Milling Machine Setup

Introduction

This topic will explain the Machine Setup, and all the item found in its context menu. This topic will also provide links to related topics.

The Machine Setup

Right-click Machine Setup to open a shortcut menu with the following commands. These include commands for modifying the machine setup and adding milling features, index systems, and wrapping groups.

 

Machine Setup      >> - The flyout for the Machine Setup will allow you to view the Setup Origin location, and view or change the Clearance, and Work Offset values.

 

    • Edit - opens the Machine Setup dialog in the Data Entry Manager for you to modify the current machining origin, work offset, and clearance plane values.

    • Work Offset Pattern - opens the Work Offset Pattern dialog to allow you to create patterns of the existing Machine Setup to be output with different work offsets.

    • Hole Recognition - opens the Hole Recognition dialog to allow you to select a Knowledge Base template, select your geometry, and have your hole features identified and created based on the rules in your selected template.

    • Mill Drill Hole- opens the Hole Wizard for you to create a Drill Hole feature. This handles drilling with the available operations: Center Drill, Drill, Chamfer Drill, Chamfer Mill, Ream, and Bore.

    • Mill Tap Hole - opens the Hole Wizard for you to create a Tap Hole feature. This handles tapping with the available operations: Center Drill, Drill, Chamfer Drill, Chamfer Mill, Ream, Bore, Tap and Rolling Tap.

    • Mill Counterbore Hole- opens the Hole Wizard for you to create a Counterbore Hole feature. This handles counterbore hole drilling with the available operations: Center Drill, Drill, Chamfer Drill, Chamfer Mill, Ream, Counterbore Drill, and Counterbore Mill.

    • Mill Counterbore Tap Hole - opens the Hole Wizard for you to create a Counterbore Tap Hole feature. This handles counterbore hole tapping with the available operations: Center Drill, Drill, Tap, Rolling Tap Chamfer Drill, Chamfer Mill, Ream, Counterbore Drill, and Counterbore Mill.

    • Mill Facing - opens the Mill Facing Wizard for you to create a Facing feature. This handles 2-axis machining with the available operation: Facing. See the Mill Facing Feature Overview for more information.

    • Mill 2 Axis - opens the 2 Axis Wizard for you to create a 2 Axis feature. This handles 2-axis machining with the available operations: Profile Rough, Profile Finish, Pocket, Facing, Engraving, Chamfer Mill, and Plunge Rough. See the Mill 2 Axis Feature Overview for more information.

    • Mill 3 Axis - opens the 3 Axis Wizard for you to create a 3 Axis feature. This handles 3-axis machining with the available operations: Z Level Rough, Z Level Finish, Planar, Spiral, Radial, Plunge Rough, Advanced Rough, Flatlands, Equidistant, and Pencil. See the Mill 3 Axis Feature Overview for more information.

    • Mill 4 Axis Rotary - opens the 4 Axis Rotary Wizard for you to create a 4 Axis Rotary feature. This handles simultaneous 4-axis rotary machining with the available operation: 4 Axis Rotary. See the Mill 4 Axis Rotary Feature Overview for more information.

    • Mill Multiaxis - opens the Multiaxis Wizard for you to create a Multiaxis feature. This handles multiaxis machining up to 5-axis output with the following toolpath types: Wireframe, Multiaxis Roughing, Swarf and the surface-based paths Parallel Cuts, Cuts Along Curve, Morph Between 2 Curves, Parallel to Multiple Curves, Project Curves, Morph Between 2 Surfaces, and Parallel to Surface. See the Mill Multiaxis Feature Overview for more information.

    • Mill Thread - opens the Mill Thread Wizard for you to create a Mill Thread feature. This handles mill threading with the available operations: Center Drill, Drill, Chamfer Drill, Chamfer Mill, Ream, Bore, Pocket, and Profile.

    • Mill 3 Axis Wireframe - opens the 3 Axis Wizard for you to create a 3 Axis Wireframe feature. This handles 3D engraving with the available operations: 3D Engrave Rough and 3D Engrave Finish.

    • V-Carve - opens the V-Carve Wizard for you to create a V-Carve feature. This handles tapered pocketing and V-tool carving using the available operations: Tapered Pocket and V-Carve Finish.

    • Additional Functions - point to this menu item to view the following commands.

      • Update All Geometries - Updates all geometry associated in the CAM Tree.

      • Compute All Toolpath - computes the operations of all features contained in the Machine Setup.

      • Add Group - adds a folder to your CAM Tree. Drag and drop features into the folder to save space in the CAM Tree and have the control to set Add Toolpath Pattern, Post All Yes/No and Blank/Unblank Toolpath options on all features inside of the folder at one time. Groups can also be added to Index Systems, Wrapping Groups, and be nested in other Groups.

      • Add Index - adds an Index System to the Machine Setup.

      • Add Wrapping Group - adds a Wrapping Group to the tree for you to use Drilling, 2-Axis, and 3-Axis features to create 4-axis machining.

      • Add Toolpath Pattern - adds a Toolpath Pattern to the selected machine setup. When added from this location, the defined pattern is applied to all of the features in the machine setup.

      • Insert Setup - inserts another Machine Setup into the CAM Tree.

      • Delete Setup - removes a Machine Setup from the tree when there is more than one.

      • Delete All Features - removes all milling features in the Machine Setup.

      • Collapse Items - collapses the child items of the Machine Setup. This is the same as clicking the minus sign () next to all child items.

      • Expand Items - expands the child items of the Machine Setup. This is the same as clicking the plus sign () next to all child items.

    • Load Feature - allows you to locate and add a previously saved milling feature to the tree.

    • Paste Feature - is used to paste a copied feature to the Machine Setup after the last feature.

    • Post All Yes/No - sets all toolpaths in the Machine Setup to post or not post in the NC program.

    • Blank/Unblank Toolpath - allows you to hide or show all toolpaths in the Machine Setup.

    • Rename - enables editing of the Machine Setup name in the CAM Tree. Type the new name for the setup.

Feature Modification

To learn about the feature that is added to the job after finishing the wizard, view Milling Features in the CAM Tree.

Related Topics

The CAM Overview

The Milling Job

Defining the Machine Setup

How to Create Multiple Machine Setups

Work Offsets for Multiple Vices

Work Offsets for Tombstones

Next Topic

Click here to go to the Milling Features Overview topic.