VectorArt 3D.....7 hours????

[GVJeeper]

Could someone please help me with settings when cutting a VectorArt3D image?? The image is 57453... Deer Scene 3. I have set it in a oval plaque and VCarve Pro says it will take 7 hours to cut!!! I don't have Aspire. I can't believe that so it must be my settings. Could someone give me a Dummies how to cut this?

I posted this on the Romaxx site then thought that it would be best to post it here, too.

Thanks - Christy

[Xxray]

Sounds way to high, for sure ,, Though estimate is just an educated guess.
What size are you attempting to cut, and what tool/stepover ?

[GVJeeper]

It's an oval, about 6" wide by 4".

1/8" ball nose for rough pass with 40% step-over...I think. The finishing pass is a 1/16" ball nose with an 8% step-over.

What would be a recommended feed rate and pass depth of each path?

[Adrian]

If you're running both tools at about 30-40ipm then it's going to take a few hours. Seven might be about right.

Feed rates vary depending on the capabilities of your machine and the material. I know I could run the roughing pass on mine at about 300ipm but my old machine would have given up the ghost at anything over 40. The pass depth only applies to the roughing cut as the finish pass just takes off what it needs to.

Are you sure you need to go as small as 1/16" on the finishing pass? If you could get away with a 1/8" then you could probably crank the speed up as so little material is being removed on each pass. I wouldn't like to push a 1/16" bit though, they're pretty delicate.

[tmerrill]

Christy,

If you are using the time estimates from Machinist 3D or VCP, have you adjusted the Scale Factor for your machine and the type of toolpath? If you haven't, then the time estimate is useless and you may be getting concerned over nothing. To start to adjust the scale factor you would time this project (some machine control systems track times for each toolpath, not sure about yours), then come back into the programs and adjust the scale factor until the estimated times matches the actual times. This will get you close for a 3D project, but realize it will always be just an estimate. It will take a couple of projects before you zero in on a good number.

For the size of your project I would start with a 1/4" end mill to rough, set as fast as your machine will allow, with a Pass Depth of 0.125" - 0.25" (machine and material dependent) and a high stepover of 60% - 75%. The results of the roughing pass does not have to be pretty, it's only purpose is to protect the router bit used for the finish pass.

There is going to be a 3D learning curve for you, so I would initially complete a finish pass using an 1/8" ball nose with 8% stepover. If you are happy with the results, then you are finished. If you want more detail, recalculate the finish pass for the 1/16" ball nose and run it again with the smaller bit.

The toolpath preview should help you ahead of time determine how different the finish pass results will be with the 2 bits.

Tim

[Bob Reda]

Also. just to add what others are saying, check you safe Z height and set it to just above the wood. No matter how fast you try and run the machine it will go only as fast as the slowest tool and that usually is the Z

[GVJeeper]

Thanks guys...you're all great. I'll be working on it again today and keep in mind all that you have said.

I have one more question for Bob.....when you say "safe Z height" I understand that to be the height above the full depth of the board. On a flat carving I can see how it works, but on a 3d carving, say I set the safe z to .2", will the program then raise the bit that distance over the 3d carving areas or still raise it above the full depth of the board? In otherwords, do I need to worry about the bit crashing into some portion of the 3d carving (i.e., bit goes down to a depth of .5" to carve, then moves to another area of the board that is on the other side of a high spot)...actually, I don't think the 3d carvings work like that (although the paths on the flat carvings don't seem to have any ryhme or reason...all over the place sometimes). I hope this makes sense .

Thanks again
Christy

[Bob Reda]

it would keep it .2" above the zz height of 0 if that makes sense

[GVJeeper]

What a difference a day makes.......and what a difference it makes when there are great guys like you all out there. Today went well and speeds were much much better!!!

Hugs to all of you!!!

Christy

[fixtureman]

On my machines I can input 5 ips and it will never get to that because of the ramp speeds.