CN Feature request

[Jeremy Schiffer]

Could we pretty please get the option to specify a different tool to cut the final skin outline pass (the pass that cuts parts free of the sheet)?
It would very helpful to be able to specify a unique tool, along with spindle and feed speeds, etc.
Thanks!

[Forrest Chapman]

2nd that!

Also single entry outline and smallest parts to interior would be nice.

Forrest

[Tommy Wieler]

This feature already exists. It's called Roughing.
If you turn Roughing on, it'll use whatever tool you specify to cut the first portion of the outline, then switch to your main outline tool to do the final pass. So in your situation, you could set up Roughing to use your current outline tool as the Roughing tool, then set up whatever tool you wish to use as the final pass as your outline tool.
I'm sure Clint could explain it better...

[Jeremy Schiffer]

Tommy, we're using the roughing. But to cut through the final skin, it will go back to the normal outline tool. I would like to be able to specify a different tool to cut the parts free from the sheet. That would allow more freedom for unique feed speeds, as well as a different tool diameter.

And yeah, smallest parts to interior would be a great option to have as well.

[Mark McCallum]

Yes. We could run the roughing/ hogging tool for longer use because a few little chips to melamine faces would get cleaned up by keeping a good outline tool.
I don't know how the wear times would stack up but it should at least amount to less new tool changes.
Sometimes for various reasons because of cutter selection and/ or, our dust extractor, I wonder if the smaller tool would assist in lifting more dust out of the cut.

[Forrest Chapman]

Something else that helps the roughing tool last longer is oscillation. It spreads the wear along the edge. It doesn't have to oscillate much to make a huge difference. Guys who run pod machines use it because of the added clearance under the part but it can still help on the initial pass.

Forrest

[Clint Buechlein]

Jeremy,

I'm not certain on what you're asking for, it seems like it is already there as an option for roughing. You can pick your outline tool as your final tool, your roughing tool for the first tool. You can double pass everything, check the box in roughing for Leave Skin if Double Pass Part, then the outline tool will remove the roughing skin and the double pass skin in one go.

We are getting towards oscillation, other work must be done before it can be implemented.

I'll add the other to requests to the wishlist.

-Clint-

[Jeremy Schiffer]

Hey Clint, to boil it down to the simplest terms, we would like to be able to use a 1/4" tool to cut the parts free from the sheet, after the skin pass that is made with a 3/8" bit.

This is not possible right now, as it only allows one roughing tool and one outline tool...unless I'm missing something?

What we need is 3 operations:

1: Rough, down to skin
2: "pre"-outline, down to skin
3: "final" outline, through the skin and into the wasteboard, cutting the part free from the sheet.

The ability to specify a different tool for operation #3 would open up many possibilities, such as using a smaller diameter tool, which would square up any inside corners (e.g. toekicks) to a smaller radius than (in our case) 3/16".

Or, we could specify a downshear bit, which would have no issue cutting only through the skin to free the parts from the sheet, thus minimizing the chance to move small parts.

...and a few more. These are things we have used hacks to accomplish before, it would be nice if it were just an option in CN.

[Clint Buechlein]

Hey Clint, to boil it down to the simplest terms, we would like to be able to use a 1/4" tool to cut the parts free from the sheet, after the skin pass that is made with a 3/8" bit.

This is not possible right now, as it only allows one roughing tool and one outline tool...unless I'm missing something?

What we need is 3 operations:

1: Rough, down to skin
2: "pre"-outline, down to skin
3: "final" outline, through the skin and into the wasteboard, cutting the part free from the sheet.

The ability to specify a different tool for operation #3 would open up many possibilities, such as using a smaller diameter tool, which would square up any inside corners (e.g. toekicks) to a smaller radius than (in our case) 3/16".

Or, we could specify a downshear bit, which would have no issue cutting only through the skin to free the parts from the sheet, thus minimizing the chance to move small parts.

...and a few more. These are things we have used hacks to accomplish before, it would be nice if it were just an option in CN.

Jeremy,

So in your example above, what tools would you want for each operation?

-Clint-

[Jeremy Schiffer]

What we're doing right now is:

1- Initial outline roughing to skin with 3/8" chipbreaking roughing bit
2- Outline to skin in climb direction with 3/8" compression
3- Outline to wasteboard in conventional direction with same 3/8" compression

If we could specify #3 to be a 1/4" bit (or even a 1/8" bit), then inside corner cuts (such as toekicks) would end up with a much smaller radius.

Or, for a sheet full of small, easy-to-move parts, #3 would be with a smaller bit AND an offset just a hair away from the part, so the bit never touches the part. I have used this method many times to successfully cut tiny parts, using my other CAD program.

[Clint Buechlein]

Jeremy,

Ignore that email I sent you for the moment, I need to look at something first tomorrow morning to make sure it won't be tool changing a whole bunch.

-Clint-