[skydivebase]

Hi,

I own a small company in Australia and we're about to invest in a second hand VMC for prototyping and for some small machined parts that we out source at the moment. I have a background in machining (10 years, mostly lathe when I was a youngster). And in the more recent time I've had some involvement with cad design. Mostly Rhino. I have designed a handful of composite moulds that have been machined with good results. The part that I have no experience with is CAM (the important bit I hear you say).

I have been playing with the demo version of Mill Professional XR-2. Because there will be some 3D work I think this may be the package that we go for.

I have a couple of the most simple questions around I think. The tutorials available don't seem to come down to the level that I find myself at. Please have a look at the model attached. I think I would go for a pocket tool path on this piece but I just can't seem to get it to work. Also why is it that when I import Rhino closed curves they are in pieces on OneCNC?

I'd be happy if someone could steer me in the right direction. If there are some more detailed tutorials somewhere that would be great too.

Thanks

[RandK]

Try this file. For some reason it didn't like the boundary curve for the rectangular pocket so I just extracted a few of the edges and it seems happier. Onecnc breaks up complex curves like your 8 segment polycurve into lines and arcs like the controller will use to cut the part. I do a lot with models from Rhino and they import with good results.

I have no idea how you are going to clamp the part so the profile toolpath probably needs to have the entry/exit adjusted etc.

[skydivebase]

Thanks RandK,

It seems like there's not a lot of training or tutorial stuff around for oneCNC. So I'll put my ego firmly in my pocket and ask the stupid questions hoping that in month or so I can look back and see how really stupid they are.

Q Is there a way to join the broken up curves in onecnc without using the chain tool?

Q when using the pocketing wizard. Do you need to select the Z depth of cut manually? Does the software not take into account any of the depth geometry on the model (or is that just in 3d tool paths).

Q When making tool paths from 2d curve geometry. Is there a function to specify which side of the line you wish to remove material from?

And yes good pick up on needing a little more material on the model. But I just threw it together as an example of things I can machine yet.

Thanks
JH

[RandK]

Don't worry about the questions. There are additional materials available to customers and a great support forum including videos done by a master machinist/Onecnc supergurus.


Q Is there a way to join the broken up curves in onecnc without using the chain tool?

No, they give you all kinds of tools for working with chains. For pockets it will select the whole chain for you when you click the entry location. When selecting a chain you just pick the first segment, indicate the direction and then hit the ] or F3 key and it will complete it. For profiles, the direction you select is the direction it will be machined (climb, conven). Best to think about your Rhino model being imported for machining, with some things being converted so you can see what it will do with them, and not intended to be edited in Onecnc and put back in Rhino.

Q when using the pocketing wizard. Do you need to select the Z depth of cut manually? Does the software not take into account any of the depth geometry on the model (or is that just in 3d tool paths).

For pocketing it isn't automatic. You can select the checkbox that says take the material top from the geometry (assuming you have extracted the top edge!) and then enter the depth or you can leave it cleared and type in both the top and bottom elevations. The hole recognition features do more automatic stuff for drilling and of course 3d toolpaths will examine the surfaces/solids accordingly.

Q When making tool paths from 2d curve geometry. Is there a function to specify which side of the line you wish to remove material from?

When you click to select the direction of the chain, have the arrow on whatever you want to be the outside of the operation.