3D Surface Path Avoids Selected Area

[bmsaus4ax]

Can you attach your model?

Too Large 39.5M to add.

It may still be possible to post the file.
Save the file.
Delete all the "CutMaterial" objects
Deactivate all the operations
"Save As" a file for upload. This file should be considerably smaller, 3D Surface trends to be memory hungry.

The "save as" with everything off will keep your original file easier to work with. You will not have to wait for recompute on every operation as you reopen them.

[KGB_Knives]

Can you attach your model?

Too Large 39.5M to add.

It may still be possible to post the file.
Save the file.
Delete all the "CutMaterial" objects
Deactivate all the operations
"Save As" a file for upload. This file should be considerably smaller, 3D Surface trends to be memory hungry.

The "save as" with everything off will keep your original file easier to work with. You will not have to wait for recompute on every operation as you reopen them.

I am either doing something wrong or the file is still too large. I don't have an option to save the file for upload. I think I might be doing something wrong .I deactivated all the parts and paths but still no joy. I even compressed a copy to see what would happen and the size only drop to 38M. I did have a few options to export the path job as a few different types of files (stl,stp,xhtml types) but im not sure that is what you were talking about.

[chrisb]

I deactivated all the parts and paths but still no joy.

Deactivating doesn't eliminate any path. Some options you have:
- Upload to a publicly available fileserver
- increase stepover/use a much bigger tool / increase stepdown to reduce the number of paths to be generated
- check if it is the paths after all, by creating a copy of the file and removing the Job completely.

[bmsaus4ax]

I am either doing something wrong or the file is still too large. I don't have an option to save the file for upload. I think I might be doing something wrong .I deactivated all the parts and paths but still no joy.

Apologies I did not explain that very well .

The thing that contributes the most to the size of the final file is the "CutMaterial" objects.
This is the result of running a "Simulation" for the operation,
you will see them at the bottom of the 'Tree' of the Combo view under the Model tab (Labels and Attributes / Description ) as CutMaterial, CutMaterial001, etc. There will be one for each time you have run simulation and clicked Ok.
Each of these objects can be quite large ( MB ' s )
If you see them delete them.

Deactivate the Operations with :
Select an operation
Select drop down menu Path -> Toggle the Active State of the Operation or the equivalent icon.
This will reduce the file size some amount , not by a massive degree, but it helps.

The "Save As" is only a time saver for your original file.
Whenever an Operation is deactivated the reactivation at a later time causes a recompute which in the case of a 3D Surface Operation can be a very long time. ( When you get all the faces you want working you may get a warning that FreeCAD is not responding, with the option of cancelling or waiting, you will need to wait as it is really still working)
If you make these changes and not Save your file but instead save your file with "Save As" with a different file name ; for example "forum_handle_outside.FCStd", you will avoid the lost time of recomputing when you go back to your original file.
The file you attach to your post is the forum_handle_outside.FCStd

Upload is not really what I should have said, but rather attachment as you have tried.

[KGB_Knives]

Welp , I have not figured out the problem, but I did get the path to work. Attached is the file which is very bare bones of what I have. I stripped my project of everything except the problem child. This gave me the ability to run the path with no issues that I can see (keep in mind I did not set any feeds/speeds in an attempt to move faster). This takes me back to Chris' reply that it might be something wrong with the model. The other file I was attempting to send included all of the other parts to be milled including my work fixture pallet modeling and coordinates were built in for my pea brain to easily swap out parts (why the file was so large). I know you guys are pretty much in the dark without my other file, but would there be any reason to why I literally copied the original model and pasted it in a new project, and it runs fine? I can't thank you guys enough for helping me out on what is probably operator error hahaha.

[bmsaus4ax]

Welp , I have not figured out the problem, but I did get the path to work. Attached is the file which is very bare bones of what I have. I stripped my project of everything except the problem child. This gave me the ability to run the path with no issues that I can see (keep in mind I did not set any feeds/speeds in an attempt to move faster).

This model seems ok.

A couple of things in the Job setup;
You should click on the Refresh button so the stock shape is realigned with the model so the simulation shows the tool path cutting the stock.
You can set the machining origin with the Alignment options so the g-code will be aligned with a known point on the stock or model. Click Refresh after any changes also.

In the Surface operation :
Only two faces are selected, select all faces you wish the tool to cover.
Avoid Last X Faces has a value of '1' in it. This turns off the last (1) face so in effect the tool path is only going to look at first face. ( as path shows)

Attaching a file with all top visible faces selected, Avoid Last X Faces = 0, and Step over = 20% for better visual.( also better surface finish when run )

[KGB_Knives]

Welp , I have not figured out the problem, but I did get the path to work. Attached is the file which is very bare bones of what I have. I stripped my project of everything except the problem child. This gave me the ability to run the path with no issues that I can see (keep in mind I did not set any feeds/speeds in an attempt to move faster).

This model seems ok.

A couple of things in the Job setup;
You should click on the Refresh button so the stock shape is realigned with the model so the simulation shows the tool path cutting the stock.
You can set the machining origin with the Alignment options so the g-code will be aligned with a known point on the stock or model. Click Refresh after any changes also.

In the Surface operation :
Only two faces are selected, select all faces you wish the tool to cover.
Avoid Last X Faces has a value of '1' in it. This turns off the last (1) face so in effect the tool path is only going to look at first face. ( as path shows)

Attaching a file with all top visible faces selected, Avoid Last X Faces = 0, and Step over = 20% for better visual.( also better surface finish when run )

My job setup and overall design tree could be a lot better all around. All in all, like I said this was one part out of many that I had to separate to post up on the forum, so you guys aren't quite able to see the full scope of the job. All of the original origins and alignment is correct in my original document. I just pulled this one down and did a quick 3d Surface for the forum. Thank you for the feedback it is much appreciated. I think going forward I will be separating each part of the total model into their own file to make things easier. I am still curious why this copied model of the original worked with no issues and the original is on the struggle bus hahaha!

[StoneSA]

Thanks for the post, I'm a newbie and learning a lot from it. How did you get 3d surface, I only got 3d pocket with no drop down list?

Thanks

[StoneSA]

Apologies, a bit of reading and all sorted. Thanks

[andrecillo76]

Hello,

I'm having pretty much the same problem as KGB_Knives had. Some faces are not being considered by the 3D Surface module:

3dsurface.jpg (327.39 KiB) Viewed 593 times

I've tried a couple of things (face binder, created a shell, checked geometry, selected all faces, ...), but do not get it working right. Depending on what I made, different faces were missing. The shape was created over boolean operations based on an STP file. I would appreciate, if you could give me a hint on how to get it working.

Best regards,
Andrés