[LatheCrasher]

I want to machine an irregular-shaped island and use G150 to rough excess matl and finish the island. All the examples in the Haas manual show square pockets with square islands. What I had in mind was to describe my square pocket larger than my matl so it would machine away the excess and leave the programmed irregular-shaped island. I wouldn't be left with a pocket and an island, but just an island like I want. Is there a canned cycle for this?

I teach part-time at a technical college so I'm having to brush up on manual programming. I use cadcam at work so this would be snap, crackle, pop otherwise. Always had cadcam to post programs out so never really had to program long hand.

Thanks!

[NSDJ60]

Is there a simple canned cycle for roughing and finishing the outside profile of a milled component. Something similar to a G70 G71 as used on a lathe

[Geof]

I have been programming on Haas mills for twelve years and have never come across that feature in the manual. I think it would be very useful.

What I do is fake it using different tool diameters; for instance, if the actual tool diameter is 0.5 make D0n 0.5, D1n 0.75, D2n 1.0 and program the profile in a subroutine.

Now have code similar to this:

Tn M06
Code to start spindle
and move tool to a
starting point far enough
away from the profile
for setting tool compensation
G41 D2n M97 P1000
G41 D1n M97 P1000
G41 D0n M97 P1000
Code for ending program
M30
-------
N1000 Profile
code ending at a place
clear of the profile
so tool can move back using
G40 to the starting point.
M99


This works quite well but it has some limitations:

If the profile has a concave radius smaller than the largest D value you will get a tool compensation error.

The first passes will only hit the part at the corners or high spots so time is wasted cutting air.