Approaches

[chuck_p]

Does anyone have a way of creating an approach that moves down in Z while making an XY move? The built in approach plunges Z straight down to a point and then makes an XY move to perform the approach. Plunging is tough on expensive bits. It would be much better to ramp into the workpiece. I gotta believe someone has a neat way of doing this. I know you could manually move points but that is a pain. I'm hoping someone has written a macro or something similiar to do this. (or maybe Vector already does it and I don't know about it)
Chuck

[rgbrown@itexas.net]

Chuck,

You can use an M3 command to move the bit where you want while moving. I don't know of a command in VECTOR to do what you want other than to draw a connecting line.

Ron

[imserv@imsrv.com]

You can create a 3D arc tangential ramping start cut with the Approach-Depart. This utilizes a selected point and a line or arc. It is not Approach/Depart contour. If the start point is + in Z from the line or arc, the tear drop shape will be drawn at an angle in 3D. You will need to Change-Break-Interpolate the 3D arcs before before Generating NC. This is handy is the cut needs to be free from tool marks as you can specify overlapping cut. Specifying enough underlap will also leave an automatic tab at the starting point.

You can also double click your connect at Z starting line and change the Start coordinates so that there is an angle with respect to the Z axis. This will generate just an angled entry, which may be enough in some cases to extend the life of the bit.