I am looking for any advise I can gather regarding working with large part files in which multiple stock models are used to track material removal throughout operations list. I am machining Aluminum Bar Stock components mainly 7075 and 6061. Machining is being done on a 4-axis HMC with 15K RPM, AICC function, mostly high speed machining. I machine the parts clamped from the bottom of the prepped barstock using a Uni-Lock pull stud (bolted to the underside of the material) that then clamps into a Uni-Lock chuck mounted on top of my pedestal position on table center. I have access all around the part. I am basically replicating a casting so to speak and finishing the part at the same time. My Mastercam files are very large and can take a significant amount of time to recalculate toolpath should operations become dirty. Utilizing the stock model feature is very handy and has lessened the need for time consuming arbitrary boundary creation on multiple levels and planes. I am starting to question my approach though as it does take time as well for recalculating toolpaths should I have to make changes to operations that are parents to other paths and stock models in the tree. This leaves me at a cross road trying to decide what is best path to take. The Stock models certainly offer me a great deal of functionality where if not used an entire rendering would have to be performed to see if stock is remaining. I generally use the following paths:

(All high Speed)
Dynamic Rough
Waterline
Raster
Pencil
Project
Stock Model
& 2d Contour where possible

Anyone out there have any tips or best practices for machining parts this way? It is a lot like mold machining (core) except I have to contend with many vertical walls with small corner radii on the floors which are not flat usually.

What are practical tolerances used typically for: <curves>, <surfaces>, <toolpaths>, <Stock Models>, <system total tolerance> (I do arc filter in all planes) (I do use smoothing control - <shift points & Min points>)

I look for a part that is asthetically pleasing but can't take the time to make it finish mold like.

Any input here is appreciated sometime I tend to go too far in utilizing the whistles and bell of the software and find I am no longer on the Yellow Brick Road. I am stepping back and looking for another perspective.


My computer I would say is above average pushing 16GB RAM with Nvidia dedicated 2GB RAM with Intel i7-4600M 2.90GHz processor (HP Z-book)
my part file size is 100MB.