How to mill only a few sides of a contour?

[herbk]

Hi,
i remember we are talking about it in a few other treats, but don't find it again...

The problem is. that i have to mill only one or a few sides of a part.

partial_cut.jpg (38.08 KiB) Viewed 438 times

As example the part on that pic: only the selected faces have to be worked out, all ather faces can "stay as they are".

On FC 0.16 (and early 0.17) i got a contour path for only the selected faces, but since some time it didn't work.
Is it possble to get this back?
Maybe if Contour from edges will aceppt a non closed loop of edges...

[sliptonic]

This isn't possible right now.

The problem is that the area to be worked isn't completely bounded by the model. However, the tool isn't REALLY free to go ANYWHERE. What I mean is that you probably have in mind a reasonable area that you expect the tool to stay within but we obviously can't infer those boundaries directly.

The work-around would be to create an interim part that bounds the area to cleared and use that as the base geometry for the Job/operation.

This is a pretty common use-case that I think we should support in the future (v0.18+). I think we should introduce the idea of a 'work areas'. A work area would not be the same as stock but it might default to the stock as one option. I could also imagine the user creating a work-area by selecting one or more faces, a collection of edges, or perhaps selecting a sketch created just for this reason.

In any case, A work-area would limit the extents of the operation.

A work area might be a subsection of a model or might include areas outside the part model for just this kind of situation.

[lehol]

I stumbled upon the same limitation. Only with a slightly more complex cutout.

[bill]

Hi herbk,

i remember we are talking about it in a few other treats, but don't find it again...

Yes, these have been mentioned in several threads; sometimes as "helper-objects". Thats how I refer to them them!

They will be around forever (because not everyone has a 4, 5, or 6-axis mill); that is just the nature of machining. Git her done!

See below: (The long flat front face would be your basic "air-cut")

HlprObj.png (3.25 KiB) Viewed 378 times

Hi brad,

support in the future (v0.18+). I think we should introduce the idea of a 'work areas'.

Additionally, Exclusion-Area(s) for vise(s), jigs, clamps, existing work features not explicitly "In-Model"; like re-machining/re-working a casting

P.S. Just be aware of your spindle direction; CC vs CCW for optimum results when using helper-objects.