Cutting Vent Channels
Cutting Vent Channels
(OP)
I need some help creating vent channels and runners. The channel has a profile to be projected along a path. The path has a 90 degree corner. I want a cut that looks like a ball end mill came to a 90 degree corner. I tried doing a swept cut using a path that matched the cutter radius at the corner but I get the error saying the profile intersects itself. Any ideas or do i need to clarify more?






RE: Cutting Vent Channels
I posted and example up at my site.
I didn't have a problem making this. What SP are you using?
Scott Baugh, CSWP

credence69@REMOVEhotmail.com
http://www.3dmca.com
http://home.insightbb.com/~scott.baugh/
*When in doubt always check the help*
RE: Cutting Vent Channels
RE: Cutting Vent Channels
Scott Baugh, CSWP

credence69@REMOVEhotmail.com
http://www.3dmca.com
http://home.insightbb.com/~scott.baugh/
*When in doubt always check the help*
RE: Cutting Vent Channels
This is the cause of your problem. The outside radius should match the DIAMETER of the cutter, not the radius. It is the radius at the cutter tip that will be equal to the radius of the cutter, making the inner radius of the cut zero.
RE: Cutting Vent Channels
I figured out what you need to do. Instead of putting guide curve in the center of the circle, put it on the side of the circle that you don't want the circle to cut through, rather you want it to roll around the point, if you get my drift.
See my example again for better understanding of this. The image is updated to this time.
Scott Baugh, CSWP

credence69@REMOVEhotmail.com
http://www.3dmca.com
http://home.insightbb.com/~scott.baugh/
*When in doubt always check the help*
RE: Cutting Vent Channels
RE: Cutting Vent Channels
RE: Cutting Vent Channels
RE: Cutting Vent Channels
RE: Cutting Vent Channels
Scott Baugh, CSWP

credence69@REMOVEhotmail.com
http://www.3dmca.com
http://home.insightbb.com/~scott.baugh/
*When in doubt always check the help*
RE: Cutting Vent Channels
RE: Cutting Vent Channels
If I'm using a .500" Diameter Endmill, the Ball of that Endmill or Raduis would be .250". When you start cutting the material, lets say the full R.250" is removing the material. It makes the full 90 degree path. If you look down in the Z axis (TOP) the inside corner will be a hard corner. The outside Radius will be the same as the Diameter of the Endmill, Dia .500". You can't get away from that, if your using the full depth of the cutter. If you look at the X or Y axis the depth and raduis in the Material will be .250".
Try making a .500 Diameter endmill with a .250 dome (for the ball of the endmill) in SW. Try running that endmill down the slot of the part I made. You will see I'm right on this.
It seems the folks hosting my site are down and I cannot upload the files. If you would email me, I would more the than happy to send them to you directly. I will update my site for other people to download it once they are back up.
Regards,
Scott Baugh, CSWP

credence69@REMOVEhotmail.com
http://www.3dmca.com
http://home.insightbb.com/~scott.baugh/
*When in doubt always check the help*
RE: Cutting Vent Channels
Web host...
Scott Baugh, CSWP

credence69@REMOVEhotmail.com
http://www.3dmca.com
http://home.insightbb.com/~scott.baugh/
*When in doubt always check the help*
RE: Cutting Vent Channels
I will send you back a model with a tool path drawn on it. Thanks again.
RE: Cutting Vent Channels
RE: Cutting Vent Channels
I wasn't trying to offend any here...just trying to help you out.
Just
But the way I made my model is right, just not for this project.
Best Regards,
Scott Baugh, CSWP

credence69@REMOVEhotmail.com
http://www.3dmca.com
http://home.insightbb.com/~scott.baugh/
*When in doubt always check the help*
RE: Cutting Vent Channels
RE: Cutting Vent Channels
First would be to individually cut-revolve the cutter dia at the point of the 90° turn, and then cut-sweep the cutter bottom profile individually to the centerline of the cut revolve.
A better method would be to do this in two individual cut sweeps.
Since the bottom profile of the cutter is a semi-circle, you need to cut-sweeep two quarter-circle profiles.
The left side quarter (refereing to the inside on the bend half) is swept along a right angle guide line which is on the top surface and pierces the OD of the arc.
The right side quarter (outer half around the bend) is swept along a right angle guide line with an inclusive sketch fillet radius equal to the ball mill radius which is also on the top surface and pierces the OD of the arc.
Both these methods will produce the correct cutter profile after the cut.
If you want to send you a simple model of this, or need further clarification, let me know.
Good Luck.......
Remember...
"If you don't use your head,
your going to have to use your feet."
RE: Cutting Vent Channels
if you could send me a sample of the second way you described of making this cut, that would be great.
airkidd@hotmail.com
thanks
RE: Cutting Vent Channels
Note your can combine multiple inside and outside bends on each sweep.
For every left hand turn the 1st sweep's profile is a sharp corner and the 2nd is a radius.
For a right hand turn the 1st sweep gets the radius and the 2nd the sharp corner.
Remember...
"If you don't use your head,
your going to have to use your feet."
RE: Cutting Vent Channels
Charley Leonard
CSWP
www.2dto3d.com
RE: Cutting Vent Channels
Check out Scotts site @ http://www.3dmca.com/
meintsi,
Those two solutions appear to be the only way to go about this problem. Too bad its so time consuming and eats up so much file space. Maybe solidworks should allow self-intersecting cuts and extrudes in future releases.
RE: Cutting Vent Channels
Charley Leonard
CSWP
www.2dto3d.com