Cutting Parts longer than the table.

[ccwerks]

I have been asked to machine male and female mold parts that are longer than my X. I am looking for some tips and tricks to relocate a part on the machine once I have moved the part. Thus far I have been close but not right on..... +/ - 5 mm I need to get a bunch closer than that.
Thanks
Mark

[bleeth]

5mm is huge. You should get a lot closer than that with a couple well measured fine registration marks and careful positioning of your part.

If your part is 10 feet to start with you have your low end right at x-0 to start. Where the best registration mark is depends on the shape of the final part. If it is not flat on the side against the fence and you don't have much waste left on the material to keep it firm then you might want to only mill 5 feet in the first routine so you have plenty of length left uncut to stay up to your alignment fence as you slide it down to position it for the second routine.

As it is foam, can you drill some positioning holes and post fill them after?

Lets say you had 2 holes in your table somewhere like x-24 and drilled the foam at x-48. When you slid your part down so you could put dowels through the foam into the holes you now have 2 more feet of cuttable material perfectly aligned between x-72 and x-96

[ccwerks]

Dave
I had thought about doing that,,, and I don't think it would be a problem with the designers. With that said I'm not sure I understand how to marry the relocate to the art work. Right now I'm asking for 2 separate models to tool path, I cut the first part, Move and then run the second part. this picture may be a better look at the issue.

[bleeth]

What is the overall length of the project?

[ccwerks]

12 FT, Im told that some of the parts coming are upwards of 30 ft

[bleeth]

So for a 12 foot part you could put holes in your table at 2 feet and holes in the first part of the project at 6'. When you slide the project and align the holes the last 4 feet of the project would start at x-48.
You could either start your artwork for the second part there in Aspire (or whatever) or move your gantry to x-48 and type ZX to make 48" up the table X zero.

For the 30' parts are they pre-welding the foam to that length?

[ccwerks]

Yes the foam is coming in full length sheets.
I understand what your saying about the pins now. should be the same deal for the 30 ft parts ?

[bleeth]

Yes. Do you have enough length for onfeed and off feed for 30' parts?
At that length foam is pretty easy to break!

[bleeth]

When I have long parts I start with 1 long artwork and do the different shifting and machining paths myself. It's not that difficult. It helps to slightly overlap the machining although with foam cleaning up a small line is pretty easy.
BTW-Nice looking dust vac set-up in the corner!

[ccwerks]

Ill give that a run. Thanks I was getting frustrated with not hitting the marks. Im in the process of doing a cyclone vac system not done yet but its getting there ;)

[bleeth]

You're welcome. Glad I could help out.