I have a design where a portion of the material is milled with a VCarve bit and another is a profile bit. The VCarve bit also has a setting to allow for clearance using a 1/8 bit for faster removal and to ensure the bottom if the VCarve area is flat.
My question when exporting the tool path is how do you know which bit the tool path is starting with? Does it start with clearance first? is there a way to tell?
Also when switching in between bits for the different tool paths, do I need to reprove for Z just to make sure the depth is the same?
Here’s what I do: After I “Calculate” my toolpath, I rename it in the list of toolpaths. I right-click on the toolpath name, then select “Rename”. “Pocket One Clearance” becomes “Square Pocket E25” to indicate the 1/4 inch endmill bit I want to use. The remaining program becomes “Square Pocket E125” to show the 1/8 inch bit I’ll finish up with. If you need to know which bit is selected, you can hover over its name in the toolpath list, and a popup window will tell you which bit will be used for that path. I do this with all of my toolpaths, so that when I look at the list on my machine console, I’m sure which bit to install.
You DEFINITELY need to re-probe for Z when you install a new bit.
I hope this helps.
Yes you need to reprobe Z as said…i will add this as i just went through it.
Make sure your Z height is set high enough so when the tool homes, it comes up high enough to get the bit out, new one in, and touch probe under the new bit.
thanks all this is helpful. In my particular case, I export all tool paths as a single file, so when it’s done with one tool path, it homes, and lets me pick the new bit. But when I export I don’t know which tool it’s starting with. The confusion I have is when I choose a clearance tool path, does the machine always start with that tool path?
Here is the order I have in this file just to illustrate:
VCarve1 (with clearance bit)
Profile 1
VCarve Name - separate VCarve for the name even though it uses the same bit as the first VCarve1 path
If I have three tool paths in the file, does the code export in order? Meaning if VCarve inlay1 with a clearance path is first in the list, then does it start with that and then also started with the 1/8" end mill bit to clear? If so then the order I see in Vectric matches what bit I can apply so I don’t freak out again :).
You can move the machine in any direction including Z to change a bit. So, I’m not quite sure what your saying. Once the bit is changed, zero the bit and go to work origin and your off and running.
Maybe I’m just not understanding what your saying.
When i just did this on my tool path, i was not able to move at all, the contoller wouldnt do anything and the directions on the screen were greyed out. Thats why i mentioned changing the z height
What do you usually do with separate tool paths? export each as a separate file? I did that as well on another project but if the end result is the same why not export all as one file? I expect the machine to go to 0,0 when the new tool path/bit are needed.
the main question was if I exported tool paths in a single file how do I know which path/bit the machine selects first. that way I have the right bit in to start. From what I can tell if I mix and match my tool paths with different bits, the tool path order in Vectric is the same order of the machine. If the toolpath has a clearance bit, then the clearance bit is chosen first, then the primary bit.
But once the file is loaded on the controller, there isn’t a way to tell any of this unless Im missing something
Yes. My old machine was that way.
I like to do separate toolpaths b/c if i want to change something in the design, i can just change the 1 file and only run that 1 file instead of running it all again
