retraction in profiling sequence

[al204]

Hello Proe CAM users...

I have a question concerning a profiling sequence.

The tool is moving from the top to the bottom in zig zag motion, and for some time while the sequence is being run the tool increases its depth at the end of each segment and then moves in the opposite direction.

However at a certain point during the sequence the tool begins retracting at the end of each segment instead of increasing its depth. It is only after the retraction to the safe plane that the tool increases depth and then moves in the opporsite direction.

Please see images attached.

Why is this happening? What can I do to prevent the retraction in order to make the tool perform a zig-zag motion without being interrupted? There are numerous retractions, and they are taking too much time.

thanks

AL.

[dfarneth]

Al,

I run into that same problem sometimes with profiles. Sometimes they
don't seem real controllable. I use them with trimmed volumes, and they
make programming complex surfaces easy. When they don't go well I
usually switch to surface mill and pick my surfaces. The one thing I
don't like about surface mill though, is it does one surface complete
before moving to the next one. But you can control the order and
direction in the define cut box.

Good Luck

Don Farneth

[kevin_marett]

In profile milling, if the next slice down is back from the current tool
position and direction then the tool will need to retract to re-position.
Use surface mill and if you are having trouble with machining surfaces
directly from the model as described by Don, then create a mill surface
geometry combining all the surfaces you wish to machine.

Regards
Kevin