Axial offset passes

[yoshimitsuspeed]

Why do axial offset passes start above your top height?
I could see this being a very useful tool if it started at the top height then did axial offset passes however incrementing the whole toolpath up wastes a ton of time machining air and causes issues such as exceeding toolpath height.

[scottmoyse]

It would be good if it trimmed the toolpaths to the top height. But otherwise it largely depends on the geometry you are applying it to, surely?

[animo3d]

I have been playing with axial offset passes en diferent types of machining. and found to be very inefficient, Like yoshi said machining air wastes a lot of time!, but even worst en the Horizontal type It doesn't even machines all the planes....

this diagram shows what is happening...

.

May be I'm doing something wrong? if it so... please let me know...

Best Regards

Sergio

[martin.dunschen]

Hi @animo3d

Thanks for the illustration. It all depends on the use cases, and you have a point that in some use cases the axial offset approach does not give the best result, and then you would use a different strategy. Your suggestions of improvements are interesting and appreciated, you should post these on the "idea station" - where the community can comment and vote for your idea or suggestion.

The idea station is here: https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/fusion-360-ideastation-request-a/idb-p/125

Kind Regards

Martin

[yoshimitsuspeed]

Name one situation where it's current behavior is better, needed or even the least bit correct? There is absolutely not reason why it should do this. No situation where this would be considered proper behavior. It is a bug or poor design. To call it anything else is ridiculous. 
And the idea station is an ultimate waste of time. 

[al.whatmough]

@yoshimitsuspeed I don't disagree with your request to handle this differently.  

I would like to better understand what you mean by the Idea Station being a waste of time.

[starrtikimugs]

@animo3d @yoshimitsuspeed did you ever figure this out?

I believe it's the Multiple Depths dialogue now but I think it's the same thing.

My machine is not zeroing so I need to cut one parallel pass in an emergency but can't plunge 6 inches into dense foam. Need to use multiple depths but it is completely unusable as is. Any help OR another solution would be GREATLY appreciated.