How to Create a Toolpath Pattern - 2D Rotate

Introduction

This tutorial explains how to create a toolpath pattern using the 2D Rotate option. The example provided shows how to pattern multiple features together and rotate the pattern around a point.

Example Part

The BobCAD part file for this tutorial is available for download at: http://bobcad.com/helpfiles. If you are connected to the Internet, you can click the link provided to download and save the Toolpath Pattern 2D Rotate Example 1 BBCD.zip file. After extracting the zip file, you can open the file to follow along with this example. In the example file provided, the stock and Machine Setup are already defined for the part.

 

Part 1) Pattern the Features

In the example file provided, two features are already created with pocketing operations. One feature cuts the closed pocket shape. The second feature cuts the open pocket shape on the outside of the part. The geometry used for the second feature is placed on a separate layer named Open Pocket Geometry. Instead of creating a pattern for each feature separately, the following steps are used to pattern both (or all) features contained in the Machine Setup.

 

1. In the Data-CAM Tree Manager, click the CAM Tree tab.
   
   

2. In the CAM Tree, right-click Machine Setup, point to Additional Functions, and click Add Toolpath Pattern.
   
   When you add a toolpath pattern to a Machine Setup, all features in the Machine Setup are patterned.
   
   The features being patterned are shown next for reference.
   
   
   
   

3. In the ToolpathPattern dialog box, click Rotate, and click Next>>.
   
   

4. In the Rotate group, in the Angle box, type 90.00.
   
   This defines the amount of rotation applied to create each copy of the patterned features.
   
   
   
   

5. In the Copies box, set the value to 3.
   
   This creates three patterned copies of the original features.
   
   
   
   

6. In the Rotation Axis group, make sure that the Origin values are set to X0 Y0.
   
   This defines the center of rotation for the pattern based on the machining origin of the part (which is defined in the Machine Setup).
   
   For this example, the machining origin is at the top and center of the part.
   
   

7. At the bottom of the dialog box, click OK.
   
   The toolpath pattern is automatically calculated.
   
   The result is shown next.
   
   

Part 2) Simulate the Program

1. To simulate the program, in the Modules menu, click Simulation.
   
   After simulating, the stock model appears as shown next.
   
   
   
   

2. To close the simulation, in the Modules menu, click Exit Simulation.

 

 

This concludes the tutorial.

Related Topics

Toolpath Patterns