Machinist-CNC toolpath help

Wait a minute.....are you using Powermill?????

 

1) Yes.. 2) Not familiar with that shop.. Even a idiot like me who has landed on their head often, can get decent paths in Pmill. It seems like every rev makes it harder though.

 

What does the pointy one at the top do?

 

I"m trying to figure where you work. I know you're a cheesehead, right? Commercial is right across from the Kenosha Airport.

I literally don't know ANYBODY else that uses Powermill. Everyone is in BlasterCam, so it's been tough finding anyone to bring on that doesn't need training. Personally, I find Pmill pretty flexible, but not intuitive. We started with EzCam (Bridgeport's proprietary software), then moved to Surfcam, then Pmill. We also use HSM, which is essentially F360 without as many options (which is weird cuz it costs more). For me, i'm way faster in HSM, as I get lost in all the options in Pmill.

 

I'm stuck in Illinois at Chicago Mold. When I have a new guy to P mill I explain that we mostly use just a few paths. Rough,rest rough, flat fin, raster, Zlev, and corner fin. A combination of those will get you through most things although there may be better options as you understand more.

 

For finding the center of small holes, I use it to sometimes index off of when I don't have a good edge or the print uses a hole as the x0. y0. coordinate, the part with the dial on it to the right can do it also but the hole has to be bigger than .200" in diameter.

 

Ah...for a bit there, I thought you were at IMAP. My main business is in Waukegan, but I have a small shop over the border. We're wimps though...pretty much 90% aluminum. So if you're in Chi, were do you go ice riding? Not that there's any ice around here right now. Just as well, as I don't have my bike ready anyways.

 

I mostly make the trek to kosh.

 

A bunch of guys run on Camp Lake, so I generally go there when we've got ice. They usually set up a regulation oval, but I get bored on that quick, and usually lay out a road course. Mostly vintage guys on old Triumphs and such, but a good group of guys. Now if I can just get everyone to wear fenders... I used to do the 3 hour up at Kosh, but it's too hard on my bike and me, so now I just play. I'd make the excuse that I'm old, but Fredette is a heck of alot older than me, and I have a hard time keeping him in sight.

 

Yeah, I used to think that too. If you just use it for finding corners then this is probably true. That said, when combined with macro programming you can do things with a probe that make life so much easier, it's really far beyond just finding part locations.

You can program re-usable sub-programs to auto-magically qualify stock to size. Adjust accordingly for stock size or diameter. Allows you to re-fixture and probe a part to re-machine it. Heck, there's stuff you won't even think of until you have access to the probe.

Just sayin'

 

Actually, the tool probe is hugely helpful too, especially on long runs when we're running lights out. You can have it check the tool before it runs, to make sure it's intact, which can save a lot of subsequent tools. I think the money to set probing up on a larger machine like 5axis is working with, might be cost prohibitive. I don't really know. I just know that the Renishaw paid for itself within maybe 3-5 months.

 

Good point, I really don't take enough advantage of this. It's not even that hard to program.

 

You guys can keep your steel and metal work .

After 10 years as a die maker and then another 10 running a job shop. I went to work in a shop that runs nothing but plastic .

I’ll never go back to steel except for what I do at home for myself. No coolant, the shop is actually quiet , fixtures don’t have to be anywhere near as rigid and holy shit the feeds and speeds I can run!!!!

 

Awesome! Let me know how your rearsets turn out, or fork brace, or triple clamps....

 

Job setup, or part setup? I have 3 edge finders setup in permanent holders. A regular length one, an extended length one (~14" reach), and a homemade "hat top" one for reaching under ledges for 2nd ops (probe that? ). I also have a half thou test indicator in a short mag base to stick on the spindle nose, and a vertical test indicator in a holder for dialing in holes etc. Plus a half thou plunger indicator on a mag base to check runout. So, ya I can setup parts/jobs pretty damn quick. It's been an evolution over the years but those are all things that are setup ready to grab when I need them. Oh, forgot a pointed edgefinder for picking up scribe lines. I work to those too sometimes for holes on compound angles with wide open tolerances (0.004-5" TP).

As fast as I am with a gauge block and jog wheel for setting tools I WILL concede victory to a tool probe on tool length setting. They're WAY faster. No contest (but not infallible....)

I've used one before at a previous job and am familiar with their benefits and drawbacks. As well as many years running a CMM. It's just not that big of a gamechanger for the type of work I do, trust me. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to have and be able to use a probe sometimes, but for most stuff its just overkill and just wouldn't beat what I currently do by a big enough margin (or at all) to justify. Being able to run a macro to probe the edges of a rough cut block and set g54 to the center would be very nice though. The ability to cut a 2d profile and probe it to adjust d values would be another good use for my needs. Being able to probe and g68 rotate the co-ordinate system to compensate for squareness would be another. I'm sure if I had one I'd find even more uses for it. They DO have benefits.

Machines in our shop can sit empty and idle for a day or two sometimes. We have 2.5 guys running/programming for a VF2, 3, 5, and 6 (as well as a CNC lathe, but that's just me) feeding 6 toolmakers in a manual shop. It's low volume, long cycles (mostly 3d surfacing), and little to no repeat parts.
Even when we had 10 toolmakers and 2 machines and the machines never stopped, setup still wasn't our bottle neck.

 

I hate running steel. Ball cutting steel especially, as those slivers get everywhere. But plastic? That shit clings to everything. I ran some electrical enclosures (cutting holes for displays, buttons etc) just before the break and those chips stuck to everything. I'll take aluminum all day everyday.

 

I’ve got a VF4 with a 4 th , an ST10 with live tooling , couple manual mills and a manual lathe. Left over from when I shut my shop down. If I need to make something from whatever material I want I’m sure I can manage

 

Delrin (acetal) is really bad about building up static.
We have a planing dept were I work now and it’s hilarious when a new employee is standing in the middle of a big pile of chips and reaches out to grab one of the metal carts. I’ve seen arcs 10”-12” .

 

Hey Dan, can I borrow some brain cells? So much to learn, and so little brain left.

 

My mold shop is for a thermoforming operation. You want to talk static? Even with top of the line anti-stat bars, people get hit constantly this time of year. I might admit to having guided a particularly difficult new guy into the 'zap' zone.

We actually cut a fair bit of different plastics, and I hate the stuff. Makes it pretty much impossible to sell our aluminum chips, as we constantly have to switch back and forth. Clogs up everything, gets under the way covers...blech.