Rocker Arm help

B3RE said

I agree, and when I said a single pass, I was referring to no stepover. I have a CNC machining and programming background myself, and a second spring cut would be needed to give a nice consistent finish. Interpolation will work, but they aren't going to make 20 passes on one stand to make the correct radius with a smaller tool. It just isn't practical, or cost effective.

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The time would be very similar. With a highspeed machining center you can make 20 or more passes with a proper constant chip load that wont wear the tool as quickly, chatter or rub like a large cutter in the same amount of time with more precision and adjustability. In addition to the adjustability the cost of the smaller cutter is much less. Precision carbide cutters aren't cheap, constant chip load is the key to optimum cutter life. With a full size tool using single roughing pass and spring pass process your only option to adjust the size would be a new cutter. Not to mention the high likelihood of deflection on the roughing pass.

The optimum way to finish the saddle may be to develop a process to bore or hone the saddles from a rotating axis through the center of radius being cut. I am just not sure the gain would justify the challenges, cost and risks associated with a process like that.