00:02:56:28 – 00:03:11:13
Speaker 1
Today we’re going to be focusing on a specific toolpath known as indexing multi-sided cut. So we’re going to answer two questions. Just like all the other basic toolpath video so far is what does this toolpath do to the material.

00:03:11:14 – 00:03:31:15
Speaker 1
What are the end results and how do we control. How do we toolpath and program it. So we’re going to be using, two visualizations to help understand what this is. We’re going to be using our aspire software to create to create a 2D, layout of what we need, as well as going to the machine and cutting it towards the end of this video.

00:03:31:18 – 00:04:00:08
Speaker 1
So without further ado, let’s jump on over to Aspire. Now in the last video, we did a indexing multi-sided surfacing. Technically, this does the exact same concept, except one key difference is what is the shape of the material at the beginning? Okay, so in our last video we machined a square surface. If this was the end of you right, we machined a square surface.

00:04:00:10 – 00:04:24:09
Speaker 1
But we started from a square blank to begin with. This the multi-sided cut allows us to machine also multiple sides, as many as we wish. This is four sides. We can have 612. It doesn’t matter. But this is going to be machining this flat, with that many sides as we tell it to. But starting from a round diameter spindle.

00:04:24:11 – 00:04:28:04
Speaker 1
Okay. And what this is going to do, the way this is going to figure this out

00:04:28:04 – 00:04:37:03
Speaker 1
We could choose how many sides that we want on our multi-sided design, and it will fit within the swing diameter of that turned round section.

00:04:37:05 – 00:05:01:12
Speaker 1
You can see that the corners will automatically come right up to the section diameter. So, in this scenario, we don’t have to really say, oh, I want to machine this square to a certain size. It’s just going to maximize the square until it fits within a round diameter section is how we’re going to control this. Now this is going to approach the material in the same way as the multi-sided surface.

00:05:01:12 – 00:05:28:28
Speaker 1
It’s going to be taking a surfacing cutter. Typical typical for this type of application. It’s going to have a starting position. It’s going to be traveling down the stock until it gets to the ending position, and then it’s going to cross over the width of the part and then zigzag its way back, across the material. Technically, if we look from a top view, it’s a little easier to understand this versus from a side view.

00:05:28:28 – 00:05:46:25
Speaker 1
So that’s as a side view is what that cutter represented. This would represent a top view okay. So if we’re looking at the top of the material and this is the surface and kind of rotating from a top view, the cutter is going to approach right here at a starting point. It’s then going to travel down the stock to the ending position.

00:05:46:27 – 00:06:12:01
Speaker 1
And that’s going to cut across the material and then cut across that edge to get to the start position again and then cut all the way back. Then it’s going to simply zigzag back and forth until it works its way, all the way to the middle, making sure that we’ve cleared that entire area and making it flat. And then it will simply index the material to the next side based on how many faces we have in our program.

00:06:12:06 – 00:06:39:14
Speaker 1
And it will repeat that process at surfacing that technique. So again, very similar to the multi-sided surfacing. But this is called multi-sided cut. Again we’re starting from a round diameter section and turning that into a multi multi-sided facet. So let’s go into c cam Pro and see how we can program this. So in C Cam Pro let’s go to projects under our training sample projects that we’ve been using so far.

00:06:39:16 – 00:07:04:11
Speaker 1
Now in our training center we created another blank called multi sided sample okay. And in here if we go to our tool paths I actually already have a turning round tool path here. So back in our drawing so back in our drawing method this section here in the end I’ve turned this round to 2.5in already.

00:07:04:11 – 00:07:36:05
Speaker 1
That represents that cylinder diameter. And then we’re going to turn that into a square section from from that example of that surface. So going back here, since that’s already been turned round, let’s actually undo the indexing multi-sided cut process. And now we can go in control the questions and parameters. So the cutter that we’re going to be using if we go select our tool is the surfacing cutter that we used for the other multi-sided surfacing tool path as well.

00:07:36:05 – 00:08:00:01
Speaker 1
But this time for multi-sided cut. We’ll select that tool making it tool one. And here, just like the other tool path, we get to choose how many flat sides we want to have. Evenly distributed around the circumference of this diameter spindle. I’m going to say four for this example. And here’s our first parameter that we need to go get from our drawing is what is the section diameter that this is starting from.

00:08:00:04 – 00:08:25:00
Speaker 1
Okay. So that is the round section that the multiple sides is going to fit into. Right. So the corners are going to go right to this diameter section that we have already created on this spindle. So this if we measure this we’ll just do a vertical dimension here. This is a diameter section of 2.5in. So let’s go put that intersection diameter.

