Should you use cutter compensation for wear adjustments or use cutter comp for tool diameter has probably been the longest running debate since the advent of CNCs. Over the years of programming, I have been on both sides of the fence debating cutter comp. Sometimes I do not even program cutter comp as an option; a task that is sometimes loved and hated by the operators, but each decision can have disastrous results.
What is cutter comp and why use it? Cutter comp is the ability for an operator to shift the distance of the tool from the programmed toolpath. Activating this machine ability allows the operator to make adjustments without needing a program rewritten as tooling wears. Even with CAD becoming the predominate method of programming, there is the option if and how to use cutter comp. When programming the toolpath each programmer must make the decision on how to use cutter comp.
Each method has benefits and of course disadvantages. Programming as a wear adjustment is the most common technique and second nature in CAD. The tool path is shifted a radial amount, and the wear values should start at zero and be changed a very small amount as a tool wears. Using the wear adjustment for tool paths is operator friendly and prevents the heartache of a machine crash from a forgetful operator, but it also places limitations on tooling available to be used.
Programming for cutter comp to be a tool diameter is when the cutter path is made with no shift from the tool path. When running this type of program, the tool radial amount must be entered by the operator. The advantage of this technique is the option to use whatever tooling is available and not bound to a specific tool. This can be very advantageous is smaller companies which rely on using whatever is available. The downside is that the operator must change the tool radial value for each tool used and can be easily overlooked in the hectic stress-fueled environment of machining.
Both methods will produce parts, and both are acceptable techniques to use. Smaller shops with limited tooling available should program to use any tools available. Larger shops with larger budgets should program cutter comp as only wear offsets. At the end of the day, the goal is to produce quality parts and not crash a machine. Operators can adapt to either method and whichever is chosen must be adhered to. Mixing both together is the worst possibility and should be avoided.
Good post!