Pocketing
Pre-drill on plunge point
Plunging with end mill is a stressful operation. For this reason I've added the possibility to add a center drill and drill operation in in the points where the tool mill will plunge.
This points are calculated automatically. You just need to select drills operations :
Now in the home screen will be present 3 operations , related to the same pocket machining.
You can change the order of this machining trough this 3 commands.
Move Down Operation
Move Up Operation
Automatically Sort Operation List
This is the preview of roughing operation, you can see the points where the mill will plunge
In that coordinate the pre-drill will be executed.
Plunge Modes
In the pocket machining you can edit the mode the tool plunge into material. The feed used in this moves are the Plunge Feed setted in tool parameter screen.
Plunge modes available :
- Straight
- Helix
- Step
- Ramping
Plunge Straight
This is the easiest and fastest way to plunge , but is it the most stressful both for machine and tool mill. I suggest to do a pre-drill if you intend to use this plunge mode. The tool mill need the capability to plunge directly
Plunge Helicoidal
This is less stressful mode but slower. The machine need to move the XYZ axis at same time.
Helix Diameter : if you set 0, the helix diameter will be 20% more the tool diameter.
Helix Angle : Is the angle of generated helix, every end mill has different helix angle value.
If the helix plunge is not possible in some points, because the helix overlap the geometry profile for example, straight plunge will be used.
Plunge Step
This is similar to drill peck macro for drill tool.
I suggest to use this when the pocket is less than 1.5 x tool diameter , and to make a pre-drill. This is a compromise from the 2 modes above.
Ramping
Has the same benefit of helicoidal entry, just it follow the innermost profile . You can edit the ramp angle.
Material To Remove
Sometimes you have a semi-machined stock , and so you need to remove only some material from the original profile. To manage this case you can set the [Stock to remove] . If it's greater than 0 , the machining don't start from center of the pocket but from a distance equal to the inserted value.
Circle Strategy
A often recurring shape is circle. When in the geometry to machine, a circle shape is finded , you can choose between these strategies :
- Spiral
- Traditional
- Helix
Spiral Strategy
This is default strategy.
Traditional Strategy
Helix Strategy
