Ignoramus24043 on Thu, 22 Jul
2010 14:03:10 -0500 typed in rec.crafts.metalworking the following:
On 2010-07-22, Pete C. wrote:

Ignoramus24043 wrote:

I had a little light bulb go off in my head.

I think that I know what to do.

I will have functions that could combine different machining notions
together.

For example, say, I have a steel plate. I could make a circular cut
through it. If the plate is thick or hard, I may need to do it in
several passes, with plunging.

Okay so far.

This really involves two separate concepts:

1) Generating the shape of the cut (circular, in this example)
and
2) Implementing a cut along an arbitrary shape, with several passes if
necessary

If I can do these two tasks separately, then I have a lot of
flexibility, as I could easily cut a square shaped hole in plate, egg
shaped, etc.

Same applies to "milling out a deep pocket along an arbitrary shape".
Generating a shape is one thing, and removing material inside it (in
possibly several layers) is another.

This kind of approach, has potential for some very fun results.

i

You're picking up on what CAM software does. CAD provides the design of
the part, CAM figures out how to make the part essentially.

I think that what I am trying to do, is build a library of functions
to provide CAM functionality.

And is a good thing to understand in and of itself. That is,
when I was taking a class on CNC, we started out having to write the
code to move the end mill from point A to point B. All the code, all
the way. From "turn on spindle" to descend, to enter metal, to move
to starting point, make pass, exit, etc, etc, etc. Once we knew what
we wanted, and how it was done, then we moved on to the "neat" CAD/CAM
which let us draw the part, then let the program figure out how to
mill it. Even then, it required us to understand the process.

pyotr
--
pyotr filipivich
We will drink no whiskey before its nine.
It's eight fifty eight. Close enough!