Profile lead in

[symson@southwind.net]

From the instruction manual:
Using the Profiling page you can:
Control where you tool cuts into and retracts from the block of material by adding lead in and lead out moves.

???? where
I have a profile that I want to machine, but I want the cutter to move into the profile not plunge down at the profile.

Alan Simpson

[grant@shopbottools.com]

Alan, we're sorry. There are no lead ins and lead outs in Part Wizard. It says that because Part Wizard was adapted from ArtCAM Insignia and not all traces of the features that were lifted are gone. We should have gotten them all at this point, but time will tell. It is possible to draw lead ins and outs by hand - let me know if you would like help with this. Once again, we apologize for the bait and switch.

[david@fools.net]

Grant,
We sure had a great time at the Jamboree this weekend. (I'm David of the guys that just set up their '98 bot)
I was browsing the forum for tricks and tips and I noticed you said you can't "lead in" in Parts Wizard but you could draw it in, to work around it.
We will be pocketing areas in baltic birch with a 1.25" surfacing cutter, so we can't plunge start. I'd love to know how to do the lead in cut to get it started.
Thanks again for all the hard work you, and the gang did to make that an amazing event.

David Beede

[gerald_d]

Big bits can be "plunged" along a gentle incline. We can plunge our 1" bit about 1/4" over a distance of 2". Sometimes you have to zig-zag to work it in.

[bill.young]

Hi David,

One way to do it would be to use the "M3" move, with the X,Y,and Z values for the M3 command being the coordinates of the finish point of your lead-in.

For instance, let's say that you want to start your ramp at 2,2,0, and you want your ramp to be 2" long, parallel to the X-axis, and your finish depth is -0.25. In your file you would move your bit to the starting point ( 2,2,0) and then follow it with the M3 command for the lead-in ramp, which in this example would be "M3, 4, 2, -0.25".

If you don't have much room for a ramp, you might also try experimenting with using one of the circle command like "CP" and turn on the "spiral plunge" parameter. As long as the circle diameter is bigger than your bit it will do the same sort of ramping motion but coiled up in a spiral like a spring. You'll have to check the "no pullup after cut" parameter box as well, so that the bit stays at the finish depth when the CP command has finished.

Bill