4 axis full simultaneous strategy

[garazodzera]

Hello. I have a milling router with an additional fourth rotational axis. I'd like the spiral machining strategy to allow full use of the fourth axis. Currently, I can't find an option that would allow movement perpendicular to the rotation to cut with the tool tilted perpendicular to the surface. Can anyone help?

[a.laasW8M6T]

Hi

There are several toolpaths that will work with 4 axis and keep the tool normal to the surface.(Any toolpath that has a Primary mode of Lead/Lean)

Not all toolpaths can process undercuts though.

The ones that can are

Steep and shallow(Steep only, Undercuts turned on)

Flow

Blend

Geodesic

Contour(Collision avoidance must be turned on)

Geodesic and steep and shallow often give the best results

See attached example file

[garazodzera]

Thank you for your answer. Very factual, specific, and supported by a test file. This explains a lot. Could I also ask Crosic for help in selecting the right strategy for this model?

[a.laasW8M6T]

Hi

There is no one Single Strategy that will work for that part, you can process some of it with a simultaneous toolpath but other areas will be better done with positional 3 axis toolpaths(Using Tool orientation) Because its a mesh part you wont reliably be able to use surface based toolpaths like Flow/Blend/Geodesic.

Steep and shallow and parallel would be my recommendations for finishing that.

See attached an example of a part I did years ago, this was before I had a 4th axis though but the principles still apply, you can just to it all in one setup rather then multiple setups.