Can't add Ball End Mill (and other requests...)

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asdaf
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Can't add Ball End Mill (and other requests...)

Post by asdaf »

Hello,

Please bear with me, I am just starting the whole CAM adventure and since I use FreeCAD for CAD, I wanted to use Path for CAM. It is not easy...

1. I can not add Ball End Mill to Tool Library. I select that option, put tool parameters, but they are not being loaded - line is created, but parameters are "0". I don't have this problem with flat mills. BTW, what is "flat radius"? I searched internet (mill manufactures) and could not find it in any mill specification.
Capture.JPG
Capture.JPG (50.53 KiB) Viewed 2184 times
2. Can somebody create job for milling cone in the attached file? My guess is that it could be done with Ball End Mill, hence the issue #1. It would help me very much to have it as I could learn from it by "reverse engineering" it.
cam test.FCStd
(40.13 KiB) Downloaded 52 times
3. Can that cone be milled on 2,5 axis machine or a full 3 axis machine is needed? As I understand it, Z in 2,5 axis machine moves only in steps to position tool at certain depth for XY milling.

Thanks in advance,
-
regards
asdaf

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sliptonic
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Re: Can't add Ball End Mill (and other requests...)

Post by sliptonic »

Hi asdaf,
There are definitely bugs in the tool table / library. You've hit a couple of them already.

If you start by creating an endmill, set the diameter and save it. Then edit it and change the type to ball-end mill, the diameter should take. This is a stupid GUI bug and needs fixing.

The tooltable has lots of properties but almost none of them are actually used. Diameter is used, of course, for calculating path offset.

The only operation that can make use of a ball-end mill is the 3D surface operation which is an experimental feature using OpenCamLib.

All others work only with cylindrical cutters.

You can mill the cone on a 2.5D machine. The surface finish will be defined by the step-down values so it won't be smooth.
asdaf
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Re: Can't add Ball End Mill (and other requests...)

Post by asdaf »

Hello,

Thank you for replaying. I looked at your videos on YT, they explained quite a few things.

I managed to create ball end mill following your advice. Nevertheless, I will still bother you for more info about milling of that cone.

1. What mill type should be used for cone milling? (actually I am interested in angled vertical face, but "cone" is shorter and method should be the same, I suppose). I went for ball end mill as it seemed suitable compared to flat end mill.

2. Is FreeCAD's Path capable of generating G code for such operation?
You say that 3D surface operation is experimental in OpenCamLib (I assume this is the engine on which Path runs). This would mean that it is possible, but without any guarantee. Do I have it right?

3. Thank you for confirming that 2,5D capability. I was suspecting it would be like that. Could you tell me which Path's milling option I should choose to mill that cone?

4. Also, how to change the milling axis. I mean, on my object, cone protrudes towards Y+, but Path insists on milling in Z. I understand why it is so, but do I need to rotate my object, so cone faces Z or can I change that orientation somewhere in job's parameters?
-
regards,
asdaf
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Re: Can't add Ball End Mill (and other requests...)

Post by chrisb »

asdaf wrote: Mon Aug 05, 2019 8:11 pm 4. Also, how to change the milling axis. I mean, on my object, cone protrudes towards Y+, but Path insists on milling in Z. I understand why it is so, but do I need to rotate my object, so cone faces Z or can I change that orientation somewhere in job's parameters?
FreeCAD supports milling with vertical Z-direction. The job contains a clone of the object to be milled. You can turn it in the right direction.
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Re: Can't add Ball End Mill (and other requests...)

Post by herbk »

Hi asdaf,
asdaf wrote: Mon Aug 05, 2019 8:11 pm You say that 3D surface operation is experimental in OpenCamLib (I assume this is the engine on which Path runs). This would mean that it is possible, but without any guarantee. Do I have it right?
you are at an open source project, - there is anytime everythin without guarantee... ;) ;) ;)

OpenCamLib is not the engine Path runs on, it's just "engine" for the 3D Operations (without 3D Pocket).
The bad thing: OpenCamLib is a third party package and makes a lot of problems atm. ( I'm not able to install it...)

If i got it running my workflow for a "cone" would be:

1. a "roughing path" with 3D Pocket.
2. a 3D Facing path in X direction
3. a 3D Facing path in Y direction

The 3D Facing Ops with only little step over and a ballend endmill should result in a nice surface.
Gruß Herbert
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Re: Can't add Ball End Mill (and other requests...)

Post by chrisb »

herbk wrote: Tue Aug 06, 2019 6:05 am ( I'm not able to install it...)
Hi Herbert, did you try it recently? I was never able to install it on my Mac, but now it is included in the installation and works without installing anything.
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Re: Can't add Ball End Mill (and other requests...)

Post by herbk »

Hi Chris,
chrisb wrote: Tue Aug 06, 2019 6:35 am
herbk wrote: Tue Aug 06, 2019 6:05 am ( I'm not able to install it...)
Hi Herbert, did you try it recently? I was never able to install it on my Mac, but now it is included in the installation and works without installing anything.
there is still no rpm package at OpenSuse repos... For that FC .18 (also installed from the repo) still shows the error "opencamlib not installed".

But, - and i'm very happy for that:
The AppImage seams to have OCL integrated now. :D :D
I made a quick test after your post and 3D Surface shows a path!


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Gruß Herbert
chrisb
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Re: Can't add Ball End Mill (and other requests...)

Post by chrisb »

herbk wrote: Tue Aug 06, 2019 8:03 am I made a quick test after your post and 3D Surface shows a path!
You waited long for this!
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Re: Can't add Ball End Mill (and other requests...)

Post by dubstar-04 »

asdaf wrote: Sun Aug 04, 2019 4:44 pm
1. I can not add Ball End Mill to Tool Library. I select that option, put tool parameters, but they are not being loaded - line is created, but parameters are "0". I don't have this problem with flat mills. BTW, what is "flat radius"? I searched internet (mill manufactures) and could not find it in any mill specification.

2. Can somebody create job for milling cone in the attached file? My guess is that it could be done with Ball End Mill, hence the issue #1. It would help me very much to have it as I could learn from it by "reverse engineering" it.

3. Can that cone be milled on 2,5 axis machine or a full 3 axis machine is needed? As I understand it, Z in 2,5 axis machine moves only in steps to position tool at certain depth for XY milling.
Hi Asdaf,

Thanks for taking the time to report the issues you found.

issue 1. should be fixed with PR#2434 https://github.com/FreeCAD/FreeCAD/pull/2434

Hopefully this will be merged and you can use a pre_019 windows build.


All,

I would like to continue discussion regarding the tool table here:

https://forum.freecadweb.org/viewtopic. ... 5D#p210048

Thanks,

Dan
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Re: Can't add Ball End Mill (and other requests...)

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