by spumco » Sun Mar 24, 2019 5:05 am
No, F360 is full 4th continuous.
As long as your 4th axis is fast enough to keep up with the x/y at the desired feed rate I don't think it matters whether it's a belt, worm, harmonic, cycloidal, or some combo.
In the video Gerry linked, first example, shows that his CAM was moving all the axis, including the rotary, at the same feedrate. Instead of 80IPM at the surface, he was getting 80 degrees/minute. Too slow.
I think that the new rotary axis feature in UCCNC does what the video Gerry posted accomplishes. UCCNC - and someone please correct me if I'm wrong - disregards the 4th axis when it calculates the X/Y/Z feedrate, but it still slows down the X/Y/Z feed so that you still get the desired tool path and everything moves as fast as possible -only restricted by the upper speed of the rotary axis. And without the G93 command.
The current UCCNC PP doesn't use G93/G94, but I'm sure you could modify it. Next time in in F360 I'll model up a quick continuous 4th toolpath and see what it puts out. I suspect it'll output the feedrate the same as in the video - in Fxx units. All of my 4th axis stuff so far has just been indexing, so all I've seen is G0 commands.
I'm curious to see how UCCNC will handle 4th axis moves where the X//Z feedrates are lower than the maximum A-axis speed. How does UCCNC know how fast to turn the rotary axis in relation to the A?