I am new to solidworks cam, though I have some experience with other CAM such as Fusion. I am struggling with the machinable features. They never seem to quite be what I need. Here is a copper part that has a "tab" on the end of the piece. It will hang off the edge of the vise and be machined. The closest operation I have been able to get to work includes a perimeter sweep of the part, which obviously wont work if its in the vise. My question is, how do I get solidworks to recognize this feature or how do I set up a milling operation that will just cut the end and not the perimeter? Thank you.
Also, insight on how to get it to recognize the rounded channel would be appreciated. I will be using a ball mill to cut the slot.
I would use the Open Profile feature for those items you listed
Add a new 2.5 axis feature, choose "Open Profile" as the type, select the bottom set of edges of the tab, set up to correct depth:
Should come out like this:
You can also drive these off sketches which is what I would do for the ball slot.
Created a quick sketch for the centerline of the slot and used that in an Open Profile feature.
Then you have to go into the Operation Parameters and turn off the Toolpath Compensation so it follows the centerline instead of offsetting to one side.
The automated feature recognition sometimes struggles with these type of features, creating your own features manually gives you more control and worst case, sketching the line you want the toolpath to follow yourself is the "nuclear" option
Attached part for reference but make sure to apply your own feedrates, look over the settings etc