Does anyone else experience seeing toolpath times in create be much shorter than the run time once you run the job in carbide motion? Today I had total toolpath times of 5hrs13mins showing in carbide create and once I started the job in carbide motion time remaining started at 6 and half hours. I can understand a slight difference but that seems substantial and I run into that with every project.
Also, is there a way to have carbide motion display how long the current tool will be in use? For example, I have a 1/4" endmill running now and based on the time carbide create said it would take and the overall time carbide motion says it will take, I have no idea when this current cut sequence will be done. If that is not a setting that is available in carbide motion, it would be a very handy addition to the software so if you’re busy doing something else in your shop, you have an idea of when to make a tool change on the cnc.
The cutting times in both are approximate. I think the F&S are calculated but not retracts or any other things that are not actually cutting like changing bits etc. I always take it with a grain of salt and know that the actual cutting time is longer than what is advertised. This has been going on since CC3.
I think CC takes the length of each path and divides by the feed rate for said path and that’s how it comes up with the time it will take for each cut. CC does take into account retract height, I had a project with a 1/4" retract and lowered it to 1/16" and that dramatically reduced the estimated cut time.
What CC doesn’t take into account is that the machine can’t accelerate for 0 to 90 IPM instantly. If you had a car that could accelerate to 200 mph, but every 1/8 of a mile it has to stop and make a 90 degree turn it would take longer to go a full mile versus the same car in a straight line. Just my theory.
If you’re looking at long cut times try reducing the retract height in the setup menu, and try bumping up plunge rates.
CC does calculate retracts, or anything at a cut feedrate. I think it misses rapid motion, or calculates rapid at such a high feedrate that it’s insignificant in the result.
CC calculates based on the computed toolpath.
CM calculates based on actual motion in the G-code. Not sure if it uses the max feedrate for rapids.
I’m pretty certain neither one considers acceleration/deceleration.
Thanks guys! Any chance CM incorporates the remaining time for the tool currently cutting? Would be great addition to the program to time tool changes.
I reduced the retract height and that helped some with the longer CM time. Just make sure you don’t need the higher clearance if any part of your project should be above the top of the stock you are cutting (A low traveling tool will unceremoniously but sometimes dramatically still cut whatever is in it’s path).
