The Profile feature is used to generate a toolpath for cutting the perimeter of one or more contours using the same values specified in the feature details. When a Profile feature is added the system automatically adds the following items to the CAM tree.
Start Point - Allows you to specify a location for the tool movement to start. Right-click this item to produce a shortcut menu with the following options.
Re/Select - Select this option to enable selection mode and assign the appropriate start location to this feature.
Remove - Select this option to remove any start point associated with this feature.
Geometry - Right-click this item to produce a shortcut menu with the following options.
Re/Select - Select this option to enable selection mode and assign the appropriate geometry to this feature.
Remove - Select this option to remove any geometry associated with this feature.
Profile - Right-click this item to produce a shortcut menu with three options.
Edit - Allows you to modify the settings that are used when calculating the tool movements. See the Profile Wizard for a detailed explanation of this dialog box and all of the options available for this feature type.
Compute Toolpath - When selected, the system calculates the toolpath for this feature.
Post Yes/No - This option allows you to determine whether a feature in the CAM tree is included in the code that is posted by the system.
Rough - Right-click this item to produce a shortcut menu with two options for modifying the visibility and color of the toolpath created.
Color - When selected, a dialog box appears allowing you to change the color of the toolpath.
Blank - When selected, the system shows the toolpath if it is hidden or hides the toolpath if it is visible in the graphics area.
Finish - Right-click this item to produce a shortcut menu with two options for modifying the visibility and color of the toolpath created.
Color - When selected, a dialog box appears allowing you to change the color of the toolpath.
Blank - When selected, the system shows the toolpath if it is hidden or hides the toolpath if it is visible in the graphics area.
See the following illustration for an example of the toolpath produced.
In the simulation window, the end result looks like this.
