Face Mill | ProtoTRAK SMX CNC | Basic Programming 4

In Part 4 of our Basic Programming Series, TRAKing Pat demonstrates how to run a Face Mill program on the ProtoTRAK SMX Control.
The machine we used for this How-to video is the TRAK DPM SX5P Bed Mill.
Blended Two Lines: • Blended Two Lines | Pr...
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[@MrCNC]

great job Pat!

[@TRAKMachineTools]

I'll pass that alone, Mr. CNC! ~PK

[@legacyautofocus]

I have the SM Control, with the trak k3 mill. I want to do this program but I do not have the face mill option, I just checked.
I tried doing copy repeat, and sub repeat with a y-axis offset and it just does not do the correct zigzag tool path without overlapping and me having to delete look at the path and delete etc. I can do it by hand but that is 200+ lines of code, at that point I'll stand there and do it by hand.
Thanks.

[@jordankirby678]

Is there a way to have the direction of travel be rotated so its cutting along thr y-axis instead of the x-axis?

[@trakingpat2750]

Hi Jordan. On the SMX, you are stuck with the X-axis tool path. There is no option to change it. It should be noted that in the new RMX, you can cut any face mill or pocket at any angle you want. If you need to face a part in the Y-axis, the easiest way to do so is to just use a mill event and then use a repeat with your desired stepover and number of repeats. I hope this helps you! T.P.

[@monkeymojo073]

If I wanted to use single direction cutting (not zig zag) and wanted to take off .250 amount of material at .05 per pass and wanted the tool to rapid at .100 above part. How can I do that without cutting air at 2 passes?

[@trakingpat2750]

Dear MonkeyMojo, You would have to build a sequence of events to do exactly what you want because the SMX does not have the option of single directional face milling. First, I would use a milling event to cut from one side of the part to the other. I would set Z rapid to "0" and Z begin and end to -.05". I would then use a position event and set X&Y to "0 INC" with a Z rapid of .100" ABS to move the cutter above the part. Next, I would repeat these two events with an offset equal to the stepover amount you prefer. Add enough repeats to move all the way across the part. Next add another repeat of events 1 through 3 with a Z offset of -.05". Use 4 repeats and it will do exactly what you are asking for. There are really several ways to do this but this is the way you described it. Hope this helps! T.P.

[@monkeymojo073]

@@trakingpat2750 I apologize. I should have specified that I use the RMX controls. It does have single direction cutting with a rapid movement to the other side of part (want chips shooting away from face). My problem is the 1st cut starts from wherever the rapid position is.. I really don't want to rapid across the part at Z0 to get a full 1st cut. Thank you for the info though. I will try it next time.

[@monkeymojo073]

@@trakingpat2750 When I said "single direction" I mean "one way". Like the settings say.

[@derick3482]

can you demonstrate with some D2 material?

[@trakingpat2750]

Sure thing! As a note for everyone, the reason I use aluminum in most of my videos is so that I can cut without coolant. Are you concerned that it can't steel? What do you want to see? Any certain event types or just a face mill event again? Also, this video was made a while back when we were selling our SMX control on our DPM bed mills. We no longer make that product for our bed mills so from now on, you will see the DPM demos using our new RMX control. As for the cutting capability, it is no different. Please let me know what you want to see and we will put it in the que. Thank you! T.P.

[@shawaizliaqat2581]

How to change the language prototrak machine french to english please