How to Create a Toolpath Pattern - 3D Rotate

Introduction

This tutorial explains how to create a toolpath pattern using the 3DRotate option.The example provided shows how to pattern multiple featuresthat are contained in an Index System.A line is drawn to define the rotationaxis around which the toolpath pattern is created.

Example Part

If you are connected to the Internet, the part file for this example can be downloaded automatically by clicking the following link: Toolpath Pattern3D Rotate Example 1.bbcd

Once you download and saved the zip file, extract the files on your system in an easy place to remember.You can then open the file to use with this tutorial.All files for the tutorials in this help system available for download can be found by clicking on the following link: http://www.bobcad.com/helpfiles.

In the example file provided, the stock and MachineSetup are already defined for the part.

Part 1) Create Rotation Axis Geometry

In the example file provided, two features are created within an IndexSystem.The features are created in an Index System, so to simplify thepatterning process, geometry is created to define the rotation axis forthe toolpath pattern.Understand that the direction of the line is importantwhen selecting the start and end points of the pattern rotation axis (line).(The direction that the line is drawn does not matter.) The rotation ofthe pattern is defined around the rotation axis using the right-hand rule.

1. In the Entity group, of the Create 2D ribbon,and clickLine.
   
   
2. Type the following values in the Data Entry Manager.

Start X	-10
Start Y	0
Start Z	0
End X	1
End Y	0
End Z	0

The CAD preview shows the defined geometrybefore it is created.

3. To create the line as shown in the CAD preview, click OK.
   
   
   
   
4. Click Cancel.

Part 2) Add the Toolpath Pattern

In the following steps, the toolpath pattern is added to the Index System.This is done instead of adding it to individual features or the MachineSetup.The reason for this is that we want to pattern all of the featuresthat are contained in the Index System, and if we added more milling featuresto the Machine Setup we may not want them included in the toolpath pattern.

1. In the CAMTree, next to Machine Setup, click to expand the tree (if needed).
   
   
2. Right-click IndexSystem, point to AdditionalFunctions, and click Add ToolpathPattern.
   
   It is important that you right-click IndexSystem and not Machine Setup.
   
   This creates the toolpath pattern for allfeatures in the Index System.
   
   
3. In the Toolpath Patterndialog box, click Rotate andclick Next>>.
   
   
4. In the Rotate group,select the 3DOption check box.
   
   
5. In the Angle box, type60.00.
   
   This value is used because there are 6 sidesof the part being machined.
   
   
6. In the Copies box, type5.
   
   Five copies are made because one of the sidesis already machined with the first feature.
   

Part 3) Select Geometry to Define the 3D Rotation Axis

1. In the RotationAxis group, under Start,click Pick.
   
   The Toolpath Pattern dialog disappears and the Toolpath Pattern Picking dialog appears in the Data Entry Manager.
   
   
2. Click the left end of the line.
   
   
   
   The point is added to the Selected Geometry list.
   
   
3. Click OK.
   
   The Toolpath Pattern dialog returns.
   
   
4. In the Rotation Axisgroup, under End, click Pick.
   
   The Toolpath Pattern dialog disappears and the Toolpath Pattern Picking dialog appears in the Data Entry Manager.
   
   
5. Click near the right end of the line.
   
   
   
   The point is added to the Selected Geometry list.
   
   
6. Click OK.
   
   The Toolpath Pattern dialog returns.

Tip: Noticethe Start and End values that are automatically updated in the ToolpathPattern dialog box.The values are based off of the Index System.Thereason to use geometry to define the Rotation Axis is because it is mucheasier to select geometry than it is to figure out the values to use fromthe Index System.

To double check the selections, the values should be:

Start:

• X -4
• Y 0
• Z -1.875

End:

• X 7
• Y 0
• Z -1.875

If you do not have the same values, you maynot have actually clicked the line during the selections.It is importantto understand if you click an arbitrary location in the workspace, thevalues from that location are used.After you click Pick, the first clicksets the values from the current mouse pointer location.

5. To compute the toolpath pattern, click OK.

The result is shown next.

Part 4) Simulate the Program

1. To simulate the program, in the quick access toolbar of the CAM Tree Manager, click Simulation.

After simulating, the stock model appearsas shown next.

2. To close the simulation, click Exit Simulation.

Part 5) About the Pattern Rotation

To analyze the example a little further, the rotation of the toolpathpattern around the Rotation Axis uses the right-hand rule.The followingimages show how the rotation of the pattern is created.

The following image shows the two originalfeatures that are used to create the toolpath pattern.

Next is an image of the features with onlyone copy defined.Notice that the pattern is rotated in the positive directionby using the right-hand rule of the defined rotation axis.(The yellowdot defines the start of the rotation axis and the yellow arrow pointsin the positive direction of the rotation-axis (line) as selected in thisexample.The black arrows represent the positive direction of rotationthat is used by the pattern.)

This concludes the tutorial.

Related Topics

ToolpathPatterns