Trying to mill vertically with Kuka & SprutCAM, having NO luck

ARRRGH! I have successfully milled several pockets using SprutCAM on a flat surface with my workpiece laying flat on a table, but trying to mill on a vertical face is driving me just bat-s**t INSANE!

I've attached some pics; the first is what I want my setup to do (minus the rotary table). The other shots show how I've oriented my toolhead in SprutCAM to what should be the right orientation. Whenever I try and run a toolpath on a vertical surface, I get all sorts of crazy incorrect results, from the toolhead tracing an arc in space without going near the part, to that goofy orientation where the arm "uprights itself" and causes collisions.

I have tried everything I can think of, including changing the "approach" so that the robot is in the correct position at one point (immediately after leaving the "home position), but then it insists on turning axes five and six so that the whole thing is inverted from where it started.

I have also tried changing the workpiece CS, but there's gotta be some combination of all these settings that I just haven't stumbled upon yet.

I'd really rather not build an entire new setup for my toolhead, especially when that first image shows that the setup should operate in the configuration I want. Anyone out there know the answer to this? I don't think what I want is outside of the robot's reach...but then again I am a rookie. Thanks for any help

Wow...thanks for the help! I've tried to reply twice now and have gotten the "Wait...more replies have been posted" message

The workpiece is +1800 mm from the robot, so it still has to reach outward...I don' t think it's too close. I did try turning the piece on its side (as opposed to standing it up), and it machines fine (duh...guess I shoulda tried that )

I do have the "axis optimizer" option, I thought I had played with that earlier without any positive results, I will look at that in more depth.

Skyfyre, I will investigate your suggestion more thoroughly tomorrow.

Thanks again, progess is fun!

Thanks!

I did look at the optimizer briefly....the window opens, but I'm not convinced I have the actual functionality, as nothing I did affected anything....kinda water under the bridge at this point, as I went home and tried it. I've been using the default Kuka 150-180-210, etc. robot model at home, and I noticed that the tool CS is different than how I have my specific robot set-up at the shop. I was able to successfully simulate the milling on the side I wanted! Thanks for the continued help!