How do I set up rotary machining in VCarve Pro & Aspire?
Updated Oct 13, 20263 min readVCarve Pro & Aspire7 steps
Overview
Rotary machining in VCarve Pro and Aspire wraps flat 2D and 3D toolpaths around a cylinder, so a CNC with a rotary axis or indexer can cut turned columns, cylindrical signs, spindles and round carvings. The software only wraps flat toolpaths. It does not do true 4-axis or indexed machining, and wrapping works with specially configured post-processors that replace either the X or Y moves with angular moves.
Setting Up a Rotary Job
Create a Rotary Job
Go to File > New and select Rotary under Job Type.
Set dimensions
- Diameter: The diameter of your blank cylinder
- Length: The length of the machinable area (not the full blank, so account for chuck grip and tailstock)
- Z Zero: Set to Cylinder Axis (strongly recommended for accuracy and consistency) or Material Surface. The center of the cylinder stays constant even if the diameter is uneven or the blank is not perfectly centered in the chuck.
Set rotary axis orientation
Choose Along X Axis or Along Y Axis to match your machine's physical setup. With Along X Axis, X is the movement along the cylinder and Y is the angle around the cylinder. With Along Y Axis, Y is the movement along the cylinder and X is the angle around it.
Account for chuck and tailstock
Leave material in the chuck and tailstock areas, because your machinable length is shorter than the actual blank. Add tabs or extra material at both ends so you can cut the piece free after machining. The software assumes a perfect cylinder of exactly the diameter you entered, so machine a square or uneven blank round first.
Design or import your 2D vectors
Design in 2D as normal. The 2D view represents the unwrapped cylinder surface.
Create toolpaths
Standard 2D toolpaths (Profile, Pocket, V-Carve, Texture) work on rotary jobs and are wrapped when the file is saved with a wrapping post-processor. For full 3D rotary work, use the 3D Roughing and 3D Finishing toolpaths.
Save with the correct rotary post-processor
Use the wrapped post-processor that matches your controller and the axis your rotary sits along, not the standard flat post-processor.
Pro Tips
- Turn on the Auto Wrapping mode to see the toolpaths wrapped around the cylinder in the 3D view before cutting. The wrapped simulation may not be a 100% accurate representation. For example, drilled holes may appear as distorted ovals in the simulation, but they will be round holes in the real part.
- Always do an air-cut test first, because rotary crashes are expensive.
- Confirm with your machine maker which axis letter the rotary uses and which wrapped post-processor to pick.
Sources and further reading
Job Setup - Rotarythe software maker's documentation (opens in a new tab)10. Advancedthe software maker's documentation (opens in a new tab)Still stuck? Ask the community
Ask in your own words. Vector answers first, from the guides. If that does not cover it, post it to members and the shop from there.