[neilw20]

In MC9, starting at the top surface, using a clockwise path, with a 1/2" ballnose cutter I need to rout this part out of MDF. Feed rate about 400mm/min. (15 ipm)
Going around in a clockwise manner the compensation is always on the right side of the cutter. I can't for the life of me figure out how to generate the tool path. I get all sorts of weird useless paths, zigzag, oneway, uncompensated. The user interface is totally frustrating!
Zig zag is all I have made work, but compensation had to left off.
I need about 2mm stepover for roughing and 0.5mm for finishing.
It does not matter on the last cut at full depth that there is a radius.
Picture and MC9 file included. Please just set me in the right direction with a rough example in a modified MC9 file. I just can't get the initial steps setup correctly. The job setup is how I intend to start. Start of cut at top.
3000 RPM. The shape was imported from an ACIS .sat file.
The zip file has the blank job and ACIS.sat file separate, because when it was all in the MC9 file, the zip was rejected by CNCzone.
My email is [email protected]. Thanks.

[billystein]

Hi,

from the discription I am guessing that you want surface finish contour. look at cut depth and set from top the amount of the first depth cut. and from bottom the amount of the radius of the tool. it climb cuts very nicely.
sorry for no file but i am running x2.

billy

[Steve Arteman]

Neil,
Try surface rough pocket to rough put a surface on the bottom then surface scallop the surface on the bottom use check surface on this. I have a path I will see if time will allow a video, if so I will put up what I have
steve
www.cad2cam.net

[cadcam]

Your model is not to good and the MC9 was empty. But I got you some thing to review.
use this link to get the MC9 file.
www.mastercam-cadcam.com/cnczonesamp1.zip

[neilw20]

And thank billystein and Streve Arteman for their input to my learning curve.

The empty MC9 file reason was detailed in my original post. You had enough to set the ball (nose cutter) rolling.
I always try to make perfect models.
Somebody else made this one. I split it through center with ACAD and it didn't crash ACAD so can't be too far out.
I will see if I can get SWorks to repair it.

Thank you for setting me on the right track. I thought pockets were hollow, but I see your approach. Hope I can speed up the ridiculous process time.
There are so many different approaches, with so many possibilities to try, and it takes a long time to test each one. Again thank you.
I am coming to grips with making compensation work, let alone the rest of the CNC. I have been hand carving code for too many years.

Once I repair the model to get rid of the non-coincident lump I will cut one.
The only way I could split it in ACAD was to slice in YZ plane before slicing in XY plane. I new the model was a bit corrupt, but I've sure learnt a lot.

Cheers.
Neil.