The Roughing Tab

 

Note: For all of the Roughing options, you must select the check box to turn the option on, and then click the button to open the corresponding dialog box with the parameters that are explained in this topic.

Stock Definition

The Stock Definition parameters are in addition to the part stock that is created in the Stock Wizard.

 

• Shrink - shrinks the stock size in all three dimensions by the specified value.
• Expand - expands the stock size in all three dimensions by the specified value.
• Check Tool Shaft for Collision

Select the check box to have the tool shaft checked for collisions with the stock.

Clear the check box to not have the tool shaft checked for collision with the stock.

• Check Tool Arbor for Collision

Select the check box to have the tool arbor checked for collisions with the stock.

Clear the check box to not have the tool arbor checked for collision with the stock.

• Check Tool Holder for Collision

Select the check box to have the tool holder checked for collisions with the stock.

Clear the check box to not have the tool holder checked for collision with the stock.

• Avoid Trimming in Case Gap Size is Smaller Than - avoids trimming the toolpath to the stock size for small gaps.

When the check box is selected, the toolpath is not trimmed to the stock size for gaps smaller than the specified value.

When the check box is cleared, this option is turned off.

• % of Tool Diameter - is a percentage of the tool diameter which determines the Gap Size threshold.
• As Value - determines the Gap Size threshold using the specified value.
• Trim Contours Shorter Than - trims any contours shorter than the specified value.

Select the check box to trim contours shorter than the specified value.

When the check box is cleared, this option is turned off.

• Trim Only Full Contours - completely removes any contours that do not cut stock material.

Select the check box to trim full contours that lie outside of the stock geometry.

When the check box is cleared, this option is turned off.

 

Multi Passes

With Multi Passes the current toolpath is extended to multiple layers on the same geometry. The shape of the toolpath doesn't change. The stepover direction from one slice to the other, or from one pass to the other, is always in the direction of the surface normal independent from the tool axis orientation.

 

Roughing Passes

• Number - is the number of passes.

• Spacing - is the distance between passes.

 

Finishing Passes

• Number - is the number of passes.

• Spacing - is the distance between passes.

 

Sort By

• Passes - sorts the machining in layers.

• Slices - sorts the machining in slices.

Example

 

• The following example shows a part Sorted by Passes. There are three roughing passes and one finishing pass.

 

 

• The following example shows a part Sorted by Slices. There are three roughing passes and one finishing pass.

 

Plunge

The Plunge options control how the tool plunges into the machining surface.

 

• Step Length - is the stepover distance between plunge moves. It controls the step on the surface and the angle step as shown in the next image.

 

 

 

• Slide Length - is the retraction distance back along the Step length. For example, in the following image, the toolpath is plunging from left to right. When a tight step length is used the material to the left of the tool has already been removed without leaving any cusps. When you know that there is no material to gouge, you can set a slide length so that the tool can slide back into this cleared area before retracting the tool. If you were using a large step length, which results in cusps or large amounts of remaining material around the previous plunge, you would not use a slide length in order to avoid gouging.

 

 

 

• Plunge Height - is the distance the tool plunges, measured from the tool position on the surface.

 

Example

Morph Pocket

Morph Pocket is used to machine simple pockets. You must select a set of closed geometric surfaces. You can't select only a flat surface for morph pocketing.

 

• Move - controls the machining direction for the pocket. There are two options as follows.

• Inside to Outside - starts in the center of the pocket and cuts outward.

• Outside to Inside - starts on the outside of the pocket and cuts inward.

• Stepover Value - is the stepover distance between toolpath segments.

 

• Pocket area - defines how the pocket is cut. There are two options as follows.

• Full - machines the entire pocket.

• By Number of Cuts - creates the specified Number of Cuts.

• Number of Cuts - is the number of toolpath cuts used for the pocket.

 

• Spiral Machining

Selectthischeck box to create a spiral toolpath.

Clear the check box to machine the pocket by slices.

Depth Cuts

Similar to Multi Passes, Depth Cuts is used to create multiple depth cuts in passes or slices. With Depth Cuts the tool axis orientation remains the same for each pass or slice.

