Cut direction BUG.

[MecSoft Support]

There are two cut direction bugs in "Horizontal Finishing".

First, if you set climb mill you get conventional mill direction. This is easy to work around just select the opposite direction to what you want.

Second, optimised machining cut direction goes in the opposite direction to the non optimised tool paths.

Example use a model of a dome/sphere generate a "Horizontal Finishing" MOP without optimisation, set up to climb mill. When you simulate the tool goes in a anticlockwise direction, to climb mill it should be clockwise. Now set up the Optimise Machining and regenerate. When you simulate the new tool paths the Optimised fill in tool paths go in the wrong direction. This means when you set up to climb mill the optimised tool paths will conventionally mill and pull into the job and you get banding on the finished part.

I reported the bug in optimised machining a year ago in VM 4.0. If this is not considered a bug how about adding a cut direction radio button to the "Optimised Machining" tab so I can decide the cut direction.

Thanks Mark.

[MecSoft Support]

This is fixed. Please download the latest service pack from our website.

[MecSoft Support]

Thanks for looking into these problems, the first problem is ok now. The second problem works for the example I gave, machining the outside of a dome. Unfortunately the optimised cut still goes the wrong way if you try machining the inside of a dome shaped pocket. I've put some thought into this and I think it may be easier if there were options on the optimise tab for pocket/part offset (facing) and start inside/outside.

If you look at machining the outside of a dome with a flat top the best strategy would be the way optimise works now. Machining the inside of a dome shaped pocket with a flat bottom also works correctly. For this you start at the outside machining in a anticlockwise direction until you get to the bottom flat face then swap to clockwise to climb mill the stock on the flat face. But for a shape without a flat bottom you need to cut in an anticlockwise direction all the way to maintain a climb direction on the part surface. So a user choice for direction and start point might save a lot time trying to program common sense.

A good test for the optimised machining would be machining a mould for half a doughnut. At the moment without optimised machining the "Horizontal Finishing" MOP maintains a climb mill direction on the part surface, cutting the outside form anticlockwise and the inside clockwise. When you add optimised machining the extra tool paths all go in a clockwise direction, this does not maintain a constant cut direction on the part surface and gives a poor finish where you get conventional milling.

The doughnut example shows up another problem with optimise machining, the centre of the mould gets machined. If you are making a mould like this from a ground flat plate the centre does not need machining, using regions does not stop optimise from machining enclosed flat areas.

Thanks Mark.