Specifications

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Southwestern Industries, Inc.
TRAK LPM Programming, Safety, & Operating Manual
Fin Cut: is the width of the finish cut. If 0 is input there will be no finish cut. See
Section 8.6.7 for a bottom finish cut.
RPM: is the spindle RPM for the event. INC SET will use the RPM of the previous
event.
FIN RPM: is the spindle RPM for the finish cut. Z Feedrate: is the Z feedrate from Z
rapid to Z end
XYZ Feedrate: is the milling feedrate in in/min from .1 to 800, or mm/min from 5 to
20320
Fin Feedrate: is the finish cut milling feedrate in in/min from .1 to 800, or mm/min from
5 to 20320
Tool #: is the tool number you assign
When the initial screen is complete, you will define the perimeter of the pocket with a
series of A.G.E. Mills and A.G.E. Arcs. Programming with the Auto Geometry Engine is
explained in Section 9.0.
No islands may exist in an irregular pocket.
8.6.4 Tool Path in Pocket Events
In Program Run, the pocket path will be either the plunge or zigzag cuts to Z depth along
either the X or Y, followed by the required number of cuts to clear out the interior
material, and then the rough cut along the inside of the perimeter. This will be repeated
for each pass and then followed by a finish pass (if FIN CUT was not zero) along the
inside of the perimeter at the Finish Feedrate and final depth. If a bottom finish cut was
programmed, it will be machined before the perimeter finish cut.
Whether the cuts to clear the interior material of the irregular pocket are along the X or
Y-axis depends on if there are hidden areas of the pocket. The ProtoTRAK PMX CNC
always looks to cut along the X-axis first. If there are areas that are hidden to the X-axis,
it will machine along the Y-axis. If there are hidden areas that cannot be machined
continuously in the X or Y-axis, the tool will return to Z retract and then reposition to
machine the hidden area.
8.6.5 Zigzag Z Depth Cuts
In programming pocket events, you have a choice to program the cuts to Z depth either as
a plunge or a zigzag ramp. For rectangular and circular pockets, the tool will start in the
center of the pocket. For irregular pockets, since there is no center defined, the tool will
start in the lower left corner of the pocket. The direction of the ramp will be the same as
the initial direction in either X or Y, depending on how the pocket is to be cut.
The tool will zigzag back and forth along the X or Y over a length of one tool radius
while at the same time moving in the Z direction. When it travels one tool radius along
this direction, it will have traveled a distance of ten percent of the tool diameter along the
Z. This works out to roughly ramping into the part at an angle of 11 degrees.