Outside contouring with automatic step over

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Bill in PA, USA
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Feb 13, 2013 2:49 am

Outside contouring with automatic step over

Post by Bill in PA, USA »

Hello,

I would be interested in a outside contouring option that will allow for an automatic step over from a boundary dimension to the finish size. Sort of like "external pocketing" going from the outside and moving in. Currently, I am using the finish allowance to take the milling cutter from the outside of the stock to the finished size. This can be very tedious and time consuming especially when small step overs are used.

It would be efficient if one contouring operation could be specified with a starting point x amount away from finish size with a specified step over until finished size is reached.

It is easy to make a mistake when a dozen or more contouring operations have to be created to profile a part with a relatively small step over.

Thank you,

Bill H.
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Les Newell
Site Admin
Posts: 3660
Joined: Thu May 11, 2006 8:12 pm

Post by Les Newell »

Several people have asked for this sort of functionality. I will put it on my to-do list.
Bill in PA, USA
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Feb 13, 2013 2:49 am

Post by Bill in PA, USA »

Super, thanks.
jim1108
Posts: 74
Joined: Sat Oct 29, 2016 1:19 pm
Location: New Mexico, USA

Post by jim1108 »

Great idea. Sometimes I need to remove an excess amount of stock material to get to the finished geometry. I normally would just use the offset command in DraftSight or AutoCad to set the step over so I can just do it all on one layer, but this feature would eliminate much of the unnecessary CAD work. Another way is to just step it down in the Z axis, but this is dependent on how you want to do it.
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