Access: |
Ribbon:
CAM tab
![]() ![]() ![]() |
The 2D Contour strategy lets you choose input geometry from 2D sketches, or by selecting faces from part geometry. The strategy then works on the edges of the selected faces by projecting the edges to the tool plane. Please note that this strategy, like all 2D operations, is not gouge-protected and the tool can gouge any surfaces or solids. It is your responsibility to ensure that the resulting toolpath produces the desired result.
The type of coolant used with the tool.
The rotational speed of the spindle.
The spindle speed expressed as the speed of the tool on the surface.
The rotational speed of the spindle when performing ramp movements.
Feed used in cutting moves.
The cutting feedrate expressed as the feed per tooth.
Feed used when leading in to a cutting move.
Feed used when leading out from a cutting move.
Feed used when doing helical ramps into stock.
Feed used when plunging into stock.
The plunge feedrate expressed as the feed per revolution.
Specifies the distance to extend the open contours tangentially.
No Tangential extension
10 mm Tangential extension
Enable to enter a tangential end extension distance value.
Specifies the distance to extend the open contours tangentially at the end.
Enable to specify the perimeter of the stock that needs to be faced.
You can add tabs to the 2D Contour toolpath to hold the workpiece securely while all other material is machined away. Tabs are very useful when cutting thin plastic or wood materials using 2D routers.
Rectangular tabs
Triangular tabs
Limits the operation to just remove material that a previous tool or operation could not remove.
Rest Machining ON
Rest Machining OFF
Specifies the diameter of the rest material tool.
Specifies the corner radius of the rest material tool.
Specifies how the tool orientation is determined using a combination of triad orientation and origin options.
The Orientation drop-down menu provides the following options to set the orientation of the X, Y, and Z triad axes:
The Origin drop-down menu offers the following options for locating the triad origin:
The Clearance height is the first height the tool rapids to on its way to the start of the tool path.
Clearance Height
The Clearance height offset is applied and is relative to the Clearance height selection in the above drop-down list.
Retract height sets the height that the tool moves up to before the next cutting pass. Retract height should be set above the Feed height and Top. Retract height is used together with the subsequent offset to establish the height.
Retract Height
Retract height offset is applied and is relative to the Retract height selection in the above drop-down list.
Feed height sets the height that the tool rapids to before changing to the feed/plunge rate to enter the part. Feed height should be set above the Top. A drilling operation uses this height as the initial feed height and the retract peck height. Feed height is used together with the subsequent offset to establish the height.
Feed Height
Feed height offset is applied and is relative to the Feed height selection in the above drop-down list.
Top height sets the height that describes the top of the cut. Top height should be set above the Bottom. Top height is used together with the subsequent offset to establish the height.
Top Height
Top offset is applied and is relative to the Top height selection in the above drop-down list.
Bottom height determines the final machining height/depth and the lowest depth that the tool descends into the stock. Bottom height needs to be set below the Top. Bottom height is used together with the subsequent offset to establish the height.
Bottom Height
Bottom offset is applied and is relative to the Bottom height selection in the above drop-down list.
The tolerance used when linearizing geometry such as splines and ellipses. The tolerance is taken as the maximum chord distance.
Loose Tolerance .100
Tight Tolerance .001
CNC machine contouring motion is controlled using line G1 and arc G2 G3 commands. To accommodate this, CAM approximates spline and surface toolpaths by linearizing them; creating many short line segments to approximate the desired shape. How accurately the toolpath matches the desired shape depends largely on the number of lines used. More lines result in a toolpath that more closely approximates the nominal shape of the spline or surface.
Data Starving
It is tempting to always use very tight tolerances, but there are trade-offs including longer toolpath calculation times, large G-code files, and very short line moves. The first two are not much of a problem because Inventor HSM calculates very quickly and most modern controls have at least 1MB of RAM. However, short line moves, coupled with high feedrates, may result in a phenomenon known as data starving.
Data starving occurs when the control becomes so overwhelmed with data that it cannot keep up. CNC controls can only process a finite number of lines of code (blocks) per second. That can be as few as 40 blocks/second on older machines and 1,000 blocks/second or more on a newer machine like the Haas Automation control. Short line moves and high feedrates can force the processing rate beyond what the control can handle. When that happens, the machine must pause after each move and wait for the next servo command from the control.
This setting determines the side of the toolpath from which the tool center is offset. Choose between Left (climb milling) sideways compensation or Right (conventional milling) sideways compensation.
