[Malish]

I was hoping someone could help me with how to create a tool path in V25. We make tooling dies for extrusion machines and have lots of pockets and profiles that we have to do. The one the stumps me though is doing a profile in 3D though. Is there anyway to get the software to write a tool path that will follow a path in the Z direction?

In the attached example I would usually write the program by hand go to X1.0 Y-1.5 and then drop into the part around Z-0.60 (If in steel, more in Aluminum) and go across the part till I intersect the 135deg exit part which would be at X3.44 Y-1.5. Then I would write an X,Y,Z G01 move to clear the ramp. Then I would repeat going deeper each time till I get to the Z-0.50 depth.

Sample code (First cut - Z0.0 is top of the part)

G01 X1.0 Y-1.50
G01 Z-0.06
G01 X3.44
G01 X3.50 Y-1.50 Z0.0
......

So how can I do this in V25 easy and effectively?

[aldepoalo]

Malish,

What you can do for an application like your is create a manual tool path. Basically draw out the wire frame center line you want the tool to follow.

Using 3D engraving you can select this path and post it. Please keep in mind all tool comp would be done by you and how you lay out the wire frame.

In order to "step" the path down you can create a tool path pattern.

[aldepoalo]

picture sharing



Here is some sample code using the 3D engraving on our center line path.

(TOOL #1 0.25 ENDMILL ROUGH)
N02 T1 M06
N03 G90 G54 X-1. Y1.5 S7761 M03
N04 G43 H1 D1 Z0.5 M08
N05 Z0.1
N06 G01 Z0. F89.2592
N07 Z-0.25 F178.5184
N08 G18 G02 X-1.25 Z-0.5 I-0.25 K0.
N09 G01 X-2.8447
N10 G02 X-3.1098 Z-0.3902 I0. K0.375
N11 G01 X-3.75 Z0.25
N12 G00 Z0.5
N13 M09
N14 M05
N15 G91 G28 Z0.
N16 G91 G28 Y0.
N17 T1 M06
N18 M02

Now if we wanted to repeat this path we can use a tool path pattern.

If you RT click on machine setup 1 The following dialog comes up. Choose add tool path pattern:


upload photo

You have 3 types of pattern

1) Array

2) Translate

3) Rotate

In this example we would want to choose translate. This will allow us to take our 3D engrave and step it down at an increment we define.


image hosting sites


Sample code after adding the tool path pattern:

(TOOL #1 0.25 ENDMILL ROUGH)
N02 T1 M06
N03 G90 G54 X-1. Y1.5 S7761 M03
N04 G43 H1 D1 Z0.5 M08
N05 Z0.1
N06 G01 Z0. F89.2592
N07 Z-0.25 F178.5184
N08 G18 G02 X-1.25 Z-0.5 I-0.25 K0.
N09 G01 X-2.8447
N10 G02 X-3.1098 Z-0.3902 I0. K0.375
N11 G01 X-3.75 Z0.25
N12 G00 Z0.5
N13 X-1.
N14 Z0.45
N15 Z0.05
N16 G01 Z-0.05 F89.2592
N17 Z-0.3 F178.5184
N18 G02 X-1.25 Z-0.55 I-0.25 K0.
N19 G01 X-2.8447
N20 G02 X-3.1098 Z-0.4402 I0. K0.375
N21 G01 X-3.75 Z0.2
N22 G00 Z0.45
N23 Z0.5
N24 X-1.
N25 Z0.4
N26 Z0.
N27 G01 Z-0.1 F89.2592
N28 Z-0.35 F178.5184
N29 G02 X-1.25 Z-0.6 I-0.25 K0.
N30 G01 X-2.8447
N31 G02 X-3.1098 Z-0.4902 I0. K0.375
N32 G01 X-3.75 Z0.15
N33 G00 Z0.4
N34 Z0.5
N35 X-1.
N36 Z0.35
N37 Z-0.05
N38 G01 Z-0.15 F89.2592
N39 Z-0.4 F178.5184
N40 G02 X-1.25 Z-0.65 I-0.25 K0.
N41 G01 X-2.8447
N42 G02 X-3.1098 Z-0.5402 I0. K0.375
N43 G01 X-3.75 Z0.1
N44 G00 Z0.35
N45 Z0.5
N46 X-1.
N47 Z0.3
N48 Z-0.1
N49 G01 Z-0.2 F89.2592
N50 Z-0.45 F178.5184
N51 G02 X-1.25 Z-0.7 I-0.25 K0.
N52 G01 X-2.8447
N53 G02 X-3.1098 Z-0.5902 I0. K0.375
N54 G01 X-3.75 Z0.05
N55 G00 Z0.3
N56 Z0.5
N57 X-1.
N58 Z0.25
N59 Z-0.15
N60 G01 Z-0.25 F89.2592
N61 Z-0.5 F178.5184
N62 G02 X-1.25 Z-0.75 I-0.25 K0.
N63 G01 X-2.8447
N64 G02 X-3.1098 Z-0.6402 I0. K0.375
N65 G01 X-3.75 Z0.
N66 G00 Z0.25
N67 Z0.5
N68 M09
N69 M05
N70 G91 G28 Z0.
N71 G91 G28 Y0.
N72 T1 M06
N73 M02

[Malish]

Thanks Al for the explination, that looks like what I am wanting to do. I will give it a try and get back to you if I have any issues.

[aldepoalo]

Because you want to "step" the shape down, you would need to translate the center line path up, then use the tool path pattern to set it down....

So you might move you center line path up .5" and then setup down -.05" 10 times using your tool path pattern to get to the depth that you need.