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EZCAM Help |
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EZCAM Help |
EZ-MILL provides several different ways for surface machining. The most obvious is the Pocketing cycle. This machining cycle computes contour-parallel tool moves to cut the interior of a closed boundary profile. If surfaces are involved, the resulting tool path is projected onto the machined surfaces and the tool path is created to cut within the specified boundary. The initial plunge move, and subsequent plunge moves are made at the calculated center of the pocket boundary. Rapid curve links at begin of the pocket profile can be used to support multiple plunge points. Multiple points are linked via rapid curve links before the pocket profile in the path curve. Whenever a plunge move is required, the closest rapid point is picked. Target loop is also resorted so that its start point is closest to the selected plunge point. An optional surface Finishing Allowance can be set in the Work Step Surface section on the 3D Cycle Data dialog.
The pocket boundary is normally defined by the selected Path Curve ID or, in case "None" is selected there, automatically computed by the system. Islands can be defined in two different ways. They can be defined within the same curve together with the pockets boundary profile, or you can create individual islands curves and assign them as Check Curves on the 3D Cycle Data Tab. See the Pockets & Islands topic for more information.
The Pocketing cycle provides the following advantages:
control over the cutting direction (Climb cutting vs. Conventional cutting) via the Climb Milling parameter. Cutting inside-out (standard) or Outside-In.
machining of islands, without removing the tool from the workpiece.
multiple surface machining within the specified pocket boundary (surface machining).
However, the Pocketing cycle has the following disadvantages:
less control of surface finish on vertical and nearly vertical walls (surface machining).
