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That’s one reason we have 5 Axis Machining.

5 Axis MachiningĪs you’re probably imagining, there are cases where even a 4th Axis doesn’t provide access as needed. I’m not going to spend much time talking about 4 Axis Machining here (we have a Complete Guide to 4 Axis Machining article already), but I will provide a little insight. One with the part flat and no 4th axis needed, and one with the part vertical so we can rotate to all the different angles of the holes. For the part above, it will probably still take 2 setups.

We can place the part on a 4th Axis which allows it to be rotated under program control.The holes on the part above are at several angles, so they’re hard to reach with a right angle head. This only helps if the features are all 90 degrees from the spindle’s normal orientation. We can sometimes use a special piece of tooling called a “right angle head” to access things at 90 degrees to the spindle.The more setups, the more expensive the part is to machine because it requires more handling. “How many setups will it take to machine this part?” is a common question. These different positions are called “Setups”. We can manually pivot the part into a new position, lock it down, and start machining again.Our example Prismatic Part has some holes like that:įor these parts, there are some options available to solve the problem: What if the part has Features that can be reached by the spindle while it is held down in one position.

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One of the difficulties with simple Prismatic or even full 3D machining is the spindle can only approach one side of the work.

Specialized to be fast for a limited number of operations.

One thing to keep in mind about these Toolpaths and Operations is they generally fall into two categories: Hence they use quite different CAM Toolpaths and Operations. This one is perhaps an exaggeration to make to point, but you get the idea how different these two kinds of parts are. By contrast, here is a part that has curved surfaces and is therefore not a Prismatic part: Having square faces and walls makes it easier to fit them together. Parts are shaped this way because they go together in mechanical assemblies. Here is a typical Prismatic part:Ī typical prismatic part. And curves are strictly in X and Y, so no convex or concave curves happen on the face of the part. The walls of Prismatic Parts are vertical unless tapered cutters were used. But, cutting movement, with the exception of holes, happens mostly in X and Y, with a constant Z value. They’re 3D parts to be sure–we live in a 3D world after all. The vast majority of parts made on CNC Machines, at least on Milling Machines and Routers, are what’s called 2 1/2D, 2.5D, or Prismatic Parts.

2 1/2D, 2.5D, or Prismatic Parts vs True 3D Machining They’re important to getting your head around CAM as things operate differently based on how many dimensions are involved. They’re also very useful for thinking about Feeds and Speeds (our G-Wizard Calculator’s CADCAM Wizards are built around toolpaths) and CNC Job Quoting (our G-Wizard Estimator also uses the same CADCAM Wizards for job estimation and quoting so the results match what you’ll get on your Shop Floor).īefore delving into specific CAM Operation and Toolpath Categories, I want to talk briefly about Dimensions.

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This article is all about teaching you what those Operations and Toolpaths are so you’ll have an idea of how to go about choosing them as you use your CAM Software. But not always–“2D Profiling” cuts “Vertical Walls” around the outside of a part, for example. This is typically done by selecting various CAM Operations or Toolpaths.Īn Operation or Toolpath is typically aimed at machining a particular Feature on the part, and we often refer to the Toolpath and the Feature by the same name, such as a “Hole” or a “Pocket”.

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The task of CAM software is to carve the block until you have set your part free. You have a vision of the part that needs to be made in the form of a CAD model or drawing. You’ve got a piece of raw stock, perhaps a block of 6061 aluminum. Much the same could be said of what goes on when using CAM software. When asked about his statue of David, Michelangelo said, “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.”

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CAM Toolpaths and Operations have a lot in common with sculptureĬAM Programming is the process of using CAM Toolpaths and Operations to set your part free from the block of material it resides in.