SOLIDWORKS
DFMXpress – Mill Rules Overview
Are
your manufacturability issues bringing down your profits?
If
yes, then look no further. DFMXpress, an integrated feature in
SolidWorks is engineered to guide the designer on the problems faced
during the manufacturing process. It automates the design process
through a set of rules-based checks thereby accelerating and
improving the entire design through manufacturability procedure.
In
our earlier article we discussed on the drilled hole checks
functionality in DFMXpress. In this, we shall explain you in detail
on the Mill rules.
MILL RULES
1.
DEEP POCKETS AND SLOTS
Deep,
narrow slots are difficult to machine. The long, slender end mills
required to machine them are prone to chatter, which makes tighter
tolerances difficult to achieve. Deep slots also make chip removal
more difficult if the slot is blind.
Avoid long corners
with long radii.
Design milled areas so
that the end mill length-to-diameter ratio is no greater than 3:1.
2.
INACCESSIBLE FEATURES
Features
should be easily accessible for machining in the required direction.
Inaccessible features require special cutters or machining
techniques.
3.
SHARP INTERNAL CORNERS
Sharp
inside corners cannot be achieved with traditional milling and
require non-traditional machining processes such as electrical
discharge machining (EDM).
When designing a
three-edge inside corner, one of the inside edges must have the
radius of the end mill. A generous corner radius can accommodate a
larger milling cutter, which is preferred. Use the radii recommended
by fabrication personnel to ensure that tools are easily obtained
and maintained.
If sharp corners
cannot be avoided, drill a separate relief hole to allow a male
ninety-degree corner to fit. Drill the hole first because drills
cannot withstand significant side loading.
4.
FILLETS ON OUTSIDE EDGES
For
outside corners, chamfers are preferred to fillets. An outside fillet
requires a form-relieved cutter and a precise setup, both of which
are expensive. Blending of fillets into existing surfaces is
expensive to manufacture, even with ball end mill.
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