I tried the solution my boss posted yesterday, where I add a 2D contour toolpath before the tracing operation, and it worked!
My brother mentioned this, and I think he's right, where the problem arises from the G1-3 lines of code when it transitions between linear vs. arc milling types. From what I understand, the machine can read each position in the line of code in two basic ways. It can either move the machine to that location in a straight line, or it can give it a slight arc as it travels. For flat surfaces, you'd always want the point to point movement, but for more complicated features like cylinders, you'd want it to break up into small arcs to avoid facets on the side.
Looking through the code I ran through yesterday, I found it would keep switching between the linear (point to point) and arc as the tool moved along. By breaking the toolpath up and using a 2D contour, it was more advanced to use the proper movement style when necessary and stay consistent until that segment ended.
I also was able to run through the rest of the program, and I put the finishing touches on the final toolpaths before cutting it off. I also added chamfers to the edges to avoid sharp corners people could cut themselves on. The truck's underside isn't the greatest as the cut-off tool rubbed against the side of it, but my boss doesn't it'll be much of an issue after it gets anodized. Tomorrow I'll run through the whole program one again, this time without stopping it mid-way. And before running all the parts, he's going to send two out to get anodized, one right off the machine, and the other tumbled to compare to each other.
I've been enjoying using a lot more of the tool setting in Fusion and actually setting up each holder exactly like what I have in the machine. It's given me the ability to get a lot more tool rigidity than I normally would have by eye-balling it. I don't completely trust it with the really hard to reach areas, but it hasn't failed me yet and has saved me on more than one occasion!
