Vectric Cut 3D (Frogmill)

Design Fabrication Workshop / DOA / NUS
II. Subtractive Rapid Prototyping / VECTRIC CUT 3D (Frogmill)
SUBTRACTIVE RAPID PROTOTYPING
Vectric Cut 3D (Frogmill)
INTERFACE: VECTRIC CUT 3D
Model:
Size: Material:
Interface:
Input:
Copyright © 2009-2012 NUS
Frogmill
W3050 x D1828 X H419
EPS Foam, Soft wood
Vectric Cut 3D, Mach 3
.stl, .3ds, .dxf, .wrl
Design Fabrication Workshop / DOA / NUS
II. Subtractive Rapid Prototyping / Vectric Cut 3D (Frogmill)
VECTRIC CUT 3D
Sample Output
Fig, Roughing and
finishing tool paths for
CNC Milling
Copyright © 2009-2012 NUS
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Design Fabrication Workshop / DOA / NUS
II. Subtractive Rapid Prototyping / Vectric Cut 3D (Frogmill)
1. Orientate and Size Model
1. Orientate and Size
Model
1. and ‘Open’ to open
a file
2. Top surface: Select
‘Top’
3. Model Size: Input
the size of model with
x,y,z dimension
4. Units: select
according to your model.
In this case, we use
millimeter as the unit
5. Sides to Machine:
Choose the number of
sides to be craved
6. Click ‘Next’
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Design Fabrication Workshop / DOA / NUS
II. Subtractive Rapid Prototyping / Vectric Cut 3D (Frogmill)
2. Material Size and Margins
1. Material size: Input
the length, width
and thickness (x,y,z
dimension) of the
material
2. XY Origin Position: Set
to 0
3. Machining Margins
around Model: In this
case, we set 11mm. The
machine will remove
the material in the area
11mm offset from the
model.
4. Depth of Model below
Surface: This step is
for smoothing the top
surface of the material.
In this case, since the
material we used has a
smooth flat surface and
the top surface of model
is at the same level
with the surface of the
material, we enter ‘0’ in
the box.
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5. Cut Plane Position
in Model: This step is
for setting the depth
of material that we
want to cut. In this
case, we want to cut
through the material,
so we set ‘Bottom’. If it
is the case of double
side, you may need to
set ‘Centre’
6. Click ‘Next’
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Design Fabrication Workshop / DOA / NUS
II. Subtractive Rapid Prototyping / Vectric Cut 3D (Frogmill)
3. Roughing Toolpath
1. Create Roughing
Toolpath: Check the box
Click ‘Select’ to select the
tool
2. Cutting Parameters:
Pass Depth: is the depth
of cut in each pass. In this
case, the material and
model depth are 50mm
and pass depth is 2.5mm,
so the toolpath will make
20 roughing pass.
Stepover: This is the
distance the cutter
moves over when doing
area clearance cutting.
In this case, stepover
is 5mm, so the grill will
have 5mm overlapping
with the cutting area in
the previous move. The
Stepover should be less
than 50% of the diameter
of the grill
3. Feeds and Speeds:
Spindle speed: In most
of the cases, the spindle
speed is 6000rpm
Feed Rate: Lower feed
rate is suggested to set,
like 30mm/sec. We can
speed up the speed of
mill after the process
starts.
Copyright © 2009-2012 NUS
Plunge Rate: This is the cutting rate at which the
cutter is moved vertically into the material.10 mm/sec
is the average speed.
4. Tool Number: Set ‘1’
5. Toolpath parameters
Rapid clearance gap: 10mm is recommended. This is
the height above the material the cutter will retract to
when moving to different regions of the job.
Maching Allowance: 0.05mm is recommended. This
is the amount of material to leave on the job when
rough machining
6. Strategy:
Z level: The tool cut region by region of cutting area.
The cutting time is shorter than 3D raster, but surface
is relatively rough.
3D raster: The toolpath movements are parallel to the
X,Y or Z axis
7. Side Displayed: Select ‘Top’
8. Estimated mc time
9. Click ‘Next’
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Design Fabrication Workshop / DOA / NUS
II. Subtractive Rapid Prototyping / Vectric Cut 3D (Frogmill)
4. Finishing Toolpath
1. Click ‘Select’ to select
the tool
2. Cutting Parameter: In
order to get a smooth
surface, the stepover
should be about 0.5 to
2mm
3. Feeds and Speeds:
Refer to step 3.3
4. Tool number: Set ‘1’
5. Toolpath Parameters
6. Raster angle: It allows
the cutting direction to
be set parallel to the X
axis, the Y axis or at 45
degrees.
Rapid clearance gap:
Refer to step 3.5
7. Side played: Select
‘Top’
8. Click ‘Next’
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Design Fabrication Workshop / DOA / NUS
II. Subtractive Rapid Prototyping / Vectric Cut 3D (Frogmill)
5. Cut Out Toolpath
1. The Cut Out function
is mainly for trimming.
The drill will follow the
outline of the model and
cut.
2. Please mind that Cut
Out function should not
be used, if you don’t
want the model separate
with the material at the
end. For example, the
model has rib/bridge
connecting to the edge
of the material. If you
use Cut Out function,
the machine will cut off
the model including the
rib/bridge, so the model
totally separates with the
materal.
3. If you skip the ‘Cut Out’
process, uncheck the
box of ‘Create Cut Out
Toolpath‘ and click ‘Next’.
If you want to process the
‘Cut Out’, please ensure
that you checked the box
of ‘Use Model Silhouette’
in the page of Material
Size and Margins.
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Design Fabrication Workshop / DOA / NUS
II. Subtractive Rapid Prototyping / Vectric Cut 3D (Frogmill)
6. Preview Matching
1. The preview can
be shows by clicking
‘Roughing Toolpath
Preview’ or ‘Finishing
Toolpath Preview’. The
animation of the cutting
process will be shown
by checking the box of
‘Animate preview’.
2. If we set ‘Scale Factor’
as ‘1’, we will get the
exact cutting time based
on the setting in the
computer. Since we may
speed up the cutting rate
after the cutting starts,
the ‘Scale Factor’ should
be larger to get a more
accurate estimated time.
3. Click ‘Next’
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Design Fabrication Workshop / DOA / NUS
II. Subtractive Rapid Prototyping / Vectric Cut 3D (Frogmill)
7. Save Toolpaths
1. Select .txt format file in
the ‘Post Processor’
2. Click ‘Roughing
Toolpath Save’ to save
the roughing toolpath
file
3. Click ‘Finishing
Toolpath Save’ to save
the finishing toolpath file
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