Successful simulation but Unsuccessful CNC Milling

[jimmyfos]

When simulating my milling job it seems that everything will run great but when I try to cut my design out on my Cnc machine everything goes wrong. 2 main problems:

1. Router hovers over surface areas of the model barely making any cuts until much later in the process.

2. Router makes pointless actions again only hovering over the model wasting a lot of machining time. 

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[PG.Eng2 · Accepted solution]

1)

In the beginning of your movie you can see the machining time for the first operation in the black pop-up, this is 2 hours.

You can check the machining time by right clicking on a operation and choosing 'machining time'.

The simulation of the cutting in Fusion is not in real-time.

2)

When the router starts 'hovering' it should be moving at your programmed 'ramp' feedrate of 13in/min. 

You have a 2deg helix ramping angle configured, so it will make many circles before actually cutting something. Increase helix angle (if your cutter geometry allows) to speed up this part.

For example for mdf/wood I regularly use:

- 15deg 'helix angle' with a 1/4"in single flute, centre cutting cutter, sometimes steeper,

- ramp feedrate of around 20-40in/min

 - cutting feedrate between 60 - 140in/min

[jimmyfos]

Your detailed reply helped me out so much.. not only for this project but for future projects. I thank you so much for this!