PATH - How to generate toolpath for 2 nested pockets

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ArminAmarr
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Jul 15, 2018 2:36 pm

PATH - How to generate toolpath for 2 nested pockets

Post by ArminAmarr »

Hi All,

I'd like to generate a toolpath for 2 nested pockets and couldn't find a regular way how to do.
2 Pockets.png
2 Pockets.png (4.84 KiB) Viewed 612 times
If I generate 2 paths, there will be left some unmilled artifacts.
Unmilled artifacts.png
Unmilled artifacts.png (155.29 KiB) Viewed 612 times
It would be possible to get rid of them if a single toolpath was generated.
But, when I select 2 faces (a bottom of the nested pocket and "a bottom" of the surrounding one) and create a "combined" toolpath, a nested pocket isn't "considered".

Locale: English/UnitedStates (en_US)
Wrong toolpath.png
Wrong toolpath.png (6.54 KiB) Viewed 612 times
Could you please advice an idea how to do?

OS: Windows 10
Word size of OS: 64-bit
Word size of FreeCAD: 64-bit
Version: 0.17.13522 (Git)
Build type: Release
Branch: releases/FreeCAD-0-17
Hash: 3bb5ff4e70c0c526f2d9dd69b1004155b2f527f2
Python version: 2.7.14
Qt version: 4.8.7
Coin version: 4.0.0a
OCC version: 7.2.0
chrisb
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Re: PATH - How to generate toolpath for 2 nested pockets

Post by chrisb »

Hi Armin, welcome to the forum.
Which operations did you use? If it's profiles I understand the issue, because profile mills only at the border. You should use the pocket here. However, currently FreeCAD cannot mill in a first go everything to the first level as you might have done manually, but mills only the outer border or all the way down to the inner pocket, depending on the sequence of the operations.

I attach an image, if you need the FreeCAD file as well, just ask.
Attachments
twoStep.png
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ArminAmarr
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Jul 15, 2018 2:36 pm

Re: PATH - How to generate toolpath for 2 nested pockets

Post by ArminAmarr »

Hi Chrisb, thank you very much,

I've tried to use both profile and pocket operations. Could you please share FreeCAD as well?
chrisb
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Re: PATH - How to generate toolpath for 2 nested pockets

Post by chrisb »

As promised
Attachments
twoStep.FCStd
(31.49 KiB) Downloaded 16 times
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sliptonic
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Re: PATH - How to generate toolpath for 2 nested pockets

Post by sliptonic »

chrisb wrote: Sun Jul 15, 2018 3:58 pm However, currently FreeCAD cannot mill in a first go everything to the first level as you might have done manually, but mills only the outer border or all the way down to the inner pocket, depending on the sequence of the operations.
Not true.
A pocket operation that selects the bottom face of each part of the pocket will mill fully to the first level.
Then a second operation could be added to clear the deep part by selecting only the bottom face.
twostep-2.png
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sliptonic
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Re: PATH - How to generate toolpath for 2 nested pockets

Post by sliptonic »

Here's the file with ops set up. I did manually adjust the start depth of the second pocket to avoid recutting the air above.
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twoStepAlternative.fcstd
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chrisb
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Re: PATH - How to generate toolpath for 2 nested pockets

Post by chrisb »

sliptonic wrote: Sun Jul 15, 2018 6:28 pm Not true.
Thanks for pointing this out. I should have realized this myself, since I had tried that at some intermediate state.

I like the idea of adapting the start depth: simple and effective.
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ArminAmarr
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Re: PATH - How to generate toolpath for 2 nested pockets

Post by ArminAmarr »

Hi,

Thank you, that's exactly, what I was looking for.
ProfChris
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Re: PATH - How to generate toolpath for 2 nested pockets

Post by ProfChris »

I have a similar problem in that I have an object with 3 nested pockets. I have generated a solution with 3 pocket_shape operations. However, I need to generate a 2D array of the 3 nested pockets, and the array tool seems to only work on one of the pocket_shape operations at a time. Is there a way to combine the 3 pocket_shape operations into one operation such that I can produce an array of the total pocket?
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Re: PATH - How to generate toolpath for 2 nested pockets

Post by jmaustpc »

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