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In this exercise, you'll practice how to create toolpaths to machine a complex-shaped part.
Exercise
Any referenced datasets can be downloaded from "Module downloads" in the module overview.
Transcript
00:01
This is a practice exercise video solution.
00:06
For this practice exercise, we'll get started with the supply dataset, trophy bass.
00:11
We're going to navigate to the manufacturer workspace and make sure that our units are set to inch.
00:18
We want to create a new setup and in this case we're going to change our stock so that it's a relative size cylinder.
00:24
We use the default settings and we'll say okay. We're going to begin by creating a 3D adaptive clearing tool path.
00:32
Going into our cam DFM library, we're going to use tool number six are half inch flat for aluminum ruffian.
00:39
In the past is section, we want to make sure that we have a specific maximum roughing step down that works for this tool.
00:47
This is going to be based on the flute length that we have and how far we can take the tool down.
00:52
In our case, I'm going to go a maximum of three quarters of an inch.
00:55
This will give me a fine step down of .075.
00:59
We're going to leave a small amount of stock and we'll say, okay.
01:05
Once we removed, the majority of the material with this tool path, let's go ahead and add a second.
01:12
Let's go to our 2D tools and select 2D contour.
01:15
Using the same tool around the bottom edge of the part.
01:18
We want to make sure that we're not leaving any stock. We're going to do a final finishing tool path.
01:23
We want to validate both of these operations as the tool we're using is relatively close to the holder itself,
01:30
so we're going to use simulate and notice that we have some collisions.
01:34
The tool holder itself is colliding with the stock because the tool is not projecting far enough out.
01:40
So this tells us that we need to make an adjustment to the tool.
01:43
Since it's used in both operations, we can expand either one and select edit tool inside of the Qatar section.
01:51
We have something called length below holder.
01:54
We're going to increase this to two and we're going to say okay.
01:60
Both of these tool paths now need to be regenerated using control or command key on the keyboard or going to actions and selecting, generate.
02:08
Let's go ahead and re simulate to make sure we don't have any collisions dragging the cursor along the bottom.
02:14
We can see that when the tool gets to its final depth we still have plenty of the shaft left,
02:21
and we're not worried about any more collisions with these tools.
02:25
Let's go ahead and close the simulation and let's add a few more tool paths.
02:31
Next we're going to go to the 3D. Drop down and we'll select 3D, flow.
02:36
We want to change our tool and in this case we're going to make sure that we go to our candy FM library and we look for a bull nose mill.
02:44
This bull nose mill has a very small radius on the corner so it might not be the greatest tool for this,
02:50
but let's give it a shot and see how it does also note that it's not sticking out of the holder very far and likely will cause some trouble.
02:57
But we want to make sure that we explore this option when we select the surface that we want a machine,
03:02
we also want to click on the red arrow to make sure that it's going the correct direction.
03:07
Then in our passes section, we're going to increase the number of stepovers to 20 and we'll say okay.
03:14
As the tool goes around, you can see that it is cutting our geometry.
03:18
Let's expand the tools settings and let's turn off the cutting, moves the leads and links.
03:23
So that way we have a good idea what this tool path is doing.
03:27
I'm going to edit flow and instead of using the bull nose mill that we have,
03:32
I'm going to go into my fusion 360 library and I want to take a look at just ball end mills.
03:38
I'm going to select a quarter inch ball and mill for aluminum finishing and regenerate this tool path.
03:46
This gives us a much better finish but we still need to make sure that we are completing everything we need to.
03:53
So in this instance I'm going to right click and delete flow and I'm going to take a look at another tool path called scallop.
04:01
I'm going to make sure that I'm using my quarter inch ball in mill.
04:06
And again aluminum finishing, this time instead of focusing on just a single surface.
04:12
I'm going to allow it to machine everything inside of this edge.
04:16
I'm going to let the tool center on the boundary with a small amount of additional offset equal to half of the tool.
04:24
We're going to allow it to machine everything and use rest machining from previous operations so it know what's been removed.
04:31
Then we're going to modify our step over value to be .02.
04:37
Will regenerate this and allow it to create the tool path so we can validate the tool motion.
04:43
Everything looks pretty good but we do need to simulate this to make sure that we don't have any collisions.
04:48
We want to make sure that as this tool is moving around, we don't get close to the holder. So let's view this from the side.
04:58
Let's make sure that the holder doesn't collide as we rotate this around. You can see that we do have a collision.
05:04
So we need to edit this tool as well will expand the scallop, right click on the ball in mill and edit tool.
05:12
In the cutter section, we want to make sure that the length below holder is long enough and I'm going to set this to an inch and a half.
05:19
It would also be a good idea to use a different holder. So we're gonna go to the holder section, we're going to look for cat 40 or C.T.40
05:29
And then we want to take a look at the tool holders that are able to hold a quarter inch tool.
05:33
That'll be the CT 40-150.
05:37
If we double click on one of these you can see that it changes the tool holder that we have, we're going to use the 2nd 12.36.
05:45
And then we can go back to our culture and we can modify the length below holder to be a bit shorter at 1 inch and accept
05:52
With a different holder, this gives us more clearance but we need to regenerate this tool path by again using control or command G on the keyboard.
06:04
Once it's been regenerated, let's go ahead and simulate this and validate that we don't have any collisions.
06:11
When I view this from the side, you can see that were relatively close but we don't have any collisions at this point.
06:17
Going to jump all the way to the end and make sure that we are removing all the material.
06:21
This might take a little bit of time for it to calculate,
06:25
but we can always go back and take a look at it in the in process stock to make sure that we have machined everything
06:32
At this point, let's make sure that we do save before moving on.
