Flat Grooving (Also known as Hale Machining)

[CNCAppsJames]

Analyzing a project using the function right now for a sealing surface. 

[TSmcam]

I was experimenting with TopSolids function on the weekend.

Works really well, so the software solution is in place. I just need a machine to test it on, and that wont be here until September LOL

[mkd]

I was experimenting with TopSolids function on the weekend.

Works really well, so the software solution is in place. I just need a machine to test it on, and that wont be here until September LOL

I did something similar on a U3000 a couple weeks back out of Mastercam. Total hack job not having the right, right-angle post. Then one of the mills guys says . Oh we just have a function for that
 Anyhow, pretty impressive how fast I could get it going. High Y axis loads

[mkd]

Drag-knife is what I've heard it called.

[TSmcam]

I just got some sample code from Okuma. All looks pretty straightforward. I'm going to tweak the TopSolid post I am working on and then we should be good to go (when the machine gets here). To enable the output, it was just one line added to the TS post, then it is just a case of adding the necessary codes.

[CNCAppsJames]

Here's some code...
#100 is inch/metric
W is spindle axis move.

G01G42X[-167./#100]D11F[4000./#100]

Z[185.0/#100]F[4000.0/#100]

G91G01X0.Y[-180./#100]Z[-0.5/#100]F[1000./#100]
G91G03X[37./#100]Y[-37./#100]Z0.I[37./#100]J0.F[2000./#100]W-90.
G91G01X[60./#100]Y0.Z0.F[1000./#100]
G91G03X[37./#100]Y[37./#100]Z0.I0.J[37./#100]F[2000./#100]W-90.
G91G01X0.Y[180./#100]Z0.F[1000./#100]
G91G03X[-37./#100]Y[37./#100]Z0.I[-37./#100]J0.F[2000./#100]W-90.
G91G01X[-60./#100]Y0.Z0.F[1000./#100]
G91G03X[-37./#100]Y[-37./#100]Z0.I0.J[-37./#100]F[2000./#100]W-90.

G91G01X0.Y[-180./#100]Z[-0.5/#100]F[1000./#100]
G91G03X[37./#100]Y[-37./#100]Z0.I[37./#100]J0.F[2000./#100]W-90.
G91G01X[60./#100]Y0.Z0.F[1000./#100]
G91G03X[37./#100]Y[37./#100]Z0.I0.J[37./#100]F[2000./#100]W-90.
G91G01X0.Y[180./#100]Z0.F[1000./#100]
G91G03X[-37./#100]Y[37./#100]Z0.I[-37./#100]J0.F[2000./#100]W-90.
G91G01X[-60./#100]Y0.Z0.F[1000./#100]
G91G03X[-37./#100]Y[-37./#100]Z0.I0.J[-37./#100]F[2000./#100]W-90.

G91G01X0.Y[-180./#100]Z[-0.5/#100]F[1000./#100]
G91G03X[37./#100]Y[-37./#100]Z0.I[37./#100]J0.F[2000./#100]W-90.
G91G01X[60./#100]Y0.Z0.F[1000./#100]
G91G03X[37./#100]Y[37./#100]Z0.I0.J[37./#100]F[2000./#100]W-90.
G91G01X0.Y[180./#100]Z0.F[1000./#100]
G91G03X[-37./#100]Y[37./#100]Z0.I[-37./#100]J0.F[2000./#100]W-90.
G91G01X[-60./#100]Y0.Z0.F[1000./#100]
G91G03X[-37./#100]Y[-37./#100]Z0.I0.J[-37./#100]F[2000./#100]W-90.

G91G01X0.Y[-180./#100]Z[0./#100]F[1000./#100]
G91G03X[37./#100]Y[-37./#100]Z0.I[37./#100]J0.F[2000./#100]W-90.
G91G01X[60./#100]Y0.Z0.F[1000./#100]
G91G03X[37./#100]Y[37./#100]Z0.I0.J[37./#100]F[2000./#100]W-90.
G91G01X0.Y[180./#100]Z0.F[1000./#100]
G91G03X[-37./#100]Y[37./#100]Z0.I[-37./#100]J0.F[2000./#100]W-90.
G91G01X[-60./#100]Y0.Z0.F[1000./#100]
G91G03X[-37./#100]Y[-37./#100]Z0.I0.J[-37./#100]F[2000./#100]W-90.

G91G01X0.Y[-180./#100]Z[1./#100]F[1000./#100]

[Zoffen]

All incremental? that's interesting! any reason or just how its done?

[TSmcam]

Here is the Okuma path:

N16(MATERIAL - ALUMINUM MM - 2024)
N18 (T11 )
N20
N22 G90 G80 G40 G0
N24 (T11 - GROOVE TOOL)
N26 M6 T11
N28 G15 H15
G0 Z1000.0
B179.850
N30 G0 G90 X1.808 Y-17.842
N32  G142 H1
N34 G56 HA Z2.
M8
N36 G1 Z-1.05 F600.
N38 X5.036 Y-13.222 F720.
N40 X6.222
N42 X6.752 Y-17.842
N44 X5.560
N46 X5.417 Y-17.045
N48 X3.889
N50 X3.174 Y-17.842
N52 X1.808
N54 G0 Z2.
N56 G0 G90
N58 X7.275 Y-17.842 Z2.
N60 G1 Z-1.05 F600.
N62 X8.656 Y-13.222 F720.
N64 X10.024
N66 X10.861 Y-16.385
N68 X11.704 Y-13.222
N70 X12.909
N72 X11.528 Y-17.842
N74 X10.156
N76 X9.227 Y-15.032
N78 X8.478 Y-17.842
N80 X7.275
N82 G0 Z2.
N84 G0 G90
N86 X12.311 Y-17.842 Z2.
N88 G1 Z-1.05 F600.
N90 X13.692 Y-13.222 F720.
N92 X15.061
N94 X15.897 Y-16.385
N96 X16.740 Y-13.222
N98 X17.945
N100 X16.564 Y-17.842
N102 X15.192
N104 X14.264 Y-15.032
N106 X13.515 Y-17.842
N108 X12.311
N110 G0 Z2.
N112 G0 G90

[CNCAppsJames]

All incremental? that's interesting! any reason or just how its done?

This sample was just incremental. You can use absolute it was just a groove demo. Feankly, it's really easy to program the function in incremental. LOW single digit Ra was the end result. 

[CNCAppsJames]

@YoDoug, what tells the spindle to orient to specific angles?