Denford Software & Machines

I am maching a rocking horse drawn in ProDesktop. It has just machined successfully but I am concerned about the depth of Z cut that the machine is using. On the Machining Plans I told it to step down by 2mm but it steps down by as much as 8 in some areas. I have just gone through the process again and then watched the preview again and even though Step Down is set at 2mm it appears to be removing the same sort of depth of material again. I am using Raster Roughing with Contact Area Only ticked. Any thoughts would be much appreciated.

You may have to recheck your machine offsets. Go to the tool, select the tool you want the piece to be processed with, set the tool offset to 0 (it's normally at 50mm), then calibrate the datums and give it a try.

Other than that, just check the thickness of the billet you chosen.

Thanks for that. However, I did that..I always zero my offsets before creating new one. The Quickcam software created the variable depths of cut it seems so I need to trace why and how! All good fun.

Hi Snicholls,

Ok, good luck then. But just a tip out of an experience the other day:

- Be sure to really thighten your cutter! The vibration caused by spindle makes the cutter wanting to slip away and thus, cutting a lot more than expected. It can even make the machine stop, or break the tool.

Learning as we go, but growing ever so much wiser!

On the Machining Plans I told it to step down by 2mm but it steps down by as much as 8 in some areas

Can you post a picture of the simulation screen and tool path lines ?
The raster roughing plan should set a depth limit of 2mm increments as it calculates, so should never go deeper than that on each pass.

If we can see your design it may be that another machining plan would be more suitable.

ps- sorry your original post must have been overlooked when you originally posted it