Parameters

Introduction

This topic explains the options found in the Parameters page of the Mill 2 Axis Wizard for the Pocket operation, and provides links to related topics.

The Parameters page

Finish

Side Allowance - sets the amount of material that remains on the walls for finishing. The material is removed on the finish pass.
Bottom Allowance - sets the amount of material that remains on the floor for finishing. The material is removed on the finish pass.
Link Clearance - When using the Advanced Pocket with Adaptive Roughing, the Link Clearance becomes available. This will allow you to set a height to the linking moves used in the adaptive moves.
Break through amount - When using the Advanced Pocket with Adaptive Roughing, the Break through amount becomes available. This will dictate how far the pocketing moves will continue on an open pocket before coming back to clean up the edges.

Other

Smoothing - Clicking on the Smoothing button will launch the Smoothing dialog box. The Smoothing dialog box will give access to some, or all, of the following options, depending on the pattern chosen.
- Smooth Corners
  
  - Select the check box to create fillets in the sharp corners of the toolpath. The fillet is not applied to the outer contour as it is with Smooth Final Contour. When selected, the Smooth Distance/Stepover % parameter becomes available as well as the Smooth Final Contour option.
  
  - Clear the check box to turn off Smooth Corners.
  - Smooth Distance/Stepover % - With the Smooth Corners check box selected, the Smooth Distance/Setpover % sets the radius of the fillet as a percentage of the stepover distance.
- Smooth Links
  
  - Select the check box to smooth the links within a group. The last segments of the previous contour and the first segments of the next contour are trimmed. The connecting link connects diagonally. In the case of an S-Link the connection is an S-type link.
  
  - Clear the check box to turn off Smooth Links.
  - Gap Size/Stepover % - With the Smooth Links check box selected, the Gap Size/Stepover % sets the distance over which the s-link moves are applied as a percentage of the stepover amount.
- Smooth Final Contour
  
  - With the check box cleared, the Smooth Final Contour option is not used.
  
  - Select the check box to create fillets in the sharp corners of outer contours. The Smooth Distance/Stepover % parameter becomes available.
  - Smooth Distance/Stepover % - sets the radius of the fillet as a percentage of the stepover distance.
- Ignore Small Contour
  
  - Clear the check box to turn off Ignore Small Contour.
  
  - Select the check box to remove small pockets and segments which are not necessary to machine. The size of these segments must be defined as a percentage of the tool diameter. The Threshold Value in % of Tool Diameter parameter becomes available.
  - Threshold Value in % of Tool Diameter - sets the size of the small segments to remove as a percentage of the tool diameter.
- Remove Corner Pegs
  
  - Clear the check box to turn off Remove Corner Pegs.
  
  - Select the check box to add extra tool movement in corners, removing the rest material; for use when a stepover greater than 50 percent results in small pegs of material remaining in the corners. With this check box selected, you will be able choose between the following three options.
  - Line-Arc-Line - removes the corner pegs with an arc between two lines as seen in the animation below.
  - Arc - removes the corner pegs with a single looping arc motion as seen in the animation below.
  - Line - removes the corner pegs by moving away from, and back to the toolpath with a straight line as seen in the image below.

Depth

Method

Single Step - the Total Depth value is processed in one pass.
Multiple Steps - the Total Depth and Depth of Cut values are used to generate the number of equal cuts used to process the profile operation. This enables the Depth Step options.

Depth Step

When Multiple Steps are selected in the Method group, the Depth Step options become available.

Even Depths - the total depth is processed in even depths of cut. If you type a value that is not an equal division of the total depth, the value is automatically calculated to the closest value.
Defined Depths - uses the Depth of Cut value to define the depth of cut. If the value is not divisible by the Total Depth, the last cut will be the depth needed to achieve the proper Total Depth.

Total Depth - displays the depth (set in the Feature settings) of the material removed by the feature.
Depth of Cut - for the Multiple Steps option, this is the depth at which each equal pass is processed. This value may be different than entered because the value of the Number of Cuts must be a whole number and the depth of each pass is the Total Depth divided by the Number of Cuts.
Number of Cuts - for the Even Depth option, this value is calculated by the system using the Depth of Cut value.