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EZCAM Help |
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EZCAM Help |
This new wizard now serves as the foundation for all 3D surface machining
by combining all options under a new and simple-to-use dialog interface.
It provides
an easy to understand choice of methods and toolpath types which allow
even inexperienced users to generate their first 3D toolpaths with a couple
of clicks. For most parts you may only need three work steps from solid
stock to finished work piece. Simply
select the desired Roughing, Re-Roughing or Finishing operation from the
list, select the toolpath type that fits best to your model and add tools
from the tool library. Additional settings are set to appropriate default
values by the wizard so you can verify and display the desired toolpath
right away on the screen. At
any time you can return to the wizard dialog to optimize settings until
youre satisfied with the results, while additional help graphics provide
valuable information.
The Roughing methods use a horizontal slicing strategy to create machining regions in which a conventional 2.5 axis toolpath is generated. EZCAM now uses a true 3D tool offset model to ensure uniform stock at any slice intersection. The selected Cut surfaces are offset in 3D by the specified tool then sliced at each Z Step interval. Intersection boundaries resulting from cavities or depressions are treated as pocketing areas, and intersections resulting from protrusions as islands.
Pocketing Creates a 2.5 axis offset pocketing toolpath.
Parallel Creates a 2.5 axis linear toolpath along a specified angle.· Plunge Creates plunge-drilling moves to the underlying sur-face along a series of rows at a specified angle.
Plunge Creates plunge-drilling moves to the underlying surface along a series of rows at a specified angle.
Roughing Pocketing Toolpath Solid Model Verification
The Re-Roughing methods use a specified, previously created, reference Roughing work step to automatically calculate and create a 2D Rest Curve identifying the uncut regions remaining from the reference work step. A conventional 2.5-axis curve roughing work step is then created and assigned to the Rest Curve and toolpath generated inside each region at the roughing Z Step intervals.
Pocketing Creates a 2.5 axis offset pocketing toolpath.
Parallel Creates a 2.5 axis linear toolpath along a specified angle.
The Finishing Methods use three distinct toolpath generation techniques as described below.
3D Equidistant Creates 3D toolpath
consisting of a series of on-surface offset passes similar to a pocketing
style toolpath that propagate from the selected Cut surface edges. Each
pass is positioned at a uniform distance from the adjacent pass, regardless
of surface slope. Unlike horizontal slicing or vertical projection surfacing
techniques such as Constant Z Contouring and Pocket Projection, the 3D
Equidistant strategy creates a pattern that results in a uniform step
over, regardless of surface slope. This approach is ideally suited for
high quality finishing operations, especially when part topology is a
mixture of flat and vertical areas.
Constant Z Ceates 2.5-axis contouring
passes at successive Z levels. The
selected Cut surfaces are offset in 3D by the specified tool and sliced
at each Z Step interval. Constant Z finishing method now creates continuous
toolpath around sharp corners and along the silhouette of undercut regions.
These changes greatly improve Constant Z toolpath quality and reliability.
Projection Creates 3D toolpath by generating a 2D pattern and segmenting it into polylines based on the specified tolerance, then projecting each point to the selected Cut surfaces using the tool shape.
Pocketing
Creates a 2D offset pocketing pattern.
Parallel
Creates a 2D linear pattern along a specified angle.
Radial
Creates a 2D linear pattern between an outer boundary and inner boundary
or point.
Longitudinal
Creates a 2D pattern that follows an outer boundary while transitioning
into an inner boundary or point.
See Also:
