How to Create a Toolpath Pattern - Array

Introduction

This tutorial explains how to create a toolpath pattern using the Array option. The example provided shows how to pattern an individual feature and how to pattern multiple features together using a single toolpath pattern.

Example Part

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

Part 1) Pattern the First Feature

In the example file provided, two 2 Axis features with pocket and profile operations are already created. The following steps are used to pattern each feature.

In the CAM Tree Manager, click the CAM Tree tab.
Under Machine Setup, right-click 1st Pocket and click Add Toolpath Pattern.

The feature being patterned is shown next for reference.

In the Toolpath Pattern dialog box, with Array selected, click Next>>.

In the X Direction group, in the Distance box, type 5.250.

This defines the distance between each feature along the X-axis of the machining origin (coordinate system).

The following image shows the distance measured from the center of each pocket. You can use any reference point that you have to measure the distance, as long as the same reference point is used in each pocket.

In the Copies box, type 2.

This creates two copies of the feature along the X-axis.

In the Y Direction box, type 3.375.

This defines the distance between each feature along the Y-axis of the machining origin (coordinate system).

The following image shows the distance measured using the center of each pocket.

In the Copies box, type 2.

This creates two copies of the feature along the Y-axis.

To compute the toolpath pattern, click OK.

Because 2 copies are made along the X-axis and 2 copies are made along the Y-axis, there are a total of 9 pockets created (including the original feature).

Part 2) Pattern the Second Feature

To hide the first feature and the toolpath pattern, in the CAM Tree, right-click 1st Pocket, and click Blank/Unblank Toolpath.

Right-click 2nd Pocket and click Add Toolpath Pattern.

The feature being patterned is shown next for reference.

With Array selected, click Next>>.

In the X Direction group, in the Distance box, type 5.250.

In the Copies box, type 2.
In the Y Direction box, type 3.375.

In the Copies box, type 2.
Click OK.

Part 3) Modify a Patterned Feature

The last pocket feature contains a single-depth cut. The next part is to add multiple depths to the feature. After modifying the feature, you can see that the toolpath pattern is automatically updated to include the results.

In the CAM Tree, right-click 2nd Pocket, and click Edit.
On the left side of the dialog box, under Pocket, click Parameters.
In the Depth group, click Multiple Steps.
Click Defined Depths.
In the Depth of Cut box, type 0.250.
Click Compute.

You can see that not only are the changes added to the feature, but they are also added to the pattern.

Part 4) Add a Hole Feature and Select Geometry

At this point in the example, all of pocketing for this part has been accomplished using two features and two toolpath patterns. The next part is to drill the four holes in each pocket.

In the CAM Tree, right-click Machine Setup, and click Mill Drill Hole.

The Mill Hole Wizard displays.

Under Geometry Selection, click Select Geometry.

In the Hole Selection Manager, under Point and Arc Usage, click Use As Top. This allows the software to automatically set the Top of Feature using the surface edges that we select.

Click to select the arcs (surface edges) of the lower-left pocket as shown next.

Continue selecting the top edge of each hole until all four are selected.

Be sure to select the surface edges and not the cylindrical faces.

Note that we are selecting the edges because we want the software to automatically detect the Diameter and Top of Feature and set these values in the wizard. We are going to adjust the Feature Depth manually, because the holes in the part model are deeper than we want the actual hole depth. Normally, we would just select the cylindrical surfaces of the model and allow the software to set the Feature Depth as well (in addition to the Top of Feature and Diameter).

To confirm the selections, click .
In the Geometry Parameters group, notice that the Diameter is automatically set.

To set the depth, under Geometry Parameters, change the Depth to 0.6250.

Click to clear the Through Hole check box. These holes are blind holes meaning they do not go through the entire part.

Click Next>>.

Part 5) Define the Hole Feature Parameters

Notice under Hole Groups, that the Top of Feature is automatically set based on settings and selections (-0.375). Our Feature Depth is also set to the value we typed in the Geometry Selection page.

Click Next>>.

In the Machining Strategy, select the Hole operation template.

The Current Operations list contains one center drill operation and one drill operation.

The operations for the feature are defined, click Next>>.

We use all of the automatically generated drilling operation tools and settings for this example.

At the bottom of the dialog box, click Compute.

The Mill Hole feature is now complete for the first pocket. The next step is to pattern this feature to handle the drilling for the entire part.

Part 6) Pattern All Features in the Machine Setup

To review what has been done thus far, you have patterned two separate pocket features using two separate toolpath patterns. You have also created a Hole feature to complete the machining of the example part. All of the currently defined operations are shown next for reference.

At this point, you are ready to add a toolpath pattern to the Hole feature. While you could simply add another pattern as shown earlier in this example, there is another way to pattern multiple features. This part of the example shows how to create a pattern that is applied to all of the features contained in a Machine Setup.

In the CAM Tree, below 1st Pocket, right-click Toolpath Pattern, and click Delete.

Click Yes to confirm.

Below 2nd Pocket, delete this Toolpath Pattern also.

You delete the two previous features so that you can create one toolpath pattern to handle all features.
Right-click Machine Setup, point to Additional Functions, and click Add Toolpath Pattern.
In the Toolpath Pattern dialog box, with Array selected, click Next>>.
Set the X DirectionDistance value to 5.250.

In the Copies box, type 2.
Set the Y DirectionDistance value to 3.375.

In the Copies box, type 2.
Click OK.