5 Axis slotting not possible?

[MatthewECornelius]

Hello friends,

I am trying to create a 5 axis slotting tool path inside a bore. I would like to use a ball endmill or even a 220 degree undercut ball endmill like I use in a manual mill currently to cut these (feature highlighted blue in the photo). The large diameter face will be sitting down in the chuck and slot will be machined from back side. There are other feature that get cut as well in that position when we machine these now. Currently I do those slots in a manual mill having the head tilted and part sitting in a rotary table.

I would like Fusion 360 to simulate this with the Hurco VC500i 5 axis I have in the file. I am trying to take some of the parts we currently make and develop processes to prove feasibility with a 5 axis.

I have tried a Trace tool path, but it is not working out for me at all.

Ultimately, I would like the tool path to sweep in and out of the bore only using the tip of the tool too, all while maintaining slotting depth and tilting the B axis for collision avoidance. I will need to have the tool step into the part 0.010 (inch) at a time for each pass until it gets to full depth. Taking it all at once is possible but chatter and large chips nick the babbitt metal in the bore and also destroy the bond line creating a leak for dye pen. The tool we currently use in the manual mill for this operation is: Harvey 833816-C3. I will attach the DXF file for that as well.

Here is one completed with current method on manual:

Thanks in advance,

Matt

[a.laasW8M6T · Accepted solution]

I've done stuff like this before with the Flow toolpath, I use a fixed tilt with tool orientation like you have with Trace

Because Flow doesn't have multiple depths of cut i put the toolpath into a linear Pattern to achieve that, then put the linear pattern into a circular pattern to cut the other two grooves.

You have to use a Lollipop cutter created as such in the tool library, Form tools wont work.

see attatched

[DarthBane55]

Another possibility that I've used for something similar is project.  However this is if the tool is the same size as your slot (you can use it even if not but then flow would be much simpler).  If that's the case, you offset the surface by zero (to create the same feature as a surface), then extend it passed the part (project will touch the model, so if you line is just a bit too long it will "scratch" the bore.

Then you create a sketch with 1 line, that represents the exact tool movement.

In the operation you check the box "model" under geometry and you pick that surface.  This operation does have axial passes to add, so easy enough.

Start with flow as the previous answer suggested though, if you can make it work, it will be simpler than project, this was just another possibility.