[yafimski]

Hi,
I've got a .dxf with 2500 circles in it. Their diameter ranges from 1.75mm to 4.4mm.

What is the best way to make simple holes according to those diameters?

- creating a drilling path will mean that I need a drillbit specific to each hole diameter, which I don't have...

- creating a pocket path for all of them with a 1mm bit, means a really long calculation time (about 30min) and then an estimated milling time of 27 hours!!

- is the smartest way to divide them into groups and create a pocket path for each group so that I can a different bit for each diameter group (meaning one group with a 1mm bit for the 1.75 holes, then another group with a 2mm bit for the larger holes for example)... ?


I hope my question is clear.
Thanks.

[CitizenOfDreams]

Yes, probably the best strategy would be grouping the holes by size to avoid pocketing operations.
Sounds like you can get by with just two groups: 1.5mm tool for holes up to 3mm in diameter; 2.5mm tool for the rest of the holes.
Or something like that, depending on which end mills you have available.

[Superman]

missing info..
material
thickness
hole depth
manufacturing tolerance (+/- size) use this to sort hole sizes
- ie use 1.70 or #50 drill for 1.75mm hole
what machine is being used
end purpose of job, what it does ( if possible )
available tooling... what have you got ?

if tolerance is +/- 0.10mm diameter, I'd drill all holes if possible, then pocket other holes using a cutter that is a little smaller than the smallest hole diameter needed to be pocketed...
ramp contour would be quicker than pocketing

2500 is a lot of holes
say 5sec to drill each hole = 3.5 hrs .... is a lot better than your 27 hrs to drill & pocket every hole.