[Idiod]

I wonder if somebody could give me a hand with this? I have programed this part with Version 20 drawing a toolpath to cut a 165mm Radius on the top of a block with 4mm corner chamfers and 1mm Radii to break the corners. I am considering upgrading to Version 27 and curious how the software will go about generating this toolpath. I start off one side of the part with a 3/8 Ball End Mill Set on the Center of the Balll and go to the center of the radius. Then I start off the other side and work the other way. I tend to be particular with finish and I don't like to start on one side and go to the other to avoid cutting on both sides of the axis of the end mill. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.

[MikeC8]

So is this just a 3d surface finish, and you want to climb mill each side?

[Idiod]

It is a 3-D surface finish. I currently draw a 2-D toolpath and Rotate and Repeat the toolpath to give me a 3-D toolpath. I have X0,Y0 in the center of the block and I am starting off the part X+ and I Zig-Zag to X0. Then I go off the Part X- and work back to X0. I never use generated 3-D toolpath in Version 20. It just never gives me a good result. I know the software has improved a lot and I'm trying to see if Version 27 will give me a satisfactory result for me.

[MikeC8]

sounds like a planer surface finish is what you want, check out some of the afterdark videos on youtube.