Cad/cam package for doing simple, stupid stuff with trochoidal toolpaths?

Looking for advice on what's out there for generating trochoidal toolpaths.

I've got a product line I've been making out of RR steel. This railroad track steel, it's nasty stuff, worse than the worst stainless I've ever had the misfortune of dealing with. Something like 1080 but with high enough manganese content that it work hardens if you look at it cross eyed.

I had a guy who had a mastercam seat and was working with me to generate code. He was using a Mazak post processor and other than needing to void out a couple lines at the beginning of the program (caused error on LinuxCNC - voided out and it ran fine) this was working well. Unfortunately he's been very busy or sick or something and what was initially working well is not happening on a timeframe that I'm comfortable with anymore. So I'm thinking I need to bring this in house if its affordable or find a new guy that can do odd programming jobs for a few bucks.

I don't know that you would exactly call this HSM...my machines are old and slow and I don't have the cash for a nice shiny new VMC. My Lagun retrofit knee mill tops out around 3300 RPM and 225 IPM in X/Y. I'm running ~2200 RPM on a 3/8" 4 flute solid carbide ALTiN coated fine roughing end mill with 2 air blast nozzles making 1/2" DOC roughing cuts. Flood coolant not exactly an option on this machine.

I bought an older Okuma VMC with a Fanuc 6M and the option for flood coolant, but it won't be up and running for at least a month or two. I have some operations I'd like to get done before that happens.

So, I know there's some add-ons for LinuxCNC and various G-code generating wizards in python and online, but so far nothing much I can find that actually do trochoidal paths. I'm wondering if there's anything at lower cost than a mastercam/SolidCAM seat that can create these same sorts of toolpaths, or if I'm stuck paying someone else to create code for me til I have enough cubic dollars to buy the software I need.

Most of this is roughing, so the paths themselves are pretty straighforward point-to-point type work. No real 3D modeling or CAD work necessary. I also have a pretty simple drilling operation I'd like to do with a 3/8" end mill if thats possible, need to get a 1.12" diameter hole 1.5" deep but using the same sort of technique.

greenbuggy said:

So, I know there's some add-ons for LinuxCNC and various G-code generating wizards in python and online, but so far nothing much I can find that actually do trochoidal paths. I'm wondering if there's anything at lower cost than a mastercam/SolidCAM seat that can create these same sorts of toolpaths, or if I'm stuck paying someone else to create code for me til I have enough cubic dollars to buy the software I need.

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Check out Fusion 360 by autodesk. It is a combo CAD/CAM program that is pretty good at both and very cheap. It will do Trochoidal style tool paths with it's 2D or 3D Adaptive tool paths. They also have a lot of videos on Youtube that cover everything from sketching to CAM features. Finally they have a forum where you can ask questions/get post processors.

I can do any programming that you need, I have a seat of FeatureCAM and a seat of Inventor HSM. Let me know, I only work 40 hrs a week.

I'll second Fusion 360- It should work great for your purposes.

Another vote for Fusion 360, although I might be a little biased ( https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/2208016 ). Better to learn yourself than farm it out for the price of Fusion I think. A basic seat is $300/year for 3-axis CAM and it'll do great in 2.5 axis as well. I spend a lot of time on the forums so feel free to take it for a test ride and ask anything you need. Don't forget to search also (assuming you try it) as there are a LOT of answered questions.

We've been using Bobcad V25, and V28 for a few years now. I'm going to look into this Fusion 360.

Later,
Russ

wrustle said:

We've been using Bobcad V25, and V28 for a few years now. I'm going to look into this Fusion 360.

Later,
Russ

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Make sure you look squarely at turning! I know you do mostly mill work, but that you've also got at least one newer lathe. While Autodesk has definitely aimed at the Haas crowd (for better or worse), turning still needs a lot of refinement (same old HSMWorks complaint). There are definitely people getting it done, but BobCAD might still be better just due to the Moduleworks base of toolpaths.

Atomkinder said:

Make sure you look squarely at turning! I know you do mostly mill work, but that you've also got at least one newer lathe. While Autodesk has definitely aimed at the Haas crowd (for better or worse), turning still needs a lot of refinement (same old HSMWorks complaint). There are definitely people getting it done, but BobCAD might still be better just due to the Moduleworks base of toolpaths.

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I agree, our HSMWorks expires on the 27th and that will probably be the end of the line for that product for me. 4 years and they have yet to address any of the shortcomings with turning. I admit they have added a couple new features but pretty much a moot point when you can't easily do the basics.

I would take a serious look at bobcad V29. Looks like they really made some good changes. I know the focus was milling but V29 looks to be almost a complete turning rewrite.

I think Autodesk really missed the boat on turning. Their only real strong point is 3 axis VMCs. I hear everyone say how easy turning is and how they just do it at the machines. That is not the case with all parts and if you have a multi-tasking lathe I can't see programming the lathe by hand at the machine then doing the milling part of it off line with a cam system. So as multi-tasking machines and machines like the Mazak Variaxis with turning capabilities on the trunnion blur the lines between milling and turning having a complete cam system becomes more important.

Autodesk focus was to be the HAAS of the CAM world. They wanted a cam system that covered the most common selling machines, 3 axis VMC's.