Video transcript
00:01
This is a practice exercise video solution.
00:06
For this practice exercise, we'll get started with the supply dataset, trophy bass.
00:11
We're going to navigate to the manufacturer workspace and make sure that our units are set to inch.
00:18
We want to create a new setup and in this case we're going to change our stock so that it's a relative size cylinder.
00:24
We use the default settings and we'll say okay. We're going to begin by creating a 3D adaptive clearing tool path.
00:32
Going into our cam DFM library, we're going to use tool number six are half inch flat for aluminum ruffian.
00:39
In the past is section, we want to make sure that we have a specific maximum roughing step down that works for this tool.
00:47
This is going to be based on the flute length that we have and how far we can take the tool down.
00:52
In our case, I'm going to go a maximum of three quarters of an inch.
00:55
This will give me a fine step down of .075.
00:59
We're going to leave a small amount of stock and we'll say, okay.
01:05
Once we removed, the majority of the material with this tool path, let's go ahead and add a second.
01:12
Let's go to our 2D tools and select 2D contour.
01:15
Using the same tool around the bottom edge of the part.
01:18
We want to make sure that we're not leaving any stock. We're going to do a final finishing tool path.
01:23
We want to validate both of these operations as the tool we're using is relatively close to the holder itself,
01:30
so we're going to use simulate and notice that we have some collisions.
01:34
The tool holder itself is colliding with the stock because the tool is not projecting far enough out.
01:40
So this tells us that we need to make an adjustment to the tool.
01:43
Since it's used in both operations, we can expand either one and select edit tool inside of the Qatar section.
01:51
We have something called length below holder.
01:54
We're going to increase this to two and we're going to say okay.
01:60
Both of these tool paths now need to be regenerated using control or command key on the keyboard or going to actions and selecting, generate.
02:08
Let's go ahead and re simulate to make sure we don't have any collisions dragging the cursor along the bottom.
02:14
We can see that when the tool gets to its final depth we still have plenty of the shaft left,
02:21
and we're not worried about any more collisions with these tools.
02:25
Let's go ahead and close the simulation and let's add a few more tool paths.
02:31
Next we're going to go to the 3D. Drop down and we'll select 3D, flow.
02:36
We want to change our tool and in this case we're going to make sure that we go to our candy FM library and we look for a bull nose mill.
02:44
This bull nose mill has a very small radius on the corner so it might not be the greatest tool for this,
02:50
but let's give it a shot and see how it does also note that it's not sticking out of the holder very far and likely will cause some trouble.
02:57
But we want to make sure that we explore this option when we select the surface that we want a machine,
03:02
we also want to click on the red arrow to make sure that it's going the correct direction.
03:07
Then in our passes section, we're going to increase the number of stepovers to 20 and we'll say okay.
03:14
As the tool goes around, you can see that it is cutting our geometry.
03:18
Let's expand the tools settings and let's turn off the cutting, moves the leads and links.
03:23
So that way we have a good idea what this tool path is doing.
03:27
I'm going to edit flow and instead of using the bull nose mill that we have,
03:32
I'm going to go into my fusion 360 library and I want to take a look at just ball end mills.
03:38
I'm going to select a quarter inch ball and mill for aluminum finishing and regenerate this tool path.
03:46
This gives us a much better finish but we still need to make sure that we are completing everything we need to.
03:53
So in this instance I'm going to right click and delete flow and I'm going to take a look at another tool path called scallop.
04:01
I'm going to make sure that I'm using my quarter inch ball in mill.
04:06
And again aluminum finishing, this time instead of focusing on just a single surface.
04:12
I'm going to allow it to machine everything inside of this edge.
04:16
I'm going to let the tool center on the boundary with a small amount of additional offset equal to half of the tool.
04:24
We're going to allow it to machine everything and use rest machining from previous operations so it know what's been removed.
04:31
Then we're going to modify our step over value to be .02.
04:37
Will regenerate this and allow it to create the tool path so we can validate the tool motion.
04:43
Everything looks pretty good but we do need to simulate this to make sure that we don't have any collisions.
04:48
We want to make sure that as this tool is moving around, we don't get close to the holder. So let's view this from the side.
04:58
Let's make sure that the holder doesn't collide as we rotate this around. You can see that we do have a collision.
05:04
So we need to edit this tool as well will expand the scallop, right click on the ball in mill and edit tool.
05:12
In the cutter section, we want to make sure that the length below holder is long enough and I'm going to set this to an inch and a half.
05:19
It would also be a good idea to use a different holder. So we're gonna go to the holder section, we're going to look for cat 40 or C.T.40
05:29
And then we want to take a look at the tool holders that are able to hold a quarter inch tool.
05:33
That'll be the CT 40-150.
05:37
If we double click on one of these you can see that it changes the tool holder that we have, we're going to use the 2nd 12.36.
05:45
And then we can go back to our culture and we can modify the length below holder to be a bit shorter at 1 inch and accept
05:52
With a different holder, this gives us more clearance but we need to regenerate this tool path by again using control or command G on the keyboard.
06:04
Once it's been regenerated, let's go ahead and simulate this and validate that we don't have any collisions.
06:11
When I view this from the side, you can see that were relatively close but we don't have any collisions at this point.
06:17
Going to jump all the way to the end and make sure that we are removing all the material.
06:21
This might take a little bit of time for it to calculate,
06:25
but we can always go back and take a look at it in the in process stock to make sure that we have machined everything
06:32
At this point, let's make sure that we do save before moving on.
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