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IndustryArena Forum > CAM Software > Uncategorised CAM Discussion > CAM program for profile cutting
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  1. #1

    CAM program for profile cutting

    Hi I recently acquired a 6' x 13' cnc router table built by a local guy. I plan to use it for cutting out aluminum boat parts. The guy who built it suggested vectric Aspire as a program for creating my tool paths from my dxf boat cut files. I've done some playing around in it and I do like that it's fairly simple to use but I've run into a problem that I'm really surprised the program can't handle. So I want to cut out the outline of say a cross frame on a boat, this would be like a vee shaped frame, but it would have some notches for longitudinal frames that it would slide into, so there are some inside corners on the object. In Aspire I can only choose 1 tool for profile cut. So I could choose a 1/8 end mill to get into the inside corners but this would be way too slow to cut the entire frame out. I want to use a big bit, maybe 5/16 to cut the majority of the frame, and then switch to a smaller bit to clear out the corners and notches that the big bit can't get into. I could make a separate tool path for a 1/8 bit but then it's still running the bit along the entire path that the larger bit has already cut. Is there some simple solution for this? Or can someone recommend a different program then Aspire for doing this that has a simple interface. I also tried rhinocam but find it too complicated for what I want to accomplish. I'd also run into the same problem if I wanted to cut profile of some text and / or logo's for say aluminum signs.

    I've attached a picture of an example frame

    Click image for larger version. 

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  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Posts
    5728

    Re: CAM program for profile cutting

    You might look at DeskProto; it's got a very simple interface but does let you specify different tools for the same profiling job.
    Andrew Werby
    Website

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Posts
    1206

    Re: CAM program for profile cutting

    You don't need the expense and capability of Aspire,Vcarve Pro would do the same job for less.Obviously you don't need telling that a round tool can't cut a square corner but are there any that might be OK if you use a dogbone fillet to allow a larger tool to cut the notches?If the prospect of a potential stress raiser causes alarm then you will have to revert to a change of tool and perhaps even then some filing.If you don't have an ATC it can be a bit of a pain to have to adjust the Z axis datum for a tool change.

    One other alternative would be to enlarge the notches a bit on the outboard edge to create decent limber holes,hardly anybody takes bilge draining seriously enough.

  4. #4

    Re: CAM program for profile cutting

    Quote Originally Posted by routalot View Post
    You don't need the expense and capability of Aspire,Vcarve Pro would do the same job for less.Obviously you don't need telling that a round tool can't cut a square corner but are there any that might be OK if you use a dogbone fillet to allow a larger tool to cut the notches?If the prospect of a potential stress raiser causes alarm then you will have to revert to a change of tool and perhaps even then some filing.If you don't have an ATC it can be a bit of a pain to have to adjust the Z axis datum for a tool change.

    One other alternative would be to enlarge the notches a bit on the outboard edge to create decent limber holes,hardly anybody takes bilge draining seriously enough.
    My issue isn't soo much a perfectly square inside corner, a 1/8" bit is going to work close enough, in most cases the notches in the frame are slightly bigger then my longitudinal stiffeners so there's a bit of wiggle room anyways. My issue is that vectric wants to run a completely new tool path with the smaller bit, over the area's that are already done. I only want to clean up the corners and run the small bit into the notches where the big bit won't fit. One sort of work around I've found is on my dxfs to make a new layer that just contains the notches, and then when I make a new tool path with the smaller bit I can select just these area's fairly easily. This seems like maybe the easiest way to do it I'm just surprised there's no way (at least that I can see) to do it in Vectric, its a bit annoying to have to modify my dxf's, is all.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Posts
    155

    Re: CAM program for profile cutting

    Some cam programs have a (Rest) option that will only clean out the corner / smaller areas with smaller tooling. Not sure if that is usually on solid models though? It cleans out the remaining material. I use Ez-Cam n that is what works for me.

    MM

  6. #6

    Re: CAM program for profile cutting

    Quote Originally Posted by MegaMoog View Post
    Some cam programs have a (Rest) option that will only clean out the corner / smaller areas with smaller tooling. Not sure if that is usually on solid models though? It cleans out the remaining material. I use Ez-Cam n that is what works for me.

    MM
    I believe rest machining is what I'm looking for! Does Ez-cam do tile cutting, for a piece larger then the machine? This is one great feature about the Vectric software. I'm starting to think that Vectric is still the best option and just using my work around of creating a new layer for the area's that I only want to run a smaller bit on. It's really only the cross frames on boats that would have these notches anyways.

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