 

Roughing Passes

• Number - is the number of roughing passes.

• Spacing - is the distance between passes (stepover).

 

Finishing Passes

• Number - is the numberof finishing passes.

• Spacing - is the distance between passes (stepover).

 

Apply Depth To

• Whole Toolpath - applies the depth to the entire toolpath.

• First Slice Only - applies the depth only to the first toolpath slice.

• First Pass Only - applies the depth only to the first toolpath pass.

 

Sort By

• Slices - sorts the machining in slices.

• Passes - sorts the machining in layers.

 

Use Ramp

Select the check box to create a ramped/spiral toolpath

Clear the check box to create a standard stepped toolpath.

 

Area Roughing

Area Roughing is used to create roughing and finishing toolpaths for impellers with or without splitters. The parameters used for Area Roughing are explained next. After the descriptions, a link is provided to a topic that further explains the process. This process includes creating a proper base toolpath to which the area roughing is then applied.

 

Calculation Applied

• Before Tilting - the toolpath is calculated (morphed across the floor surface, between the blades) before collision control is applied.

• After Collision Control - the toolpath is calculated using collision control before it is applied (morphed) to the floor surface.

 

Rotary Axis Around

• X axis - uses the X-axis as the rotary axis.

• Y axis - uses the Y-axis as the rotary axis.

• Z axis - uses the Z-axis as the rotary axis.

• User Defined - use this option to define another rotary axis direction. Once this option is selected, click to open the Rotary Axis Direction dialog box. You can type coordinates, or click to select geometry.

 

Rotary Axis Base Point

• Select Point - opens the Point dialog box. You can type coordinate values, or click Pick to select geometry as the rotary axis base point. You only need to update the base point values when the rotary axis of the part is shifted away from the part zero.

 

Select one of the following options.

• Maximum Step Over - is the maximum stepover applied to the toolpath. This value is not exceeded.

• Number of Cuts Per Section - allows you to specify an exact number of cuts for a given section, instead of using a stepover.

 

Cutting Method

• One Way (Along Rotary Axis) - cuts along the rotary axis (from the top of the part down).

• One Way (Along Reverse Rotary Axis) - cuts along the rotary axis-reversed (from the bottom of the part up).

• Zig Zag - cuts in both directions between blades.

• Zig Zag (Climb Only) - cuts using climb milling.

 

Alternate Direction to Reduce Path Length - is only available whenNumber of Cuts Per SectionandZig Zag (Climb Only)are both selected.

Select the check box to have each toolpath layer alternate direction to create a shorter link between them.

Clear the check box to use the same direction for each toolpath layer.

 

Area

• Complete - cuts the entire area between two main impeller blades.

• Left side - cuts from the (left) main impeller blade to the splitter.

• Right side - cuts from the splitter to the (right) main impeller blade.

 

Trim cuts

Select the check box to trim cuts by the selected options.

Clear the check box to not trim any cuts.

• By % of Cut Length - trims the cuts by a percentage of the cut length entered.

• When Curvature Exceeds Tool Diameter - trims cuts at the top of the blade when the curvature exceeds the tool diameter.

 

Note: All of the following options are only available when Calculation Applied-After Collision Control is selected.

 

Extension

• At Start - adds an extension to the start of each toolpath segment.

• At End - adds an extension to the end each toolpath segment.

 

Depth Cuts

Select the check box to turn on Depth cuts making Number, Spacing, and Start Height available.

Clear the check box to turn off Depth cuts.

• Number - is the number of depth cuts to be performed.

• Spacing - is the depth of each depth cut.

• Start Height - is the starting height of the depth cuts.

 

Smoothing Above Splitter

Select the check box to create a finishing toolpath in the area above the impeller splitter.

Clear the check box to turn off this option.

 

View How it Works - Area Roughing for Impellers

Transform/Rotate

Transform/Rotate is used to rotate and copy a toolpath around a part with a rotary axis. You can also transform and copy a toolpath along a direction. The purpose is to create toolpaths for symmetrical operations around an axis (impeller machining), and apply toolpath patterns multiple times on a part.

