Quote:
Using the conversational, (ver 1.9.8), I set a circular pocket 0.375 in diameter using a 0.25 endmill. I indicated a total depth of 0.2 inches, with a DOC of 0.05 inches, a feedrate of 15, with a Z-feedrate of 10, and a stepover value of 0.0, (perimeter cut only). The conversational seems to add a G3 finish cut, so I would have expected the code to have generated a 5 pass helix at a feed rate of 10 ipm, but instead it created a 16 pass helix, (15 helix passes and 1 finish pass), at a feedrate of 5.0, with an DOC of 0.0137 for the helix cuts. So basically the DOC, (0.05) and feedrate that I entered in the conversational are getting re-calculated to be much smaller values. It looks to me as though PathPilot is doing this to try to match some calculated helix angle, (in this case 2 degrees), within the distance one full 360 degree pass. Is that what you are saying as well?
Kind of, the fix will do what you want, 4 passes, plus a final clean-up at the bottom. This is how I think it should be. However, you do want to dial the feedrate down as PP does because of the tighter angular movement. So when using GW use the standard feedrate calc – you don’t need to recalculate with Interpolate because PP is going to do it for you!