First, import a part and create or import a stock like this one:
Next, create a VoluMill 3-axis operation. After entering your tool information, along with feeds and speeds, go to the Cut Control tab. Notice the "Containment chains:" item and hit the "Select..." button:
Then chain one more more containment boundaries using the same chaining functionality you'd use to create a VoluMill 2-axis toolpath. You might be able to use curves that you imported along with your part model, or you can use File->Merge to bring in a DXF, IGES, or STEP file containing containment curves. In this example, we'll chain a sequence of curves below the walls of a pocket:
Exit the chaining dialog and click OK. Only the pocket inside the containment boundary is machined:
You can do all sorts of things with toolpath containment; you can have as many boundaries as you like, and using the chaining dialog, you can designate containment boundaries as either Part or Material. Part boundaries are "tool-to" boundaries, like the one above; the tool edge can come up to the boundary but not cross it. Material boundaries act to limit the stock: the tool can pass through the side of a Material containment boundary, but it won't do any cutting outside.
Regardless of the type of containment you use, though, the tool will never violate a part or check surface. So if you import a full solid model and select it as part surfaces, toolpath containment lets you program some areas of the model without worrying about the tool colliding with the model elsewhere.
VoluMill integrated clients are designed to work seamlessly with the host CAM systems, so the toolpath containment interfaces in those clients do differ somewhat. Consult the documentation for those systems, or drop us a line at http://www.volumill.com/ if you have any questions.
No comments:
Post a Comment