O ring groove on curved surface, 5 axis path

[bobbyW3KYK]

Hi Guys,

Been playing with this for hours but can't get it.  I just want to cut this oring groove into this fixture for vacuum holding.  I just need to run an 1/8" end mill around the groove perpendicular to the surface.  It will be cut on 5 axis.   Thanks.

bobbyW3KYK_0-1601639397392.png

[engineguy]

@bobbyW3KYK 

Have you tried the 2D Trace toolpath, it will follow the groove in X,Y and Z in a continous move.

Stay Safe

Regards

Rob

[bobbyW3KYK]

The shape is too organic to do this. It has to be a 5 axis path
perpendicular to the surface or the O ring groove will not work correctly.
But thanks.

It seems like swarf should work but it won't generate correctly for me.

[engineguy]

@bobbyW3KYK 

Err, it is a multiaxis path, it is just a single line that your machine should be able to follow if it is a full 5 axis simultaneous machine and you have the correct Post Processor, if you are running a 3+2 machine then try just doing half at a time, that sometimes helps.

Possible that one of the reasons you are having issues is your model, the groove is made up of segments and some of them are not aligned with the next segment so the toolpathgoes into the stock.

Stay Safe

Regards

Rob

[Collin_Korver]

ooo I just did this. you can either use swarf or multiaxis contour. It requires some lying to fusion though.

If you use multiaxis contour I would recommend going into your surface design space and offsetting the surfaces of the center portion and the one surface of the oring channel directly connected to the the center portion. Offset of 0. (may also have to reverse normal). Name them something like surfaces for multiaxis oring contour

back to manufacturing, in multiaxis contour, under the geometry tab, toggle 'model' and uncheck 'include setup model' then select your the surfaces you just offset. 

for the contour, select the contour. make tool comp left, and I turn off all lead in/out. Then I do a axial offset for the the depth of the oring groove and throw in some axial offset passes for slotting.

[johnswetz1982]

You want [Multi-Axis Contour] under the multiaxis menu,

MULTI_AXIS_CONTOUR.jpg

[Collin_Korver]

I just looked back at the vacuum fixture i made and it looks like I ended up doing it a little different using swarf. so if that doesnt work, try using swarf on the o ring wall surface you made

[bobbyW3KYK]

So 2d trace is a multi axis toolpath?  I guess I don't know what settings keep the tool parallel to the surface because simulation doesn't show it that way.  Interested in this though.

[seth.madore]

No, 2D Trace is not a multi-axis toolpath, just 3