Utilize Older Milling Machines
In a previous blog named Concurrent Working Part 2, we explored some ways of doing tasks simultaneously within your shop. One suggestion is to utilize an older, less powerful, mill to do certain tasks, such as squaring off stock, while utilizing the newer, more advanced mills for the 3d Sculpted shape milling.
Another way to utilize older milling machines is to use them for some roughing tasks. While they may not be able to rough as fast or well utilizing the newest high speed tools and roughing strategies, they can often be very good at Plunge Roughing, also called High Volume Roughing within WorkNC.
Plunge Rough Cutterpath on Whole Part
Benefits of Plunge Roughing
There can be many benefits to utilizing a plunge roughing strategy, and some of them are:
- High Metal Removal Rates. Plunge roughing can allow for metal removal rates competitive with newer high performance roughing cutters, running on a machine over a dozen years old.
- Cutter forces are along the axis of the cutter instead of radially to the cutter.
- Consistent chip loads because of the algorithms and cutting style.
- Heat goes away with the chip. You can often place your hand on the material immediately after cutting and it is only warm, but not hot to the touch.
While Plunge roughing does have good metal removal rates, if you are cutting a part with a lot of shape, the condition of the stock will be “rougher” after plunge rouging, with more material to re-rough than other roughing methods. While many may consider this a negative, if one already had to run a re-rough cutterpath regardless, you might as well run one where the tool is engaged in more material. As many roughing tools are designed to remove a larger width of stock, and often have premature failure when the width of stock is consistently narrow.
Result from Plunge Roughing
Have you tried Plunge Roughing? If so, tell us about your experiences int he comments.
I use it all the time it’s fantastic, you have to plan it carefully paying attention to what what you leave, it’s better to start on the outside and work your way in. When slotting you have to be carefull you don’t leave any thin upstands as that with destroy your cutter.
How do I start Plunge Roughing?
If doing it for the first time, get a little help. Talk with your CAM software company and your tooling supplier and see if together all three working together can give it a try.