Toolpath

[sebw]

Hi,

I am a windsurfboard designer/shaper and I ve been working with UG for a while now.

Since august I am mashining windsurfboardcores on a 3 axis milling mashine.

I am using the UG CAM modul - unfortunatly when I generate the toolpath I get some small problems that really slow down the process.

I am using the mill_contour application with the fixed-contour, area millig with the follow perepherie pattern and the profile ( to cut the final outline of the board )

The further the toolpath moves to the outside of the board the worth it gets.

To cut the outline (profile) it is really bad.

The problem is for ex. instead of getting numbers that should read 1, 2, 3, 4 .... I get 1, 2, 1.99, 3, 4,

Please see this example: the third line is wrong.

GOTO/-38.03,-5.24,9.15
GOTO/-38.53,-4.61,9.13
GOTO/-39.03,-3.99,9.18
GOTO/-39.84,-3.02,9.11

This really slows the mashine down since it stops for these wrong numbers, because it can not work in one continues line.

Even the UG support does not have an answer for that yet.

Did anybody experinece this problem before.

Is there anywhere to adjust the tolerance of the toolpath (exceptlimiting the number of decimal places). ?

What am I doing wrong ?

Thanks for any advice,

Seb

 

[rogerdubach]

Hi Seb

have you ever tried to use the Surface Area instead of Area milling. I also had problems with Area Milling, especially in finishing the surface. Now I do most of the operations with a Surface Area-method and it works great.
For the outline I would suggest a normal Mill Planar operation. Or, if you use NX, you can use a 3D Profile operation. These work properly!

Greets, Roger

 

[sebw]

Hi Roger,

thanks for the fast reply.

I will try your advice and let you know.

Yes I am using NX 2/3.

Regards,

Seb

 

[sebw]

Hi Roger,

I tried the 3D Profile operation, but it is not working since I do not have planar faces.

The outline of the board is cut around / following the deckshape of the board.

Thanks,

Seb

P.S.: Still checking on the Surface Area.

 

[rogerdubach]

Hi Seb

Try generating a shadow outline of your board and then use the 3D-Profile to cut the outline by selecting the shadow outline. I think this will work.

Greets, Roger

 

[sebw]

Dear Roger,

I tried the surface area and I get a nice result for the toolpath on the deck.

I also been working on the 3D Profile, but there I run into some problems.

I mangaged to generate a nice toolpath even with the geometry given, by selecting just the edges.
This works also if your face is not planar.

But I can not specify the stock to be removed for ex. - 3 , and I have to offset the Z-level, because of the tool that I am using.

So if there is an option like area milling/ perepherie, that just produces a better toolpath it would be nicer.

Thanks for the help, best regards

Seb