I’d like to suggest an alternative to the default pocketing toolpaths. I would suggest that you offer the ability to cut one narrow but deep pocket, and then use shear cuts at full depth with the side of the bit. Our bits do extremely well in this configuration with a modest stepover, taking advantage of the full length of the bit and yielding cleaner cuts, and they are designed to be used this way.
Easel obviously now defaults to cutting away shapes or pockets through repetitive but shallow passes over and over. This uses only the side of the first 1/8” or 1/4” of the tip of the bit. The end of the end mill is only cutting at the beginning of a cut as it plunges.
So the new option would essentially drill out a pilot hole larger than the bit, and then take repetitive cuts at full depth but with a 10-20% stepover, using much more of the flutes through each cut.
Example, cutting out a 2” x 2” square to a depth of 1”, with a 2” long, 1/4” bit:
Current default - the bit plunges .125” and “draws” the square, probably with about a 20-40% stepover. Repeats 8 times, plus a finishing pass for nine total passes. Each pass uses 1/16th of the bit’s cutting capacity, not accounting for the lost capacity due to stepover percentage.
Suggested - the bit plunges into the material in a spiral, creating a .375” wide circle, cut at full depth. The bit then runs a path at full depth, enlarging the initial circle using a 20% stepover, plus one finishing pass. In this configuration, each pass uses 50% of the bit’s cutting capacity.
Advantages are using the full cutting ability of the bit, cleaner cuts, less time running the jobs.