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<< Click to Display Table of Contents >> Navigation: VisualCAM FAQs > General Training > How to: 5 Axis Machining of Meshes |
In 5 Axis simultaneous Surface Normal machining method, meshes cannot be "directly" machined as one would machine Drive Surfaces. However, this can be easily accomplished by following these steps:
1.Select one or more drive surfaces to control the tool cut pattern and the orientation
2.Select the meshes to machine as gouge check geometry. This can be selected in the Gouge Check tab of the 5 axis Machining Operation dialog
3.Select the Gouge Check Strategy as "Retracting tool along tool axis" in this tab
The machining algorithm will use the drive surface to determine the cut pattern of the tool as well as the tool orientation (tool axis) on every point along this cut pattern. For each toolpath point computed, it will check if the tool is gouging the gouge check geometry. If it is gouging, then it will retract the tool along the current tool axis until the tool stops gouging the gouge check geometry. This process when applied to all toolpath points will move the cutter in the determined cut pattern and tool axes, on the mesh and in effect machine the gouge check geometry.
An important note to consider is that the drive surface(s) selected need to be "under" the mesh geometry with respect to the surface normal. It is apparent that otherwise, this scheme will not work since the tool will not gouge the mesh geometry when projected along the tool axis
Other notes:
1.In Rhino, drive surfaces to machine meshes can be created using the Drape Command