[Berlioz]

I am cutting a slot along a length of a part. It goes down the whole length of the part so a potential collision is not a problem. It's a .1" slot and I am using a 3/32" emill (.093) (Is that a bad idea to begin with?).

Basically what I want to do is have the end mill centered on the slot to take some depth cuts (cutter comp off), and then have it turn cutter comp on and take 2 climb cuts (one on either side) to finish the slot.

The problem is- I select the "facing" toolpath is mastercam 9.1, for the first part of this episode to do the depth cuts- telling it I want one pass (as opposed to zigzag). I get a nasty error saying "the tool is not wide enough to face off the part" or something to that effect.

I know! I dont care!!! thats the whole point is to have it undersize. I will not be second guessed on my own machine- by my own machine. Do it.

Any way to get around this? I dont want to use pocket milling because it plunges the end mill. Please help.

[jeffrey001]

You could select contour toolpath and do a ramping cut along the geometry of the slot, leave 0.005 to the wall and do another toolpath by selecting the same geometry and leave 0.000 to the wall.

You have to draw the slot and select it as your geometry

That should do it.

Facing toolpath is really only for facing part.


Jeff

[WallyL7]

Use Contour toolpath with depth cuts and make sure comp is "off" - select just the line. - this is the rough pass.

Then, select contour toolpath with comp "on" and select the line one direction, then select it the other direction. This is the finish passes.

[Berlioz]

Thanks for the quick reply gentlemen.

What I ended up doing was I drew a line that bisects the slot, leaving .06 on either end so I don't need to ramp. I did depth cuts w/o cutter comp and left .005 on the z (.0035 in the x&y on either wall left) then I contoured the lines on either side of the slot.

I'd rather not have to draw the line in the center- that's a colossal waste of time and there really needs to be a better way to do that. Someday when I write the greatest cadcam software on the planet I'll be sure to include a slotting feature that does what I described automatically. When it's done we can talk about how much you like it and how great it is.

Until then.