3000 CNC will not cut completly through Duraplate

[REllis]

My employer has aquired a used Multicam 3000 CNC.

We are attempting to use it to cut panels out of Duraplate. The plate is just under 1/4" thickness.
Galvanized steel .0160" sheet on each side with a composite core of .2042" inside.

Our panels are created from Autodesk Inventor file masters, and saved as .dxf files.
We then are using EnRoute software to create files for the CNC. All the information needed for the router is saved to each file.
Spoilboard surface (has been fly cut) is good. Table vacuum is good. Panel is on the table and ready to go.

We connect a wired calibrating 'puck' to the CNC. Surface is set. Max depth is set. File is selected and and then run.

An EMC601604 1/4" carbide four flute endmill bit is used.

Cuts through first steel layer and through the core, but it will NOT cut through completely on the second steel layer.

We have to stop and increase depth incrementally through the control pad too many times.

Then eventually it will cut through, but then into the spoilboard.

Something somewhere is not calibrating correctly.

Is there data setting cached in the CNC's drive we're not aware of holding it up?

Calibrating puck defective?

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[Jim Dawson]

Check the difference in height between the puck and the spoil board. You may need to do some calibration. Or just 0 off of the spoil board.

[awerby]

You might be losing steps on the plunge. Are you ramping into it, or just moving the tool straight down? That's hard for most endmills, especially when they're trying to cut something hard like steel. Check your Z zero after the run, and see if it's the same as at the beginning. Another thing to try might be a drill-pointed endmill, which has an easier time poking through things than the typical center-cutting tool.

[CNCMAN172]

Cutting steel on a Multicam might be a challenge. What speed and feed are you running? Most spindles on these type machines is 8K to 24K which is pretty fast for steel, the carbide endmill can cut steel no issue there

[forhire]

You might be losing steps on the plunge. Are you ramping into it, or just moving the tool straight down? That's hard for most endmills, especially when they're trying to cut something hard like steel. Check your Z zero after the run, and see if it's the same as at the beginning. Another thing to try might be a drill-pointed endmill, which has an easier time poking through things than the typical center-cutting tool.

+1 on losing steps. Check the Z axis screw is clean and lubricated. I've had similar issues on my 4000. It's typically time to clean and lubricate when steps are lost and/or my speeds and feeds are simply too optimistic.

[NSchlee]

Mulitcam's are known for weak Z's. As mentioned above, ramping EM's is important.

[arsenic87]

What happens in a dry-run? Does the last pass actually go where it is supposed to? (Use a lump of Styrofoam or something along the path).
If the dry-run actually passes where it is supposed to, you are losing steps due to a too fast plunge rate into the next pass. Update the tool-paths and slow it down, or add some "pick a bit and up, pick a bit and up" before going into the last pass.
If the dry-run is passing the same height as you see on your actual stock, the calibration/setting is off. From what I understand, there are soft-limits and "safe Z-depth" values configured directly onto the controller board. You can "fix" this by adding a thicker separator under the stock, or look into the terminal connection to the machine and configure these values to suit your need.