Hello,
My work recently got a 5 axis CNC machine and I have been playing around with it but am having some trouble with finding the best operations to use and how to use them effectively. I have been going though various videos to try and learn, but there is a lot of information to get through.
The main two problems I have are:
1. I have a part that has a groove down inside it. I don't have any tools that will reach it without gouging the boundary. Is there a way to 2D contour it with the axis on an angle, and it rotates the part around with the axis kept at that angle? I can't seem to find anything that works.
2. What would be the best approach to something like below? I have read the steep and shallow is good but it only is on one axis, is there a way to have it do that all the way around? I have given rotary pocket a go, and it appears to be good for the rough outline, but not the inner details.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Hi
The first one is pretty easy, you can create a toolpath and use "From Point" as the primary mode
See attached file for an example
The second one is actually a very difficult part to program, there won't be any magic automated toolpath/s that will give you a finished result.
You would need a bunch of positional Adaptive toolpaths to rough out between all the "Spokes" after the Rotary pocket. and a number of simultaneous and positional finishing toolpaths to finish it.
Definitely not a beginners 5 axis part.
The Geodesic toolpath is probably a good one to look at for finish machining.
You will also find that you cannot rough the whole part out then finish as it will be too flimsy and will vibrate, you would need to rough then finish in steps from the top down
Hello,
Thanks for the file. I was trying that and it didn't seem to do what I wanted it to. Turns out I needed to make the point further away to allow it to do its thing!
And I know it isn't a beginner part, but it is more of a pet project to see if I can get it to work! But seems like it is going to be a lot of small operations going around the axis. I was hoping there was like an adaptive clearing that would rotate the part at the same time. The rotary pocket is okay, but something more it would look at the part at each point.
Thanks for your help though! Really helped!
Hi
Its not available yet but there is an Automatic 3+2 roughing toolpath in the works, no ETA on when this will be available however
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