Milling a Profile in Raptor for Operation on Advantage-2

Raptor from Peddinghaus is the leading 3D CAD/CAM software helping fabricators program faster and more accurately than ever before. Setting up milling programs in Raptor for drill lines such as the Advantage-2 is easily achieved using the software interface.

Step one. Begin by creating a new part in Raptor and select the size of beam you will be processing. In this exercise we will be milling on a W18x175 beam. In this field, you can apply the part name. Hit ok. Also, make sure to choose the correct machine you will be operating. At the top of the list we are choosing the Advantage-2 also known as the PCDC.

STEP 2. Now that you’ve created a new part, setting up your Raptor program accurately will ensure smooth operations when you decide to output the file to the machine. The goal of this exercise is to mill a slot that is one and a half inches in diameter and four inches long. Let’s take a look at our tooling. Raptor will automatically instruct the machine to drill a pilot hole before milling. So this what we will set up first. Open up the tooling options by selecting the icon located here. As you see in the first field we will select the diameter of our drill bit. From here, make sure you select the type of tool, the speeds and feeds, length of tooling and holder dimensions. Make sure to reference your manufacturer’s specifications for the most accurate tooling settings.

Now that the drill bit is in place we can add our milling tool. This process is the same as what we just completed. Set the diameter of the mill to three quarter inch, and make sure that type is set to mill. From here we will specify the speed and feed, the length of tooling, and holder dimensions. We recommend using Peddinghaus tooling. Please contact our consumables department for the speeds and feeds of the milling tools. Otherwise, contact your tooling supplier.

Click the x button to close the tooling options menu and return to the main screen. As you noticed when we selected the Advantage-2 for our machine, Raptor revealed the three, five station tool changers at the bottom of the screen. Simply double click on the desired station and add your tooling. We now have the proper tooling to process milling on our beam.

Step three. Because Raptor allows setup for specific machine configurations, select the gear icon shown here. Since we will be milling, click the slots tab to the right. You have the options such as drill and mill clearance, milling in two passes, or step milling in specified intervals. For a three quarter inch milling tool, a quarter inch step milling process is preferred. You can also edit the direction of the milling tool. The preferred direction is counter clock wise for the web and the top and bottom flange, which may be different from the manufacturer’s specifications. These options can aid in preventing Raptor from selecting the wrong tooling when you have all five stations of the tool changer occupied. Drill clearance is the distance between the pilot hole and the edge of the milled slot. Mill clearance is the distance between the mill tool and the pilot hole edge.

Step four. We are now ready to program our milled slot. In the menu below your 3D render of the beam, select the holes single tab. In these fields we can specify all the parameters for our slot. Remember, you don’t need to program a pilot hole, Raptor will instruct the machine to drill that first without your direction. The tooling we previously set up is what helps accomplish this task. Click the first row and select which surface of the beam you will be milling. W is for web. Raptor automatically selects the reference location. We need to apply the absolute x dimension, the y axis distance known as gage. The absolute x dimension and gage are the measurements to the center of the slot. Selecting oval for our type, setting our diameter to one and a half inches, our length to four inches and setting the angle which is the direction of the mill. Hit ok.

You are now ready to add more processes to your beam or create your cnc and export to the machine. Always remember that setting up your program properly is important for successful machine operations. It saves time spent trouble shooting issues and speeds up production. If you have any other questions or concerns please contact our 24 hour customer support.