Need help with VISUAL MILL

[replicapro]

If there are any visual mill users here, I need help.

I can not get 3 axis pocketing to work. I keep getting the message please select regions. No mater what I do, it does not work. I even tried it on the stock models that come with visual mill.

Any operation that requires regions to be selected is not functioning for me.

[DareBee]

A stock model does not have regions.
Regions are something that you have to create.
Can be as simple as turning all edges to regions; or the edges of a flat surface to regions; or can be drawn such as CAD.
Try importing a dwg to cut - all you get are regions (very simple for 2D programming this way).
Why not set up an online demo with MecSoft or do the tutorials posted on their site?

[replicapro]

So if I have a 3d model I made in rhino and it has no reagions, how do I make regions for it?

Also why is it required to have regions for VM machining operations such as pocket finishing.

[Chris Baird]

Regions are closed 2d curves that are used to tell VM what areas you want machined. If you want VM to create the desired toolpaths for the whole part then just draw a rectangle around the part and select that rectangle as the region. I often use different machining statagies for various aspects of my parts and hence have various regions, each for a differnent type of machining operation.

[replicapro]

Chris, that worked perfectly. You are the man. Thank you.

[DareBee]

If you have a large and/or complicated part using the whole part as region can turn into a multi-hour toolpath generation (believe me).
Diffinately works though.

[replicapro]

Actually, I was just playing with it and it lowered the line code by 5000 lines. When ever I generate a path it always wants to cut the whole area. I wanted to run a pocket finishing operation on a section and I drew a circle on the inside and out side border of just the area I want to cut and when it generated the cut it only did that area, which is perfect.

I then put a box around a section that I wanted to pencile trace and it stayed in the box, where before it tried to pencile trace the whole model which would have taken another 8000 lines to complete. So this method of selecting regions allows me to reduce the machine time way down.

Whats more, Im machining in wax that I cast in a round tupperware container. I drew a circle around the entire model the exact size of the wax casting and ran the horizontal roughing in the region and it now stops the end mill from getting any where near my clamps. Previously it was cutting in square roughing pattern because the box stock was square. So now I not only limited the cutting area to the actual wax area, I also cut out pointless and dangerous cuts near the clamps.

[DareBee]

Replicapro

Exactly my point buddy.
It is a nuissance and not necessary, but I region all of areas for cutting as well as set upper and lower Z limits (to stop it from sampling unnecessary areas of the part).
These little things greatly improve cutting effiecency (stops cutting of air) and MOP generation time.
As well; 2.5D cutting should be used anywhere 3D paths are not a necessity the generate super fast and usually creat a more efficient cutter path.