Stuck on a 3D pass

[LibertyMachine]

I've been trying for the past couple of days to produce a feature in the best possible manner (producing the best finished product)

Thought I had it, but simulation is showing a step when I use Parallel finishing passes.

I tried using 3D Contour, but I can't get it to machine all of the feature, try as I might.

Parallel. Note the area that is circled. In Simulation, it seems to be leaving a step.

Next I tried the Contour, but as you can see, the lowest portion isn't being cut. I've played with every switch and option and nothing seems to make the cut...

Since I know I'll be asked, here is the .f3d file 😉

http://a360.co/1VKcXvb

[HughesTooling · Accepted solution]

I downloaded your file and the parallel finish seems to be about as good as you'll get. One thing to note though, you can set the top height lower by about the radius of the cutter like this.

Cutting above this level will just be going along the corner between the radius and the flat and pretty much doing nothing.

So all you really need is this tool path, should almost half the cut time as well.

Mark

[LibertyMachine]

Thank you, I will give that a whirl and see what the finished product looks like!

[LibertyMachine]

Well, I guess what I was seeing on-screen was nothing more than a graphics issue (the laptop at my day job is really old). Made the adjustments as you suggested and ran my first piece. It came out really nice. Thanks for the help!

[Steinwerks]

@HughesTooling How did you get your pass extension to work with the Boundary selection?

Or did you leave the Model selection as the face?

[LibertyMachine]

I lied to it. There is a model that is hidden that is an extra .150" long on each side. I couldn't find any easier way to make sure it performed all it's positioning move off the part

[Steinwerks]

I just saw that. I did this a while ago with a small surface not unlike yours and got it to work without the extra geometry (took me a while to figure out). I will have to refer to that one. I'll post with a new version here if I get it to work in yours as well.

[Steinwerks]

How does this look?

Edit: I realize it's not perfect, but until they can get pass extension sorted out I like this method for avoiding creating extraneous geometry (I hate doing that).

[LibertyMachine]

My background is mostly in Esprit, and surprisingly, it's not uncommon to have to perform many little such "lies" to that $20k software. I'm not perturbed that I have to continue doing it with Fusion, by any means. Par for the course.

But, if you can figure out a solid way around that, it'd be most appreciated

[HughesTooling]

@Steinwerks I hadn't looked until you asked. There's another model in the design that's longer and that's the face that's used in the parallel op.

@LibertyMachine Selecting a face as the Model in an op like you have is not a good idea, the problem is the op will only see that face and sooner or later you'll get a job where it will machine part of the model away where it shouldn't.

This is bad practice and wiil catch you out!

 

You should use Touch\Avoid surface, that way the op still sees the rest of the model like this.

Mark

Edit added file with an extra Parallel finish setup as above.

[LibertyMachine]

Ok, that makes sense.

Then what is the Model and Model Surfaces option for? 

[HughesTooling]

You can use it to add faces to the setup model, for example you could make a single face in the patch workspace to extend the surface instead of the whole model like you did.

Select the patch face under Model with Include Setup Model, now the op see the whole model and the patch, the other ops will not see the patch at all. Then select the edge as boundary curve.

Gives the same tool path but maybe a bit less work making extra models.

Mark

[LibertyMachine]

Patch workspace huh? Up until the coversation, I've only found a need for Model and Cam. Good to know the other tabs have something I might need 😄