Stepped Pocket

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electronsgoround
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Jan 29, 2023 2:39 pm

Stepped Pocket

Post by electronsgoround »

Hello!
I'm taking my first steps with machining and CNC with a Genmitsu 3018. It's a toy, I know (I'm an EE in real life), but I want to start figuring out what I'm doing and then decide how much I want to continue before investing in something with more firepower.

Anyway, I've drawn up a body that has a stepped pocket (see the attached .png) and I'm curious about the path generation. I'm using Adaptive, and when I select the floor of the stepped pocket, I get a path that avoids the vertical space above the hole. This behavior makes sense if considering the step by itself, but it seems like from a simplicity standpoint, I should machine out the entirety of the pocket (includind the empty space above the hole) and then consider the lower level (the hole) as a separate operation.

Is there a sinple way to convince the path generator to do the outer pocket in entirety before proceeding to the inner pocket? Is there a good reason _not_ to do it that way?

Thanks!
--EGR

Version Info:

Code: Select all

OS: Windows 10 Version 2009
Word size of FreeCAD: 64-bit
Version: 0.20.2.29177 +426 (Git)
Build type: Release
Branch: (HEAD detached from 0.20.2)
Hash: 930dd9a76203a3260b1e6256c70c1c3cad8c5cb8
Python 3.8.10, Qt 5.15.2, Coin 4.0.1, Vtk 8.2.0, OCC 7.6.3
Locale: English/United States (en_US)
Installed mods: 
  * Help 1.0.3
Attachments
cabinet_cup.FCStd
(240.86 KiB) Downloaded 14 times
Adaptive.png
Adaptive.png (95.92 KiB) Viewed 408 times
GeneFC
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Posts: 5373
Joined: Sat Mar 19, 2016 3:36 pm
Location: Punta Gorda, FL

Re: Stepped Pocket

Post by GeneFC »

electronsgoround wrote: Mon Jan 30, 2023 1:30 am
Try selecting "Use Outline" near the bottom of the task panel. That will clear the entire area of the larger pocket. I am not quite sure what you want, so keep asking if this answer is not adequate.

Gene
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