I’m continuing to optimize some of my tool pathing to increase efficiency, and I’m running into an issue where CC appears to only want to cut objects rather than a single line path.
In this example, I have two similar parts. Rather than contour cutting around both objects separately I would like to make a single cut in the center as shown. The ideal cut path style would result in almost a figure eight pattern - if that makes sense.
If this isn’t possible in CC - is there another software program (ideally free!) that I can draw this up in and export over the g-code? Or is this a limitation of CNC routers?
Hey Tod,
Interesting approach! When I move the nodes back and join the vectors I’m still ending up with a double line that forms (it’s hard to see without fully zooming in, but the cut time remains the same when I use your method vs. doing full contour parameter’s of two of them independently). Either I’m doing something wrong or CC really doesn’t like single lines like this.
Don’t do contour passes which are slots just as narrow as the tool.
Place the two parts separated by endmill diameter plus 10% and then offset around the two parts by endmill diameter plus 10% and cut as a pocket down to tab height or the penultimate pass:
Hmm, I might be missing something then - when I snap the nodes back together it stays pink and considers it to be open.
/Edit: Wait, I’m confused. It does allow me to assign a toolpath for this open object. I feel even more dumb now - all this time I assumed that if an open object was pink that toolpaths couldn’t be assigned. This completely solves my problem. Thanks for the help Tod!
