Options

Boundary Options

Boundaries are used to contain the toolpath of the operation to stay within the specified area. The Boundary Options determine where the tool cuts when it reaches the boundary in one of three ways.

 

• Center of Tool - forces the center of the tool to cut directly on the specified boundary.

 

 

• Tool Inside - forces the entire tool to stay inside of the boundary. (This offsets the toolpath to the inside of the boundary by the tool radius.)

 

 

• Offset - is used to add an additional offset to the location of the tool at the boundary when using Tool Inside or Tool Outside. When using Tool Inside, the tool stays inside of the boundary by the specified distance. When using Tool Outside, the tool goes outside of the boundary by the specified distance. Note that positive or negative values are supported.

 

• Tool Outside - forces the entire tool to go outside of the boundary. (This offsets the toolpath to the outside of the boundary by the tool radius.)

 

 

• Offset - is used to add an additional offset to the location of the tool at the boundary when using Tool Inside or Tool Outside. When using Tool Inside, the tool stays inside of the boundary by the specified distance. When using Tool Outside, the tool goes outside of the boundary by the specified distance. Note that positive or negative values are supported.

 

Cutting Extents

The Cutting Extents options change where the boundary is created to determine how the toolpath is calculated on the model (where the tool cuts at the boundary).

 

• Extents - the outer boundary of the part is automatically calculated. The calculated toolpath is then contained inside the outer boundary using the tool tip as the calculation point.

   

  
  

• Part Bottom - the outer boundary of the model is calculated from the lowest Z-axis value. The toolpath is calculated to include this area.

 

Rest Finishing

 

- No rest finishing will be used.

- When this check box is selected, BobCAD-CAM calculates the toolpath to remove all the non-machined areas that remain. On intricate parts it is possible to run multiple rest rough toolpaths to remove as much material as possible before running semi finishing or finishing toolpaths. With Rest Finishing toolpaths you normally use a smaller step down, as the cutter size reduces, than have been used with the previous cutter.

 

Note: The Use Previous Operation check box doesn't display unless you have another operation previous to the current operation in the feature.

 

• Tool from Previous Operation - When this radio button is selected, BobCAD-CAM will use the tool information from the previous operation to calculate the rest finishing pass.
  
  
  • Previous Tool Diameter - will be disabled and use the tool information from the previous operation.
    
    
  • Previous Corner Radius - will be disabled and use the tool information from the previous operation.
    
    
  • Expand Rest Area - allows you to manually extend the area to be rest roughed, in order to ensure overlap.
    
    
• User Defined Tool - will allow you to enter tool information manually.
  
  
  • Previous Tool Diameter - Enter the previous tool diameter here and BobCAD-CAM will calculate what stock would be remaining in order to compute tool path for the current tool.  Be sure to enter a diameter larger than the tool used for this operation.
    
    
  • Previous Corner Radius - Enter the previous tool radius here and BobCAD-CAM will calculate what stock would be remaining in order to compute tool path for the current tool.
    
    
  • Expand Rest Area - allows you to manually extend the area to be rest roughed, in order to ensure overlap.
    
    

 

Processing

 

• By Area - machines an entire area of the part before moving on to the next.
  
  
• By Level - machines all areas of the part to the current pass depth before beginning the next pass.
  
  

 

Point

 

• Calculate From
  
  
  • Tool Tip - calculates the toolpath from the tool tip.
    
    
  • Tool Center - calculates the toolpath from the center of the bottom of the tool, in the case of a straight cornered end mill, or from the center of the radius on the tool, in the case of bullnose or ball-end mills.