00:08:25:00 – 00:08:50:29
Speaker 1
This is where everything is being calculated is from that diameter section. Now we have a starting and ending position along the x axis. So let’s go throw some dimensions out here. Horizontal from the zero point which is the left edge of our blank to where we’re going to start. The multi-sided cut process is here at 4.5in, and also from zero to the end in this scenario will be nine inches.

00:08:51:05 – 00:09:16:09
Speaker 1
So our start in any position 4.5 and nine. So let’s go put those in 4.59in on our ending position. The last thing we need to fill in here is what what is our step over? How much do we want to cut the cutter to remove from side to side as it’s surfacing in this part? If we look visually here again from a top view.

00:09:16:11 – 00:09:51:27
Speaker 1
So if the cutter came and it traveled again, starting here and then it traveled all the way down to this end, how far would it step over to the edge before traveling back? Typically most surfacing applications there’s you don’t want to go more than 40% of the diameter of the cutter for your stepovers. If you do, I mean, not that it can’t handle it, but it it flexes, the tool and puts different loads on the blank and on the spindle, and things just typically don’t last as long as if you did a 40% step over.

00:09:51:29 – 00:10:12:10
Speaker 1
So for longevity purposes and for cut quality, we’re going to use 40%. And on an inch and a quarter, 40% is a half of an inch. So if we come over here and put a step over a 0.5in, that’s going to be our step over from side to side, along the surface of that part, the rest of this is going to be left defaulted.

00:10:12:10 – 00:10:36:20
Speaker 1
And we are now ready to finish and save. And we have our tool paths that we’re created now. Again, this first toolpath I’ve already cut on the machine, just turning it round to 2.5in. As a cylinder section. And then we have our multi-sided cut, which is going to turn that round section into a multi-sided square section. In this scenario for four sides.

00:10:36:22 – 00:10:45:26
Speaker 1
So let’s generate our gcode just for that toolpath. And there is our surfacing routine. We can see that our gcode file.

00:10:46:05 – 00:10:50:19
Speaker 1
We’ll put this under our tool pass under our multi-sided cut samples. And

00:10:51:20 – 00:11:00:26
Speaker 1
And we are definitely titling this indexing multi-sided cut G-code and save. Now let’s go to the machine and watch this take place.

00:11:01:11 – 00:11:15:01
Speaker 1
Now, the cutter approaches this cutting technique the exact same way as the multi-sided surfacing. It will clay mill the edges of the part first, going round the perimeter, and then work its way in towards the center.

00:11:15:01 – 00:11:20:11
Speaker 1
The difference is, though, is that this stock is beginning from a round cylinder diameter.

00:11:20:11 – 00:11:27:01
Speaker 1
and it’s going to have to remove a little bit more material. So it’s going to break this up into two passes for each surface

00:11:27:01 – 00:11:32:21
Speaker 1
You may notice that all of the x axis cuts that go along the length of the spindle are climbing

00:11:32:21 – 00:11:37:24
Speaker 1
this ensures that we get the best cut quality possible with minimum sanding.

00:11:37:27 – 00:11:49:11
Speaker 1
After this surfacing, technique happens twice for two different cut depths. The cutter moves out of the way so the part can index to the new surface, and repeat this process for all four sides.

00:11:49:11 – 00:11:59:23
Speaker 1
all the cutting advantages shown throughout this cutting demonstration are automatically implemented into this indexing multi-sided cut toolpath and Conversational cam Pro.

00:11:59:23 – 00:12:03:25
Speaker 1
You now have a basic understanding on how to use the indexing multi-sided

00:12:03:25 – 00:12:07:01
Speaker 1
cut toolpath. Go out and give it a try yourself.

00:12:08:13 – 00:12:12:02
Speaker 1
Now, these types of videos generate a lot of different questions

00:12:12:05 – 00:12:38:22
Speaker 1
I recommend you take advantage of two resources to answer your questions. First is head on over to our website at Legacy woodworking.com. There you’ll find all the different product information, additional cutting demonstrations, and much more. The second resource I recommend doing is actually getting in contact with one of our CNC experts. You can call them at (801) 491-0010. They will be happy to answer any of your questions.

00:12:38:22 – 00:12:49:05
Speaker 1
Put on software or cutting demonstrations with the machines and point you to additional resources again to, fulfill your needs. Now, if you’d like to just simply watch more videos,

00:12:49:05 – 00:13:00:06
Speaker 1
I don’t blame you. Just click right over there. I think we all know what to do if you want to be notified of a future videos. Just click that button down below and don’t hesitate to give us a like if you liked what you saw.

00:13:00:08 – 00:13:12:17
Speaker 1
As always, thanks for watching. And remember, legacy solves more woodworking problems and allows you to say yes to more opportunities than any other CNC manufacturer in the industry.