Running into a dilemma…
I have no trouble ending up with an accurate finished part with really tricky features.
BUT…BUT I can’t figure how to quickly develop a roughing strategy. I’m always doing short run items so I don’t have many opportunities to be hogging out material repeatedly. So, when I get a 1pc job that needs a lot of material removed, I’m very slow.
To a point, where I’m getting micromanaged… on roughing.
I’m inclined to be safe and prioritize process stability over Material removal rate. For example in HEM, Instead of doing 10% stepovers, i’ll do 6%. In turning, I’ll keep DOC down on the bottom left end of recommended specs instead of burying past the insert radius. I don’t get off on huge MRR like others, my moment of glory is hitting incredible tolerances on a difficult design/material.
What really scares me is… that a mistake in roughing parameters comes with bigger risk than just “tighten the bolt until it loosens up and quarter turn back”. It’s the part becoming a projectile/scrap, machine damage, and at worst an injury. Lathe work where I have only a fraction to hold onto and inches of material to remove…
How have you developed a ‘sense’ for how aggressively you can rough?
Yeah it’s tough. There’s no good rule of thumb you’ll just have to push it till it fails sometimes. Careful is always better but it’s also slow. Just remember a vice tightened normally is several thousand pounds of clamping force.