Recommended toolpaths: Pocket, Radial, Scallop, Geodesic, Multi-axis finishing, Morphed spiral

You must rough with a ball mill before finishing.

This could be machined in 3 axis but try to avoid using the tool tip for better surface finish and tool life.

Toolpaths that have an option for “lead and lean” or “avoid tool tip” or “cut at fixed point on tool” are best. Defining 5 axis motion by point or curve is possible but more complicated.

The semi-sphere at the bottom is quite small, make sure the tool doesn’t plunge.

Try not to let the ball mill touch the flat areas.

Recommended toolpaths: Pocket Clearing, Adaptive Clearing, Scallop, Geodesic, Multi-Axis Finishing, Morphed Spiral

Try to avoid using the tool tip, you could use settings like “slope” or “lead and lean” or “avoid tool tip” or “cut at fixed point on tool”.

Recommended toolpaths: Rotary Pocket, Rotary Parallel, Rotary Contour

This cone is at a 10-degree angle, and in some toolpaths you can fix the tilt of the B axis to match the feature you are machining.

Try to do rotary roughing rather than multiple tool orientations.

Smaller stepovers and multiple passes can improve surface finish. The "5 axis" engraving will make the floor surface rough, but repeating the finishing pass can smooth it over.

Recommended toolpaths: Multi Axis Contour, Trace, Engrave

Engrave 5 axis on the side of the cone.

Multi Axis Contour is best because you can do all the text in one operation. For Trace or Engrave you have to do 3+2 machining on each letter separately. 4th axis wrap doesn't work because the surface is a cone not a cylinder.

For Multi Axis Contour you have to model your engraving tool with a non-zero tip radius (0.3mm is a common tip radius). If you model a sharp engraving tool it creates an error that Stepover is smaller than the Tolerance.

To make the tool engrave deeper into the surface you must use a negative axial stock to leave on the model (under Avoid/Machine Surfaces in the Geometry tab) AND use a negative Axial Offset (in the Passes tab). The engraving depth will be limited by the smaller of the two, so make them the same number.

Engraving leaves a rough surface texture, to make it smooth you can repeat your floor finishing pass on the surface of the cone.

Recommended toolpaths: Advanced Swarf (Don’t try swarf it just doesn’t have enough control options)

Two of the bottom curves are swept flat profiles, so you can use the side of a flat endmill to cut them.

They are on opposite sides of the part so instead of using 2 tool paths you can use one and a rotary pattern.

Use axial offset to make the tool cut deeper than the edge of the contour. Make the axial offset large enough that the tool doesn’t cut on the tip.

Use “multiple passes” to do stepovers. When working out your stepovers you can simulate to find out how much stock is left from your roughing operation. Don’t use “multiple depths” it leaves lines on your part.

If you are having collision problems the useful settings to look at are “tool axis on extensions”, “cutting mode”, “synchronisation mode”, “minimise rotary motion”, “manual synchronisation”, “check for gouges”, “keep initial orientation”, “flip tool”. You can also change how you defined the swarf, adding more information like “guide curves”, “adjacent surfaces”, and “floor surfaces” is helpful.

You might need the long tool holder to cut these.

It can be helpful to cut the stock connecting it to the collet down below the swarf surfaces to avoid large tool loads and plunges.

Recommended toolpaths: Blend, Flow, Morph, Multi Axis Finishing

The final feature on the bottom is a swept circular profile. So it has to be milled with the 6mm ball mill.

Avoid using the tool tip and try to machine upwards rather than downwards. Machining upwards helps avoid the tool tip.

Try to use lead and lean.

Tool axis limits and collision avoidance are helpful.

Do a clearing pass with the ball mill before finishing