[penjas14]

If I'm turning a shaft with different diameters, do I need different offsets for each diameter? For example let's say that there is a turn programmed for 1.5 inches dia. and then turned up a shoulder to a 2.0 inch diameter. With a decent machine should I use 2 offsets such as turning with offset 2 and then on my move up the shoulder change to offset 3, in case the one diameter is .004 over and the other is .002 over? This is how the programmer at my shops does it now, but isn't this what resolution and accuracy of cnc machines are all about?

[Rafael18]

penjas14 I would just change the program not the offset. Having two offsets can get tricky and you can end up making more scrap..

[penjas14]

Yea I've thought about that but the challenging part is the skill of our operators. I am using mastercam to program my parts so it wouldn't be a challenge for me but having to have the operators come in and have me change it and then go back out to their machine and load it would be a lot of wasted time. They use multiple offsets now with no problem, but the main problem is that mastercam won't (or atleast noone can tell me how to) generate multiple offsets in the same toolpath. Our current programmer writes them by hand and I am trying to program all of the previously programmed parts in MC. I could edit the program by hand but I'll have to re-edit them everytime I repost the program when i make modifications.