The CAM Flyouts

Introduction

This topic will explain the CAM Flyouts, explain where they can be accessed from, and explains the options found in them.

The CAM Flyouts

The CAM Flyouts are designed to do two things. First, they provide a way to quickly view information you may be looking for easily. Secondly, they provide a way to edit some values without the need to open a dialog and search for them in that dialog. The CAM Flyouts can be toggled by selecting/deselecting the Enable CAM Tree Flyouts check box in the settings dialog. When the toggle is on, as they are in the lower left image, certain items in the CAM Tree will be shown with >> to the right of them. These are the items that offer a flyout. Simply hover over the >> to view the flyout. Then click elsewhere to close the flyout. Turning the Flyouts off will remove them from the CAM Tree, as shown in the image on the lower right.

The CAM Flyouts appear in the CAM Tree next to the following items: 

 

  • Job
  • Tools
  • Stock
  • Machine Setup
  • Feature
  • Operation

CAM Flyout Parameters

The following section will describe the options found in each of the flyouts. When looking at the data presented to you, you will notice some of the text seems to be grayed out. These are values that cannot be edited from the flyout dialog.

Job

At the job level, hovering over the flyouts will give you access to Program Data, and Toolpath Data. This will also allow you to edit the program number. Once the program number is changed, clicking Apply will finalize the change.

 

^ Program Data  
  Program Number
100
  Number of Tools
11
  Number of Operations
20
^ Toolpath Data  
  Only Posted Operations
  Feed Distance
122.5816
  Rapid Distance
68.8908
  Total Distance
191.4724
  Feed Time
00:18:20.1
  Rapid Time
00:00:22.3
  Total Time
00:18:42.4
Apply

 

  • Only Posted Operations - will determine whether operations set not to post will be calculated in the Toolpath Data.

    - Operations that are set not to post out, will not be included in the Toolpath Data values.
    - Operations that are set not to post out, will be included in the Toolpath Data values.

Tools

Hovering over the Tools flyout will display the data for the tools used in the job. The data seen in this flyout will be the same data displayed in the Assigned Tools dialog. None of these values can be edited, but the following is an example of the tool information on a Mill job.

 

Tool Number Tool Diameter Corner Radius Tool Type Tool Label
1 0.5000   ENDMILL ROUGH 1/2 FLAT ROUGH ENDMILL
2 0.2500   ENDMILL FINISH 1/4 FLAT FINISH ENDMILL

 

Stock

Hovering over the Stock flyout will display the bounding area of the stock. This bounding area is based on the position and orientation of each of the machine setups in relation to the stock. This information cannot be edited.

 

Machine Setup - 1 ▼
  Dimension
     
   
Total Minimum Maximum
Length-X
3.5000
3.5000
3.5000
Length-Y
3.5000
3.5000
3.5000
Length-Z
3.5000
3.5000
3.5000

 

  • Machine Setup - will allow you to select which of the machine setups the stock information is based on.

Machine Setup

Hovering over the Machine Setup flyout will display the Setup Origin, which cannot be edited. The Clearance value, and the Work Offset values it displays can be edited.

 

^ Setup Origin  
  X
-5.8675
  Y
4.3750
  Z
0.000
^ Clearance  
  Clearance
1.0000
^ Work Offset  
  Work Offset #
1
  X
0.0000
  Y
0.0000
  Z
0.0000
Apply

 

Note: While, in general, the above image represents the flyout of the Machine Setup, the available parameters vary between jobs.

Feature

Hovering over the Feature flyouts will give you access to Feature Data, and Toolpath Data. While the Feature Data can be edited, the Toolpath Data cannot.

 

^ Feature Data  
  Rapid Plane
0.2000
  Feed Plane
0.1000
  Top of Feature
0.0000
  Depth
0.5000
  Only Posted Operations
^ Toolpath Data  
  Cutting Distance
122.5816
  Rapid Distance
68.8908
  Feed Time
00:18:20.1
  Rapid Time
00:00:22.3
  Total Time
00:18:42.4
Apply

 

  • Only Posted Operations - will determine whether operations set not to post will be calculated in the Toolpath Data.

    - Operations that are set not to post out, will not be included in the Toolpath Data values.
    - Operations that are set not to post out, will be included in the Toolpath Data values.

 

Note: While, in general, the above image represents the flyout of the Features, the available parameters vary depending on whether the feature is a Mill, Turning, or Wire EDM feature.

Operation

Hovering over the Operation flyouts will give you access to Tool Data, Feeds and Speeds data, and Toolpath Data. While the Feature Data can be edited, the Toolpath Data cannot.

 

^ Tool Data  
  Tool Number
1
  Tool Label
1/2 Ball
  Tool Diameter
0.5000
^ Feeds and Speeds  
  Use System Feeds and Speeds
  SFM
78.0000
  Feed per Tooth
0.0028
  Plunge Feed per Tooth
0.0014
  Spindle RPM
595.8761
  Cutting Feedrate
6.6738
  Plunge Feedrate
3.3369
^ Toolpath Data  
  Cutting Distance
68.5500
  Rapid Distance
5.15000
  Feed Time
10:01:23.0
  Rapid Time
00:02:20.0
  Total Time
10:03:43.0
Apply

 

  • Use System Feeds and Speeds - will determine whether the Feeds and Speeds can be edited.

    - The system Feeds and Speeds are used.
    - Feeds and Speeds can be manually edited.

 

Note: While, in general, the above image represents the flyout of the Operations, the available parameters vary depending on what type of Operation.