Sculptured Surface Milling

Machining complex sculptured surfaces presents a difficult manufacturing challenge. Traditional NC programming methods like APT are difficult and time consuming to use. Purchase of throw-away tracing models is expensive and requires lead time. However, with GrayTech graphic NC programming functions, even junior manufacturing engineers can address the most complex surface-machining problems. These sculptured-surface machining functions provide direct benefits for the production of machined parts, molds, dies and other complex tooling.

SINGLE-SURFACE CUTTING

Features: Single-surface milling is accomplished easily by selecting a cutter, setting cutting tolerances, establishing cutting direction and specifying the lace step-over distance. The tool motion is generated automatically within seconds. Both roughing and finishing modes are supported using alternating lace cuts for bi-directional cutting or box cycle motion for unidirectional cutter motion. The tool axis can be fixed for 3-axis machines or it can vary to allow the tool to point at the surface for 5-axis control.

Benefits: Generation of flow line cutting is simple and straightforward. You can produce NC data to cut advanced sculptured surfaces quickly without having to learn difficult procedures or computer languages like APT.

MULTI-SURFACE, Z-STEP MACHINING

Features: Z-step machining functions provide several advanced capabilities to machine entire regions bounded by up to 250 trimmed and untrimmed surfaces. Sculptured surfaces are selected, flat-bottom through ball cutters are specified, lace or collapsing boundary methods are chosen, and incremental Z-step cut depths are set. The system machines an entire Z-depth level before proceeding to the next depth. The sudden appearance of islands or pinched-off regions is detected automatically. Special modes allow cutting at pre-drilled plunge holes and proceed outward, as in a mold cavity, or each Z-depth level is cut from the outside inward, as in a mold core. During cutting, small surface features are detected automatically and tool gouging is prevented. Gaps or irregularities between surfaces are detected and a warning is produced.

Benefits: These advanced functions give you very powerful capabilities to produce sophisticated NC tool motion quickly. Tasks that were previously impractical can now be done efficiently in-house.

MULTI-SURFACE LACE FINISHING

Features: Multi-surface lace finishing provides the ultimate in power and flexibility to machine very complex sculptured-surface models. Over 1000 trimmed and untrimmed surfaces can be selected and machined to user-specified cutting tolerances. Flat-bottom through ball cutters can be used to machine within an arbitrary boundary. Cutting can proceed using either alternating lace or unidirectional box cycle modes. You have full control of entry and exit conditions, rough and finish stock remaining, special end-of-cut blending functions and lace cutting direction independent of surface flow lines. Gouge detection is controlled automatically during all phases of cutting. If desired, MULTAX tool axis vector output can be chosen to allow A, B or C machine tool axis positioning. Special surface modeling constraints or redefinition of surface models is not required.

Benefits: You have advanced capabilities to manufacture complex geometry directly for molds, stamping dies, piece parts, fixtures and a large variety of specialized projects including master models and prototypes. The multiple-surface lace finishing functions provide you with the advanced capabilities to manufacture complex models while avoiding long lead times and expensive disposable tracing models.