Deep pockets with tight radius corners are a real headache. Imagine a 2″ deep pocket that needs 1/8″ radius corners. The biggest end mill that can get in the is 1/4″. But with a 2″ deep pocket, you’re facing an end mill with an 8:1 length to diameter ratio. It’s going to want to deflect like crazy, so you’ll have to go super slow to get it done. Plus, a smaller cutter is going to have to go slow everywhere else in the pocket. The bigger the pocket, the longer this will all take.

This article is in reference to a previous article and class from Autodesk University related to surface finish.

Toolpaths are the heart of computer aided manufacturing (CAM), and by association, incredibly important to CNC machining. But, toolpaths are more than just the pattern tools make to cut your parts.