I almost stood corrected ...
Making it a bit more clever it turned out 11 paths for the coarser ... and just the same for the finer grid.
Only 1 over the 'probably not reachable limit'.
A bit slower too is the disadvantage.
# Edit #
An optimized approach made it super fast compared with before.
Internally it is limited to a horizontal pattern what simplifies the algorithm a lot.
Merely the question of rotating everything before, process and rotate the results back.
Another advantage: ZigZag at any angle.
Conventional or climb milling for the ZigZag can not be specified. (White-Paper
)- Starting leftwards along a horizontal edge, it may end in the left or in the right direction at any opposed horizontal edge.
- Just the same if we start rightwards.
- Because it searches downwards it is somehow downwards at the leftmost and just the same at rightmost edges.
- Then somehow upwards for searching upwards ...
... Reaching the end of a path downwards it is of no use to start looking upwards as those things are processed.
The milling method of choice is more for the finishing pass(es) at 1/2 tool diameter offsets to the pocket edges.
Another misconception is that ZigZag pocketing will leave clean edges. (White-Paper
)Perhaps good enough for a minute Laser spot but not at all for any practical mill size.
# Edit #
All of this is now included in a crude beta testing phase:
- Multiple selected Hatch entities at once
- Patterned or solid Hatch
- As is or as per dialog options, already required for solid fills
- A default up to 2 finishing passes but it can also export the merged Zigzags only
- Finishing conventionally or climbing
- Rounding results as option + cleaning pass because of extra rounding arcs.
- Exports on dedicated solution layers
- Custom property with the order of things: Zigzag > (clean) > 1 - 3 finishing passes
- ...
I still have to poor this in a QCAD Addon tool.
And test it in a recent release ...
For the time being leave this topic unanswered ...
... you can contact me per PM.
Regards,
CVH