Changing part machining order

I have 3 parts in a row on a bar of material. Using 2D contouring I want to machine the same feature on each of the parts. Think of the parts being 1, 2, 3. 1 is on the right and 3 on the left. I want the cutter to go from right to left on each of the parts starting with 1 and finishing on 3.
However SC wants to start on the right side of part 3 and then machining to the left. When that part is done then SC rapids to the right side of #2 and machines it. Last it rapids to the right side of #1 and machines it.

How do you change the order of parts being machined? I have tried reordering the curves in the operation but nothing seems to want to change what SC is doing. I see nothing in the operation strategy tab or can I find anything in the manual.

Any ideas?

Depends on a few things,
I think this is what your wanting to do.
If they are setup as 3 separate parts with 3 separate work pieces as shown below.
Then under job assignment you assign operations to each part in the order you want them done "marked 1,2,3"
Attachment 254438

This also works if you are milling many different types of parts and sizes in the same setup. or parts that become fixtures later on in program in the same setup also.
Job assignment order in this case has one level of control.

md


oops I re-read your text and it says bar of material, that's different

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mountaindew

Depends on a few things,
I think this is what your wanting to do.
If they are setup as 3 separate parts with 3 separate work pieces as shown below.
Then under job assignment you assign operations to each part in the order you want them done "marked 1,2,3"
Attachment 254438

This also works if you are milling many different types of parts and sizes in the same setup. or parts that become fixtures later on in program in the same setup also.
Job assignment order in this case has one level of control.

md


oops I re-read your text and it says bar of material, that's different

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Select one set of curves per op is what I would do, then use three separate ops with a different curve for each, and put the ops in the order you want them done.
I dont know of a way to select the curves in the order you want them done in the software for 2 d contouring.

Thanks for bringing this up as I have a finishing waterline op of 4 holes and it always wants to start on hole #3, this is OK but I would rather it start with one of the end holes, I think I will try the separate ops for this and see what happens! Thanks guys..

You can do this left to right or right to left and sprut will mostly follow along.
If you try to machine the center then left then right sprut will resort paths and go back to right to left or whatever it likes. "it does have a mind of its own"
Also sometimes you only get 1 chance on order of input, after its setup and sprut figures a order it wont change to new order. "delete the operation and start setup over"
For waterline operations the parts and stock must be separated by distance greater then cutter dia and it will complete one part before going to next.
Attachment 254458
You can also extrude a line into a paper thin fixture between each part, this will force the tool to jump over imaginary fixture and thus make sprut mill one complete before next.

For complete and total control of order requires operations setup for each part. "I have found no other way"

md

Thanks for the feedback. Kinda what I thought.
SC can be a bit frustrating at times. Sometimes, when picking multiple features, it will mill them in the order you picked them. Sometimes when it has a mind of its own you can change the machining order by rearranging the order of the features in the operations tree; and then sometimes it doesn't matter what you want, SC does what it wants and the operator be damned. LOL

The solution, IMO, is to just pick one feature per operation and then use copy and paste to speed up the picking of the remaining features. This takes longer but easier on the nerves.

However, if someone has found the magic bullet please let us know.

Mr. LRF I usually use Transformation and have parts set at the correct spacing. This starts with the original part and works in the direction you designate.

Hi Rory,
Not sure what you are telling me and I wonder if I have described the issue very well. I am not much familiar with the doings of the transformation tab. Probably need to read the manual a bit on the subject. I changed a few things in the section about "Multiply toolpath by axis' but the results of that did not resolve the issue but only created some strange results of the cutter first cutting all 3 parts in the wrong order an then shifting far over in the +X direction and cutting the parts again in air. So I don't think I did something right.

The other 2 sections, on the transformation tab, don't seem to apply.

I'll read on the subject, thanks for the reply.

What Rory is saying is you only select one curve on the part you wish to start with. In this case you wish it to start on the far right part so select the curve on that. Now under transformation, select Copying, X-Axis, Multiply Step (the distance between each part) and the count would be three. This will copy that one curve three times by the amount of step you put. If you are going right to left, the step will be a negative number. If you have curves selected on all three parts, you will copy those three curves three times so ensure only the one curve is selected. Hope that helps!

I'll try Jake thanks

Okay I see how that works

Using the multiply group operation also works well for large grids of parts. Only needing to enter layout offsets 1 time lowers chance for errors on parts with numerous operations.
Also cuts the time it takes to generate tool paths. The simulation only runs the one part and you don't see complete grid results. but the code it generates with post processor is complete.