Climb Milling
Conventional Milling
Climb milling can be thought of as the cutter ''rolling along'' the surface that it is cutting. This generally gives a better finish in most metals, but requires good machine rigidity. Using this method, chips start at maximum thickness and get thinner towards the end of the cut, meaning more heat in the chip and less in the part.
With conventional milling, the cutter is ''rotating away'' from the surface it is cutting. This method is more commonly used with manual or less rigid machines. It does have some advantages, and can even give a better finish when machining certain materials including some woods.
Specifies the compensation type.
This parameter specifies a range of tool diameters that can be safely used, instead of only the tool selected for the operation.
The allowed range of tool radii start from the selected tool radius and goes up to the selected tool radius, plus the given allowance.
Specifies that sharp corners must be forced.
The maximum amount of smoothing applied to the finishing passes. Use this parameter to avoid sharp corners in the toolpath. Setting this parameter leaves more stock than requested at the contour corners.
Enable to perform multiple finishing passes.
Specifies the number of finishing passes.
Shown with three finishing passes
The maximum distance between finishing passes.
Forces a full lead in and out on every finishing pass.
Enabled
Disabled
Feedrate used for the final finishing pass.
Enable to perform the final finishing pass twice to remove stock left due to tool deflection.
The finishing overlap is the distance that the tool passes beyond the entry point before leading out. Specifying a finishing overlap ensures that the material at the entry point is properly cleared.
No finishing overlap
0.25" finishing overlap
Specifies the distance the lead-out feed rate begins before the end of the selected geometry.
@ 0"
@ .5"
When machining outer corners, it may be necessary to avoid rolling around the corner in order to leave the corner perfectly sharp.
The Outer corner mode setting lets you machine outer corners in three different ways.
Specifies the tangential extension of the passes.
Specifies that features are machined in the order in which they were selected. When unselected, Inventor HSM optimizes the cut order.
Specifies that the operation will use both Climb and Conventional milling to machine open profiles.
Unselected
Selected
Enable to perform roughing passes.
Specifies the maximum stepover.
With Minimum cutting radius set
With Minimum cutting radius set - sharp corners in the toolpath are avoided minimizing chatter in finished parts.
Without Minimum cutting radius set
Without Minimum cutting radius set - the toolpath attempts to remove material anywhere the selected tool can reach. This produces sharp corners in the toolpath that often leads to chatter in the machined part.
The maximum amount of smoothing applied to the roughing passes. Use this parameter to avoid sharp corners in the toolpath.
The number of roughing steps.
Specifies that multiple depths should be taken.
With Multiple Depth cuts
Without Multiple Depth cuts
Specifies the maximum stepdown between Z-levels for roughing.
Maximum stepdown - shown without finishing stepdowns
The number of finishing passes using the bottom of the tool.
Shown with three finishing passes
The size of each stepdown in the finishing passes.
Finishing stepdown
Specifies the taper angle of the walls.
Defining a slope angle can be used to machine features with a 2D strategy that would have otherwise required a 3D strategy.
Slope angle @ 0 degrees
Slope angle @ 45 degrees
Geometry Selection
Bottom Selection
Top Selection
Perform finishing passes only at the final depth to avoid leaving marks on the walls.
Disabled
Enabled
Enable to apply a finishing stepdown to every roughing pass/finishing pass when doing multiple depths with one or more finishing stepdowns.
Enable to create equal distances between machining passes.
Example: Suppose you are machining a profile with a depth of 23 mm and a maximum stepdown = 10 mm.
Specifies that the passes should be ordered top down.
Disabled
Enabled
Specifies in which order the depth cuts are taken when there are multiple profiles.
Disabled
Disabled - Depth cuts are ordered by depth.
Enabled
Enabled - Depth cuts are ordered by profile.
When enabled, each roughing and finishing step is machined to the full depth before moving to the next step.
Disabled
Enabled
When milling part features with wall thicknesses comparable to sheet metal stock, or even thinner, the stock is subjected to the forces generated by metal removal. This can result in the delicate structure of thin walls moving relative to the tool, making it difficult to maintain dimensional accuracy and impart the specified surface finish.
This option can be used to reduce the vibration and chatter by ensuring that both sides of a thin wall are machined at the same time.
The width of walls that should be considered thin walls.
Any wall with this width (or thinner) is machined on both sides at the same time to reduce vibration and chatter.
Specifies that the contouring operation is to be used to create a chamfer.
Geometry Selection Tips:
Sharp Corners
Sharp Corners - Select the sharp corner and define the size of the chamfer using the Chamfer Width setting.