 

Orientation

• Axis Direction -sets the rotation axis of the part to which the toolpath is applied. Select either X-axis, Y-axis, Z-axis, or User Defined Axis. WhenUser Definedis selected, clickto open theRotary Axis Directiondialog box allowing you to type coordinates to define a rotary axis. To select geometry, clickin theRotary Axis Directiondialog box.

• Base point - click to open the Rotary Axis Base Point dialog box allowing you to type coordinates to define the rotary axis base point. To select geometry, click in the Rotary Axis Base point dialog box.

• Number of Steps - sets how many times the toolpath is repeated on the part. If this value is set to one, the existing toolpath is simply moved.

 

Rotate

• Start Angle - is the angle value for the part's starting position from which the first toolpath is applied.

• Rotation Angle - is the angle value to control how far the part rotates before the next toolpath is applied.

 

Transform

• Start Distance - determines the first position of the toolpath to be transformed.

• Stepover Distance - determines the distance between transformed toolpaths.

 

Sorting - the following options control how the Transform or Rotate toolpaths are handled.

• Sort By - the toolpath can be sorted in one of four ways.

• Complete Toolpath - the entire toolpath is applied to the part and cut in order.

• Passes - is sorted and cut by the order of passes.

• Slices - is sorted and cut by the order of slices.

• Partial Toolpath - only a percentage of the toolpath is transformed or rotated as specified in Percentage of Whole Toolpath.

• Percentage of Whole Toolpath - is only available when Partial Toolpath is selected. Type the percentage value of the toolpath to transform or rotate.

• Apply Linking

• Before Rotation - when linking is applied before rotation, the linking of the initial toolpath is used for each following transformed/rotated toolpath.

• After Rotation - to be used only with gouge checking turned on, linking after rotation checks the links for gouging.

 

Note: The following option is only available when stock is defined using the Stock Definition. When Apply Stock-After Rotation is selected, Apply Linking is unavailable.

 

• Apply Stock

• Before Rotation - when stock is applied before rotation, the stock definition of the initial toolpath is used for each following transformed/rotated toolpath.

• After Rotation - when the stock is applied after rotation, then the stock definition is checked for each following transformed/rotated toolpath.

Mirror

The mirror option provides a way to mirror toolpath across any axis to duplicate the toolpath for symmetrical part geometry. When you click the Mirror button, the Selection Manager displays for you to define the mirror axis.

Axis Direction

You can set the Axis Direction to X Axis, Y Axis, Z Axis, or Pick Axis to determine the mirror axis in reference to the machining origin coordinate system. When selecting Pick Axis, you can either select geometry from the graphics area, or you can type the vector direction in the XYZ boxes to define the mirror axis. Note that the XYZ boxes are unavailable unless Pick Axis is selected. If you pick a line or edge in the graphics area, the software automatically sets the XYZ direction vector and the Base Point XYZ values based on the selected entity.

Base Point

The Base Point parameter determines the start of the mirror axis in reference to the selected Axis Direction. You can click in the Base Point box to enable selection and click a point or vertex in the graphics area to determine the base point values, or you can type the values directly into the XYZ boxes.

Sorting Options

The Sorting Options provide additional control over the way toolpaths are created.

 

• Reverse Order Of

Select the check box to reverse the machining order of the selected option.

Clear the check box to turn off the option.

• Passes - reverses the order of passes or slices (the first cut becomes the last cut).

• Complete toolpath - reverses the cutting order of the entire toolpath (the starting point becomes the end point).

 

• Connect Slices by Shortest Distance

Select the check box to have the system optimize the cutting method for a toolpath. For example, slice cutting is changed from One-Way to Zig-Zag, as in the next image.

Clear the check box to turn off the option.

 

Stock Definition

Selecting the Stock definition option, will allow you to click the Stock definition button. Clicking the Stock definition button will launch the Stock Definition parameters dialog. These parameters are in addition to the part stock that is created in the Stock Wizard.

 

 

Advanced

Selecting the Advanced option will launch the Advanced dialog.