Engagement milling using circularly shaped tool passes

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having an executable program stored thereon, wherein the program instructs a computer to generate a tool path for milling a region of a workpiece, the region having a first side meeting a first end of a second side and first end of a third side at respective ends of the first side, the method comprising the steps of:

• determining, using the computer, a radius of curvature and a center of each of a succession of circularly shaped tool passes, each successive tool pass advancing into the region from the first side of the region, wherein the radius of curvature and the center of each advancing tool pass is determined such that an engagement of a milling cutter following the tool path does not exceed a predetermined value of cutter engagement, and
• generating instructions for controlling the milling cutter to mill the region in accordance with the generated tool path.

A machine for generating a tool path for milling a region of a workpiece, the region having a first side meeting a first end of a second side and first end of a third side at respective ends of the first side, comprising:

• a computer coupled to a memory, wherein the computer is programmed to generate the tool path by the steps of:
• determining, using the computer, a radius of curvature and a center of each of a succession of circularly shaped tool passes, each successive tool pass advancing into the region from the first side of the region, wherein the radius of curvature and the center of each advancing tool pass is determined such that an engagement of a milling cutter following the tool path does not exceed a predetermined value of cutter engagement, and
• generating instructions for controlling the milling cutter to mill the region in accordance with the generated tool path.