The ArtCAM Forum - Community help, support and advice for the ArtCAM family of CNC software

Question: Are 3D relief carvings suppose to cut from the top to bottom ? or from bottom to top?

Im finally getting request for 3D relief work, but it seems no matter how i adjust my settings, all my carvings start at the lowest point in the 3/4 MDF ? I thought maybe it was the style of relief i was attempting " oval bowl sinking into the wood with a concave shape", so i tried the teddy bear relief that came with ArtCam Express, same problem, finally i tried the lizzard 3D relief and followed the example step by step in the book, same problem !! That leads me to my question, do 3D carvings cut from top to bottom " as this is what i think is most logical", or from the bottom up?

Im using a 1/4 ballnose with1/16 stepdown to rough cut the parts because ArtCam Express doesnt offer Rough & Finish cut options unless you make 2 different files. Starting from the bottom up is hard on this bit. I havent talked to Thermwood yet about the possibility that our machine is setup diff for carvings.

If needed i can post a pic of the "oval bowl" im wanting to cut

Im soooo lost

Any help is greatly appreciated

Thank you
JWOOL

Here is a picture of what im trying to cut, the circle in the middle is suppose to be completely cut out/through

Jwool

That sounds a strange. No matter whether you have your part origin set for the top or the bottom of the part, it should start machining at the top and work it's way down.

How are you setting the machining strategies up? Meaning are you using a true roughing pass which is the Z roughing or are you using a finishing type of toolpath with a course step over and multiple Z level passes? If you are using the latter strategy it could very well be the shape of the relief causing this.

How does the simulation show the cutting? If it shows it going from top to bottom as would be logical then there is something wrong in either your post, or the setup at the machine. Can you post a pic or 2, or better yet the file itself. If not the actual file make a sample file similar to what you are trying to do.

Somone may be able to help.

CH

CH,
It is niether, it is his toolpath choice.
do a roughing toolpath with a .500 end mill then a finish toolpath with a .25 ball to find out what you like, don't forget to try different feeds and speeds and record the results, by the way in your toolpath choice remember that you can choose the depth of cut you like. after all this you can get a .125 or a .065 ball endmills to play with also, but they do take a little longer. now after all this you got the software from someone, right? call them up and pester and pepper them with questons like this that's why you paid them and that's why they are selling this software (this is what I did ).
mike

Here is the file " resized due to forum upload limits" but the concept and toolpathing ect is the same". As stated im running ArtCamExpress, so i dont have many of the fancy features like you guys have with PRO, and yes i posted this in AE section as well, but for some reason it only posted here, anyhow:

The oval is actually the sphere relief resized into an oval, pasted as ADD, not sure if this is part of the problem.

CH: The simulation shows it cutting from the Top to Bottom. Concerning true roughing AE only has 3D machining option, there is no roughing & finishing options, other than the bits you choose, its only a single type of 3D cutting available, so im wondering if i would have to create a true roughing by doing the following:
1 Click oval>3D machining option>choose rough bit with stepdowns ect>save as ROUGH1
2 Click oval>3D machining option>choose ballnose bit with stepdowns ect> save as FINISH1

"toolpathing the same relief twice with 2 diff bits" ??????? BTW the Thermwood uses GCode/ NC files just for reference

Mike: choosing the depth of cut will override the depth of the relief after its pasted, so the Z depth of the relief is overriden and actually determined by the final Z final pass correct ? By the way, you are correct about calling my reseller, however I assumed i could get answers from ppl on this forum who actually use the products everday, you know, real world experience.


Thank you both, i greatly appreciated your input and knowledge, im gonna keep working on this til I/we get it figured out, and will keep you both posted.