Hi all
I have attached a pdf picture of a part I make out of a 42mm turned billet.
It is quite basic, 42mm square at the bottom, going up 10mm at an angle of 30deg (60 deg depending which way you look at it). The bottom end has 5mm radius's going upto sharp points. This is just caused by the convex cutting action.
Currently I machine this quite simply with a 60deg cutter at full depth and let the machine get on with it (3 axis machine), with a simple program again as another post of mine:
x-
x+ r5.
y- r5.
x- r5. etc etc
My question is, if I wanted to use a ball nose cutter, which method would be best, 2D profile with wall draft angle set or the HSM option, or any other better method?
I know people say, why change something that works, but I'm looking at the speed factor and cutter availablity, as I find ball nose cutters quicker than angled ones, also if I wanted to change the angle, then buying a new cutter everytime is a head ache.
Can somebody please advise, and please take a screen shot if you recommend a HSM method or 3d milling, as that option is still mysterious to me. I could use the 4/5 axis machine, but thats to easy, and wish to learn a form of pencil milling on the 3 axis. I have tried the wall draft angle, but never got it to work right, the corners just ballooned out, so must be something I'm missing. I would prefer just to do this with one cutter, oh yes this is an aluminium part
Remember, speed is something I and probably everyone is after, then tweak the quality.