Pocketing/ islands/ containment???

[slideleft]

Hi All,
I'm trying to learn the various forms of pocketing with MCX. On attached jpeg (2" diameter, I only care about top surfaces, not backside), I'm able to use the Standard Pocket routine for the 2 center bores (no problem). But.... what is the best way (or any way) to cut the surfaces outside the center post? I was going to use a combination of 1/8" flat and ball end mills.
Issues-
-I am trying to use Rough Pocket function, but... I cannot figure out the Containment feature. It does not seem to contain anything (wants to cut from center out, disregarding my island).
-Is that because I can only select 2D geometry for containment? Why can't I select a surface e.g.; the center post?
-Is it possible to have an inner and outer containment boundary?

Advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks,
Jeff

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[cadcam]

Sorry no picture.

[slideleft]

[tobyaxis]

I would be doing this on a Lathe not a Mill.

Face, Rough Turn, Index Drill, Rough Bore, Rough Tre-Pan, then the finishes. Hold the ID then do the other side of the part.

Is this some kind of Button??

If in case you don't have a lathe you might want to wait for cadcam's reply.

[Superman]

2 operations to rough the inner shape

1- 2D contour ( ramp ) on inner bore with multi-passes on
using the smallest bore size as the profile
2- Rough Surface Pocket
create a patch to cover the inner bore, and create curves on outermost lip on the part
tool = bullnose to suit the part fillets
drive surfaces = select this patch and all surfaces that would come into contact with the tool while pocketing
drive offset = 0.01"
check surfaces = none selected
containment = outer-most profile on the lip- and keep tool inside

[tobyaxis]

2 operations to rough the inner shape

1- 2D contour ( ramp ) on inner bore with multi-passes on
using the smallest bore size as the profile
2- Rough Surface Pocket
create a patch to cover the inner bore, and create curves on outermost lip on the part
tool = bullnose to suit the part fillets
drive surfaces = select this patch and all surfaces that would come into contact with the tool while pocketing
drive offset = 0.01"
check surfaces = none selected
containment = outer-most profile on the lip- and keep tool inside

Superman's reply will work too, LOL.

[slideleft]

Thanks Superman,
Your idea mostly works. But...
-My designs are brought in from Pro-E. When I added geometry in MCX (patch as you call it), it was not selectable as a drive surface. (I modified my part in Pro-e to overcome). How do I change this?
-I can't use a bullnose for ALL surfaces because lower counterbore has sharp edges. Do I always have to mask (patch) over areas I don't want my tool to go into, or is there an inside/outside containment strategy?

And Tobyaxis-
It sure is a lathe job! For those of us that have them. Eventually though, I think this piece will have non-rotationally symetric geometry, so mill will be the route.
And... it's not a button. I'll tell you after I get a provisional patent filed (or after I determine it doesn't work )

Thanks everyone,
Jeff

[tobyaxis]

And... it's not a button. I'll tell you after I get a provisional patent filed (or after I determine it doesn't work )

Thanks everyone,
Jeff

That sounds fair to me

[Superman]

Are you working fron a solid or surfaces ?

sometimes using surfaces you can have a little more control

import your part as a solid
then create surfaces
<create> <surface> <create surfaces from solid> select the solid and accept

patches
<create> <surface> <fill holes with surfaces> select the surface that surounds the centre bore, and slide the arrow to the edge of the inner bore ( change colors first) and accept

Bullnose will nearly always get material out quicker than a ballnose and will last longer

[cadcam]

Jeff if you post the file I can put some paths on it.Is it Alum?

[slideleft]

Thanks for the help Superman.
What file format do you have best success bringing in as solid. I succeeded with .sat, but when I follow the create surfaces routine, I get surfaces, but they are apparently overlain on the solid as I get the psychadelic 2 color depiction of part.
Problem #2- this happens to me often, and sometimes I get it to go away without knowing exactly what I did- when using surface rough pocket routine, I select drive surfaces, and the outer containment boundary (inside as you suggest), but when generating operation I get error message(s)- "No cut found-check tool, cut dpths, or use tool containment boundary". Followed by "unable to determine a valid machining zone- no tool path created". Followed by "error regenerating operation! surface rough pocket"

Thanks again,
Jeff

[cadcam]

I wpould like to see the native Pro-e file as this what I would bring in and use the solid. most of the cuts are 2d except the convex surface area.

[slideleft]

Here is my Pro-E file. It was drawn in Wildfire 3.0 which doesn't open in my MCX unfortunately.
Jeff

[cadcam]

Jeff there is not file. and the wildfire 3 should be supported.

[slideleft]

I see I can't upload .prt files. Advice?

[tobyaxis]

I see I can't upload .prt files. Advice?

Zip the file and load it.

www.filzip.com

[slideleft]

Excuse my file manipulation noviceness, but this software doesn't zip .prt files?

[cadcam]

if you are running Windows XP or higher just click on the file and right click and send to Zip.

[slideleft]

Here we are-

[cadcam]

Here is a picture of the file in MC_X3 MU1