough material left to do a full step over or full depth cut in the roughing operation is that material left for the finish operation? I don’t quite understand the logic of these operations. I assumed that regardless of cut and step inputs the program would take the part to the allowance input.

    At $55/stock, we are tired of making parts that don't pass quality. Any thoughts would be very much appreciated. I can attach my file if anyone thinks that would help?

    Thanks much.

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    If you can zip a .bbcd file of what you are doing,or at least an example of something similar,we can figure it out.I have a bunch of hunches right of the bat,but really be better with file.

    BTW,being posted in tutorial section probably not the best.For one it is not a tutorial and more importantly for you,,I find the forum members seem not to notice threads or posts up in tutorials vs. the general threads.

    And yes the Zone is the most popular place on the internet to discuss Bobcad,,and IMO, the best.Welcome to the Zone



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    Hello jrmach,

    I appreciate your offer to take a look at my file. I have attached it here. I have started to create the profiles necessary to cut the part using pocketing and profiling. Certainly a lot more work than z-level roughing if I could get it to work. Thx again for your thoughts.

    I'm new to the forum so I'm not sure if there is an easy way to move this thread over to the general area.

    Attached Files Attached Files


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    Oh wow,,uhmm,,no offense,but we need to back-up and do this from a whole different approach.Can you post this with the regular Bobcad threads below ? Just copy/paste or something.Reason being,I have V23 and V25.Someone with V24 will help a lot.And as I said,more people will see it below.That does not mean I cannot help too though.That said,can you give me an idea of what you know?With Bob?With Machining ?Just trying to figure out how detailed we need be on work flow.This will be good for many members to help with.
    Also,can you give us an idea of surface finish call outs.
    And,do you have any of the training dvd's or such ?
    And are you using Mill Standard or Pro.
    Sorry for the million questions,but you are new here and there is no short answer to provide, to get your project done.



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    Yep, that about covers it. Like jrmach says, this is a sub forum of an active BobCAD forum. By all means post out in the main BobCAD forum, lots of people to get to know Welcome Aboard!

    I bet it's just a z-level Rouging Depth-of-Cut mismatch. It only wants to cut in multiples of a user defined value. Sometimes adjusting those values into more suitable divisors and/or changing the multipliers is called for, to adapt the toolpathing strategy to the stock and part. It might only be a couple of thousandths away from a break point that causes is to rough out the next depth.

    Luke

    "All I'm trying to find out is the fellow's name on first base" -- Lou Costello


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    Quote Originally Posted by loliver View Post
    I haven't had much luck getting answers over on the Bobcad forum so I thought I would try here. There seems to be a fair amount of Bobcad Usage here. Anyone like it? I am having problems getting a part to pass quality using Z-Level Rough and Z-Level Finish. This is what I am seeing for problems on the most recent part. I have a solid part that was imported into Bobcad v24 from an IGES file. I created a z-level rough using the solid as the geometry. I have left an xyz allowance of .020 with a .100 depth of cut and a .200 stepover using a .500 endmill. The roughing operation is leaving over .030 in the z direction on some surfaces but not all. I expected the Z-Level finish with 0 xyz allowance to clean everything up, but the final depth is not being cleaned on all surfaces. Are the Z-Level Rough and Z-Level finish operations supposed to be aware of each other? I often find myself cutting air and don’t see any rhythm or reason to the paths. How do the depth of cut and stepover in the roughing operation and depth of cut in the Z-level finish affect the final result? For example if there is not enough material left to do a full step over or full depth cut in the roughing operation is that material left for the finish operation? I don’t quite understand the logic of these operations. I assumed that regardless of cut and step inputs the program would take the part to the allowance input.

    At $55/stock, we are tired of making parts that don't pass quality. Any thoughts would be very much appreciated. I can attach my file if anyone thinks that would help?

    Thanks much.
    onething I know for sure, using z level rough is not a easy to use strategy. I think they should rename it, its kinda misleading, to the newbie atleast, once I dealt with several of the problems I had using it, I found other ways instead. 1 thing that's unclear IMO is, if you use .2 in the step down, and the final cut is only .15 to the specified depth, it wont cut that pass at all. you have to kinda calculate the depth you want to cut, and break it into equal amounts as your stepdown, which kinda seems like what the software should be doing, so pretty much your never sure what amount of stock will be left. atleast that's my experience with it. I also know that z level rough looks at the model differently than say, advanced rough, cause I recall having a file or two, where using z level rough gouged the part, yet if I took the exact same file, and used adv rough, it cut perfectly fine. I believe to model had a slight flaw in it, that caused z level to bomb out, but my point is, z level must have seen the model differently cause it would gouge and adv rough wouldn't. so, based on this, in my humble opinion, try NOT using z level rough unless you become way more familiar with how it works, I would only use it for very rough cutting, where I was not trying to get to close.

    oh, I was using v25 by the way, didn't notice you said v24, but might still apply



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Having trouble with Z-Level Rough and Finish Operations in Bobcad v24

Having trouble with Z-Level Rough and Finish Operations in Bobcad v24