Multi Cuts: Swarf Machining

Pattern Slices

• Depth Steps

• By Slice Distance - defines the depth step using a distance value. The Direction setting becomes available.

• By Number of Slices - defines the depth step using a specified amount of slices.

Single Slice	Multiple Slices

• Pattern

• Morph - creates an offset from the upper and lower curve that are blended together (morphed).

• Steps From Top - creates the slices parallel to the upper curve.

• Steps From Bottom - creates the slices parallel to the lower curve.

• Direction - is only available when By Slice Distance is selected.

• Along Tool Axis - the tool retracts along the tool axis for non-tapered tools.

• Along Contact Line - the tool retracts along the tool contact line for tapered tools.

• Follow Surface Topology - the tool retracts using the shape of the geometry to determine the best retract direction.

 

• Cut from bottom
  With this check box cleared, the cuts will be made from the top, down.
  With this check box selected, the cuts will be made from the bottom, up.

Tool Guidance

• Toolpath Damping

Toolpath damping smooths out abrupt tool movements along the feature. This is designed to handle sharp changes (corners) in the lower curve of the swarf feature that cause the tool to quickly plunge (or retract). When select the User Defined option, the Damp value becomes available. The Damp value range is 0 through 999. A value of zero means the tool diameter is used to create the damping. If you specify any other value, that value is used to create the damping and the tool diameter is ignored. The value is a range from the lower curve in which the tool can move to create a smoother transition between the sharp corners.

View Damp Off Example

View On Example

• Tool Shift - modifies the tool-to-surface contact point of the tool. Select one of the two following options.

• Constant for each slice - when selected, only the To value is available. Type the amount of axial shift added for all toolpath slices in the To box.

• Gradual for each slice - type the amount of axial shift for the beginning of the toolpath in the From box. Type the amount of axial shift for the end of the toolpath in the To box. These values are used to slowly change the axial shift during the toolpath. In the middle of the toolpath, the axial shift is fifty percent of the difference between the To and From boxes.

• To - is the axial shift value used at the end of the toolpath or for constant shifts.

• From - is the axial shift value used at the beginning of the toolpath for gradual shifts.

Note: Positive values cause the tool to retract and negative values cause the tool to plunge (or infeed).

Pattern Layers

• Number of Layers - type the desired number of layers or passes applied to the part.

• Layer Distance - type the distance between each layer, that can be considered the depth of cut/step over. This is only available when the Number of Layers is greater than one.

Single Layer	Two Layers

Sorting

• Machine by - These options define how different zones, created by gaps along the selected drive surfaces, are to be handled.
  • Lanes - move past the gap to continue the cut in the next zone.
  • Regions - stops at the gap to handle the cuts in the current zone first.

Machine by : Lanes	Machine by : Regions

•  Sequence - the following option are only available when the Number of Layers is set to more than one.
  
  • By Layer - all slices of one pass are cut before moving on to the next pass.
  • By Slice - the first slice of each pass is cut before moving on to the next slice.
    
    
• Method -
  
  • One Way - the toolpath only cuts in one direction across the part with a retract move at the end of each slice.
  • Zig Zag - the toolpath alternates cutting direction across the part, eliminating the need for retract moves. This option is only available when the slices or layers are set to more than one.
  • Spiral - The spiral option generates spiral cuts on the drive surface. The spiral only works with closed contours, and when using multiple cuts with a Morph Pattern, and Sorting of Machine by Regions. The existing cuts are transformed into a spiral motion. The result is one long spiral toolpath without any link motions, per surface.

Transform/Rotate

• Transform / Rotate - To learn about the transform/rotate settings, view Transform/Rotate.
  
  

• Mirror - To learn about the mirror settings, view Mirror.