We just got a contract for a few different sets of parts today, and I'm really excited to build on my template library!
These pieces will be made in Delrin, and while building the toolpath template library, I also want to build a set of tools specifically for cutting this plastic, along with specific stepdowns and feed engagements. Fusion360 has actually got quite a bit built around making tool templates, and I think building an almost automatic system isn't all that complex. It will just take a lot of time and energy to do.
Since this project will be in Delrin, I will be making the parts differently compared to working with metal. These parts have the majority of the features on one side, and minimal work needs to be done on the other, so I will be able to use double-sided tape and pins for holding and locating my work.
In the picture above, you can see how I set up my workpiece, taking advantage of the manufacturers modeling workspace and setup my stock there; this allows me to have a mostly clutter-free design space where I keep the 3D model separate from my CAM work, which sometimes involves external geometry references. I set up one set of the parts in a line, one in front of the other with as little space between them as I could get a 1/8" endmill through while still leaving room to clean them up. I've got a considerable margin on either end of the row of parts I will use to drill location holes. This piece plans to cut the first side's surface (to break the tension) and then do the bare minimum work. When I flip it over (using two pins at either end to keep it in the same spot), I will finish each piece and cut them out from each other. Doing it this way gives me a way to locate each piece while getting the most rigidity.