BabCAD v24 mill bizarre tool movement

I'm just trying to cut a 0.5" deep circular pocket, then bore a smaller through-hole. This shouldn't be complicated and yet, it seems to be. I realize there are more efficient ways to get this done, but I'm trying to do it all with a single 0.3125" 2FL endmill. The code starts with a circular pocket which seems to cut just as one would expect with the settings chosen. Then it should move on to a contour profiling operation where it basically bores the smaller hole starting at the bottom of the pocket. However, the code clearly tells the mill to rapid to -0.9". I suspect that this is related to my setting the work height to -.5", but after jamming the tool into the work, the next line moves it to the correct starting point and it completes the operation. I'm really hoping that this is some kind of glitch because I can't see any intuitive problem with the way I've set this up.

Any help will be appreciated.

Ken

I remember seeing this same thing happen to me. I can't locate the part (file) it was happening on... I resolved by correcting the code manually (no time to troubleshoot cause). You are not alone with this happening.

I don't have V24,but in V23 you would have to make 2 separate tool paths for the feature if you want to keep your top of part at -.500.In V25 they added a feed plane,that's where it comes in handy.This way top of part stays at 0.Then rapid plane is set to .100.Feed plane set to -.500 and everything works fine with just one feature tool path.I did it with your file,and all was well.So 2 features is what you need.

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Originally Posted by jrmach

I don't have V24,but in V23 you would have to make 2 separate tool paths for the feature if you want to keep your top of part at -.500.In V25 they added a feed plane,that's where it comes in handy.This way top of part stays at 0.Then rapid plane is set to .100.Feed plane set to -.500 and everything works fine with just one feature tool path.I did it with your file,and all was well.So 2 features is what you need.

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i did not realize i could set my feed plane as my new "rapid plane " per say. this is great. i was moving my zero, then having to lie about the depth of cut. this is why im here reading the forum. with the overwhelming number of minor annoying issues with bobcad, getting these little tidbits are very helpful, to bad ya gotta go somewhere besides bobcad to find em. i wish i could better control when my tool rapids to the clearance plane, or the rapid plane after completing a feature, i always set my clearance plane at 2 inches, this will clear alot of problems with clamps, and when i go from one setup to the next.

Thanks for the advice. The counterbore and through pocket were two separate features if I'm not mistaken. In any case, the problem only occurred on the through tool path so I suspected that it had something to do with the change in the "top of part". I got around this be using a wizard in Mach3 which is a real black eye for BobCAD in my book.

I just went back and tried it again and so far I don't see the same problem. I wonder if this happened because I had initially copied the counterbore feature, then loaded it for the new geometry. Here's hoping this doesn't crop up again on a more important part. I don't think I ever would have caught it reading through the code.