Curve driven toolpath

alex3811 · Aug 18, 2014

Ok, after all... after two months of trying with featurecam

is there ANY CAM which can create curve driven toolpath in 3D???

awilliams684 · Aug 18, 2014

Are you talking about a projection tool path? Projecting a 2D curve onto a 3D surface?

alex3811 · Aug 18, 2014

Yes. Most important is to maintain tool vector to be normal to surface.

dstryr · Aug 18, 2014

How can you maintain tool vector normal to surface with a 3d path? You need a 5 axis to keep the tool normal to surface?

awilliams684 · Aug 18, 2014

forum.featurecam.com ? View topic - Driving a curve onto surface(s)

See if that helps.

awilliams684 · Aug 18, 2014

I use this type of path all the time on 3 axis machines. Notice how on the bottom floor the tip of the ball mill is running on the floor, but when the wall goes to vertical it offsets the tool path to compensate for the tool radius.

alex3811 · Aug 18, 2014

what you will do in case if you need to have z vector normal to surface and instead of ball end mill to use flat one?

alex3811 · Aug 18, 2014

sorry dstryr but i really did not understand your questions?
How you think to maintain tool vector normal to surface in complex situation without 5 axis toolpath?

like on the picture, for example

dstryr · Aug 18, 2014

awilliams684 said:
I use this type of path all the time on 3 axis machines. Notice how on the bottom floor the tip of the ball mill is running on the floor, but when the wall goes to vertical it offsets the tool path to compensate for the tool radius.

View attachment 115002

That is maintaining tool axis. Normal to surface would have the tool tilting normal to the floor.

alex3811 said:
sorry dstryr but i really did not understand your questions?
How you think to maintain tool vector normal to surface in complex situation without 5 axis toolpath?

like on the picture, for example

View attachment 115003

Exactly. You said you were trying to use a 3d path which is what confused me.

awilliams684 · Aug 18, 2014

dstryr said:
That is maintaining tool axis. Normal to surface would have the tool tilting normal to the floor.

Yes that is correct.

Alex, what is the finished feature supposed to look like? Do you have a screenshot you can post?

gregormarwick · Aug 19, 2014

alex3811 said:
sorry dstryr but i really did not understand your questions?
How you think to maintain tool vector normal to surface in complex situation without 5 axis toolpath?

like on the picture, for example

View attachment 115003

Well I spent I bit of time in FC last night with your example, and I have to say I don't think it's possible. As best as I can tell 2D Spiral is the only surface strategy that can be directly curve driven (as in, not a boundary), and is also about the only surface strategy that doesn't support surface normal lead and lean.

I can think of a possible workaround, but didn't try it:

1. Create a swept surface along your projected path with a circular profile sufficiently small that your cutter will do only one pass (you'll have to play with the stepover etc.).
2. Use Surface-Surface Trim to create an intersection surface from the sweep and the part surface.
3. On the resulting surface, use an Isoline strategy with surface normal lead/lean.

alex3811 · Aug 19, 2014

I was found easier way.

1. Extrude ruled surface from curve (new surface will be normal to machined surface and will follow curve shape)
2. Use Swarf strategy and play with axial and radial offset

But i still can't believe there is no simple straight solution

p.s. sorry for my bad English, hope to understand me well

gregormarwick · Aug 19, 2014

alex3811 said:
View attachment 115052

I was found easier way.

1. Extrude ruled surface from curve (new surface will be normal to machined surface and will follow curve shape)
2. Use Swarf strategy and play with axial and radial offset

But i still can't believe there is no simple straight solution

p.s. sorry for my bad English, hope to understand me well

Understand you perfectly, nice solution!

It does seem like something that should be easier to do. I am also curious if any of the other CAM softwares have a specific strategy for this.

alex3811 · Aug 19, 2014

I thought maybe Mastercam have solution because everybody tell stories about famous mastercam tool path control.
Then this should be piece of cake.

dstryr · Aug 19, 2014

Although I've never personally done a cut like this, NX gives you the option to have the tool stay normal to the floor with just 1 setting.
Select the walls and the floor and it does the work for you.

Zahnrad Kopf · Aug 19, 2014

dstryr said:
Although I've never personally done a cut like this, NX gives you the option to have the tool stay normal to the floor with just 1 setting.
Select the walls and the floor and it does the work for you.

Very true, but it's a somewhat inelegant result and lacking in other controls when one uses it. ( from this novice's experience, anyway )

I _believe_ PowerMILL will do what he wants, but I'm not sure I'm getting past the language barrier, here. Is there a model?

BOSTON · Aug 19, 2014

I just used a waterline finish with a 1/32 ball mill and .002stepover...This was just a sample piece I did for UCON when they were looking at a Tormach...

bryan_machine · Aug 19, 2014

I'm still confused - are we talking about a 3-axis toolpath or a 5-axis toolpath? If I ever grok what you are asking about I can try it in solidcam and report back.

Matt_W · Aug 20, 2014

Zahnrad Kopf said:
Very true, but it's a somewhat inelegant result and lacking in other controls when one uses it. ( from this novice's experience, anyway )

I _believe_ PowerMILL will do what he wants, but I'm not sure I'm getting past the language barrier, here. Is there a model?

Yes with PowerMill you have that control. There are numerous options to work with curves to control your tool path. When working with a single curve you have options for the path to be normal or offset from the curve.

alex3811 · Aug 20, 2014

bryan_machine said:
I'm still confused - are we talking about a 3-axis toolpath or a 5-axis toolpath? If I ever grok what you are asking about I can try it in solidcam and report back.

my question is about 5 axis toolpath and i think i ask on very clear way. i even upload some pictures as example.

curve driven tool path with tool vector normal to surface

Curve driven toolpath

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