TOOLPATH EXAMPLE · 3-AXIS MILLING

A simple pocket, from path to price.

6061-T6 aluminum · 100 × 60 × 12 mm blank · 60 × 30 × 6 mm pocket

EXAMPLE 01One pocket. One setup.

Building toolpath preview

3m 44s / 3m 44sPlayback speed

Visible depth

Show travelPath complete

Helical entryPocket clearingWall contourApproach & retract

Make the assumptions yours

Example 3-axis mill · max 10,000 rpm

900 mm/minRPM × flutes × feed per tooth

Spindle speedrpmFlutescountFeed per toothmmDepth per passmmStepover% of ØMaximum ramp angledegreesRamp feed% of feedRapid traversemm/minAccelerationmm/s²Clearance above blankmm

Planning feeds for aluminum. Raster entry includes full-width cuts; verify the tool maker’s slotting and ramp limits.

Calculated toolpath time3m 44s3m 34s at constant commanded feed

Per part, with allowances5m 41s+ load, spindle / tool change, deburr / inspect

Cutter-center travel2.86 m3 depth passes · 11 raster lanes / pass

Where the time goes

Distance from geometry; speed from your inputs.

Operation	Distance	Per part
Helical entry	226 mm	0m 43s
Pocket clearing	1914 mm	2m 13s
Wall contour	614 mm	0m 43s
Approach & retract	107 mm	0m 05s
Load / unload allowance	—	0m 45s
Tool change / spindle allowance	—	0m 12s
Deburr / inspect allowance	—	1m 00s

How motion is timed

Each line uses its length; arcs and helices use their true curved length. Time includes acceleration and deceleration to a stop at each logical move. Circular feed is capped by the entered acceleration and radius.

This assumes exact stops, a scalar acceleration limit and no controller look-ahead. The constant-feed figure excludes those effects. Neither figure is a measured machine cycle.

One part or a thousand

30 min setup + 20 min programming, once per batch.

Quantity	Setup & program / part	Unit price	Order total
1	$93.33	$149.07	$149.07
5	$18.67	$49.52	$247.60
10	$9.33	$37.07	$370.70
100	$0.93	$25.87	$2,587.00
1,000	$0.09	$24.75	$24,750.00

Example cost of one part, in a batch of 10

Prepared blank: $6.50
Machine occupancy: $5.85
Operator + deburr / inspect: $5.21
Tool wear: $0.91
Setup + programming allocation: $9.33
Cost before 25% gross margin: $27.80

Price = cost ÷ (1 − margin). Same process at every quantity; no pallet, multiple-part fixture or automation savings assumed.

Scope of this first example. The blank is already square and faced. This plans a pocket with 6 mm corner radii and removes 10.61 cm³. No outside profiling, holes or threads. There is no stock-removal simulation, fixture / holder collision check, tolerance allowance, tool-life validation or executable machine code. Prices exclude scrap, coatings, freight and tax. Shop review and a CAM or machine-time comparison are the next validation step.