[Gregore]

Any one know how to get madcam to profile with the side of the mill stepping into the part a t full depth and finishing with the side of the cutter? I seem to only be able to step down .

[svenakela]

You use profiling in the 2.5D section, set the Step Down to the thickness of the material. You can also zero the Lead radius and set a ramp angle, for example 45 degrees. The tool will be ramped along the profile.
The same goes for all 2.5 features.

[Gregore]

I think I did not explain what I wanted accurately enough, what I want to do is use the side of the cutter at at a controlled depth on the part and step in towards it in small controllable steps until I hit a chosen stock to leave. Is ther a way to do this other than making a helix in rhino and using it a a pathway ?

[svenakela]

Not unless you have 5-axis.
But you can create lets say three paths with different Stock To Leave to get the same thing.

[Gregore]

Why would I need a 5 axis machine, when every other cad program can do this in 2.5D . And when I need to do this I will need 100 step or more with each step .05mm or less as I will be cutting stone. Really more of a grinding prosesess. I can do this in rhino but it is crazy hard keeping track of all the steps.

[Dan B]

You need lateral step-overs. If you had a profile at zero, were to define how far to start away from the curve, and how much to step over with each pass, would this work for you?

[Gregore]

Yes this exactly what I need, I am surprised that no one else has requested this. The way it works now , roughing the profile downwards puts most of the wear and tear on the corner of the end mill .

On a diamond end mill they would have a very short life used this way . For some reason diamonds do not like to stay on the edges of the cutters, so you have to baby the edges.

[Dan B]

I've heard it said "you pay for the whole tool, why not use it all ?" by advocates of swarf machining (using the side of the cutter). I will contact Joakim and make this request. It is something that we would use too.

Thanks,

Dan

[mmoe]

Why would I need a 5 axis machine, when every other cad program can do this in 2.5D . And when I need to do this I will need 100 step or more with each step .05mm or less as I will be cutting stone. Really more of a grinding prosesess. I can do this in rhino but it is crazy hard keeping track of all the steps.

I don't know about Madcam specifically, but a lot of CAM packages have more capabilities for 2.5d when you buy the multiaxis packages, so just because it's a 5 axis package does not mean that it doesn't contribute additionally to 2.5d operations. This is particularly true for Module Works based systems, not sure if Madcam is built on Module Works or not.

[svenakela]

I don't know about Madcam specifically, but a lot of CAM packages have more capabilities for 2.5d when you buy the multiaxis packages, so just because it's a 5 axis package does not mean that it doesn't contribute additionally to 2.5d operations. This is particularly true for Module Works based systems, not sure if Madcam is built on Module Works or not.

No Module Works. MadCAM is based on the Rhino graphical engine and pure programming.

[Gregore]

Thanks dan

I thought swarf milling refered to side cutting in 5th axis? Or is it the same term for all axis?

In the 5 plus version of madcam there is a tool for swarf milling can it be used on a 4 axis machine if the sides to be cut are 90 to the table
( parrellel to the spindle)

[svenakela]

Actually, you can do it already. With a Python script (and connect it to a toolbar button) you can combine any type of commands to whatever you want.

[Dan B]

I use the term for all side milling that involves cutting with the flutes as opposed to the corners and/or bottom of the tool. I'm not sure if this is technically correct but it always seems to get the point across here at work.

[Gregore]

Was this way of cutting ever added to madcam? I kind of looked for it today but did not see it .

[svenakela]

No lateral stepping unfortunately. I still do it with two paths, one with stock to leave and one finishing path right on target.

[Dan B]

This has been requested and is on Joakim's to-do list. However, the new simulator changes have been his main focus, and there are still some things to get fixed. Have you seen the new simulator in action?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fj5UBRWfMBo

Notice the material removal with simultaneous toolpaths.

In the meantime, Sven's suggestion is how we do it too.

Dan

[Gregore]

that is going to be cool , I will find the new sim very useful ,

I wish I could do the step over paths by hand but as an example yesterday I had to do a 1.5mm cut and it had to have .01mm lateral step overs that would be 1500 paths to run separately as well as create them all .

I am open to ideas how to go about this in rhino , as obviously it is possible otherwise joakim could not write the code to make the lines happen in the rhino/madam space.

[svenakela]

What the heck are you cutting, diamonds?!

I'm just thinking out loud but a script that takes a tool path and changes the stock-to-leave in increments should be doable, if the stock-to-leave can be changed with commands that is.

[Dan B]

I think so...

[Gregore]

I have an idea that might work so i will try that before i try to learn and understand scripts .

i am cutting corundum with diamond cutters and the suggested step over and step down by the manufacturer is .01mm , now i am sure that is a bit conservative and it is also for glass ceramics with a vickers hardness of 5000 plus and corundum is a little harder I think though it is hard to find this out as both are measured using different rating systems .