Pocket toolpath not efficient

[difalkner]

This is a plaque I created and I will hand carve the recessed area about the letters and crosses to give it a random scooped effect.  My plan is to clear the 0.125" depth with one pass of an upcut or the tip of my compression bit, 1/4". 

The machining time shows as 3:31 which isn't very long but why does the simulation show the bit cutting the same places over and over?  Why doesn't it just cut what's there and not repeat where it has already cut? I tried changing parameters and it seems no matter what I try it still cuts like this.

The reason for the 0.025 stock to leave is that I would have already gone around the delicate tips of the letters with a 1/8" downcut spiral and I don't want the more aggressive 1/4" toolpath to chip those places (this isn't the first time I've tried to cut this... 😉)

Thanks for any help you can provide!

David

[johnswetz1982]

You dont have [Rest Machining] selected on the 2nd tab of the operation. Even with it selected it is not going to save you that much more time.

[difalkner]

Correct, I didn't choose that because I didn't see the need since I have stock to leave set so high.  But if the 1/4" bit doesn't 'cut' the same area twice then I'll try that.  

It wasn't the time but more of why is it cutting the same places over and over that bothered me.

David

[difalkner]

I just realized I can't use Rest Machining because the previous operation with the 1/8" bit is a contour cut and doesn't leave any stock.  So when I choose Rest Machining no path is generated because of that reason.

I'll just cut it like it is but it's the first time I've seen a pocket toolpath that goes over the same area multiple times.  And the stepover on this 1/4" bit is 0.20" so it should be stepping over that amount instead of retracing its previous path.

David

[daniel_lyall]

@difalkner if it is the last pocket do a projection of the outline and use this as the toolpath it makes a large difference.

From this 

 

To this

[difalkner]

Hi Daniel - it occurs to me that I've never done a projection like this.  Is there a suitable tutorial you can point me to so I can try this?

Thanks!

David

[daniel_lyall]

See if this helps