Chamfered Edges
Chamfered Edges - Select the bottom edge of the chamfer. The chamfer width is calculated automatically.
The (additional) width of the chamfer.
For edges that are not already chamfered, this is the final width of the chamfer.
For chamfered edges, this is an additional offset; similar to using negative radial stock to leave.
This is added to the toolpath depth, while keeping the tool in contact with the selected edge by adjusting the toolpath radial offset.
Positive
Positive Stock to Leave - The amount of stock left after an operation to be removed by subsequent roughing or finishing operations. For roughing operations, the default is to leave a small amount of material.
None
No Stock to Leave - Remove all excess material up to the selected geometry.
Negative
Negative Stock to Leave - Removes material beyond the part surface or boundary. This technique is often used in Electrode Machining to allow for a spark gap, or to meet tolerance requirements of a part.
The Radial stock to leave parameter controls the amount of material to leave in the radial (perpendicular to the tool axis) direction, i.e. at the side of the tool.
Radial stock to leave
Radial and axial stock to leave
Specifying a positive radial stock to leave results in material being left on the vertical walls and steep areas of the part.
For surfaces that are not exactly vertical, Inventor HSM interpolates between the axial (floor) and radial stock to leave values, so the stock left in the radial direction on these surfaces might be different from the specified value, depending on surface slope and the axial stock to leave value.
Changing the radial stock to leave automatically sets the axial stock to leave to the same amount, unless you manually enter the axial stock to leave.
For finishing operations, the default value is 0 mm / 0 in, i.e. no material is left.
For roughing operations, the default is to leave a small amount of material that can then be removed later by one or more finishing operations.
Negative stock to leave
When using a negative stock to leave, the machining operation removes more material from your stock than your model shape. This can be used to machine electrodes with a spark gap, where the size of the spark gap is equal to the negative stock to leave.
Both the radial and axial stock to leave can be negative numbers. However, the negative radial stock to leave must be less than the tool radius.
When using a ball or radius cutter with a negative radial stock to leave that is greater than the corner radius, the negative axial stock to leave must be less than or equal to the corner radius.
The Axial stock to leave parameter controls the amount of material to leave in the axial (along the Z-axis) direction, i.e. at the end of the tool.
Axial stock to leave
Both radial and axial stock to leave
Specifying a positive axial stock to leave results in material being left on the shallow areas of the part.
For surfaces that are not exactly horizontal, Inventor HSM interpolates between the axial and radial (wall) stock to leave values, so the stock left in the axial direction on these surfaces might be different from the specified value depending on surface slope and the radial stock to leave value.
Changing the radial stock to leave automatically sets the axial stock to leave to the same amount, unless you manually enter the axial stock to leave.
For finishing operations, the default value is 0 mm / 0 in, i.e. no material is left.
For roughing operations, the default is to leave a small amount of material that can then be removed later by one or more finishing operations.
Negative stock to leave
When using a negative stock to leave the machining operation removes more material from your stock than your model shape. This can be used to machine electrodes with a spark gap, where the size of the spark gap is equal to the negative stock to leave.
Both the radial and axial stock to leave can be negative numbers. However, when using a ball or radius cutter with a negative radial stock to leave that is greater than the corner radius, the negative axial stock to leave must be less than or equal to the corner radius.
Smooths the toolpath by removing excessive points and fitting arcs where possible within the given filtering tolerance.
Smoothing Off
Smoothing On
Smoothing is used to reduce code size without sacrificing accuracy. Smoothing works by replacing collinear lines with one line and tangent arcs to replace multiple lines in curved areas.
The effects of smoothing can be dramatic. G-code file size may be reduced by as much as 50% or more. The machine will run faster and more smoothly and surface finish improves. The amount of code reduction depends on how well the toolpath lends itself to smoothing. Toolpaths that lay primarily in a major plane (XY, XZ, YZ), like parallel paths, filter well. Those that do not, such as 3D Scallop, are reduced less.
Specifies the smoothing filter tolerance.
Smoothing works best when the Tolerance (the accuracy with which the original linearized path is generated) is equal to or greater than the Smoothing (line arc fitting) tolerance.
Specifies that the feed should be reduced at corners.
Specifies the maximum angular change allowed before the feedrate is reduced.
Specifies the minimum radius allowed before the feed is reduced.
Specifies the distance to reduce the feed before a corner.
Specifies the reduced feedrate to be used at corners.
Enable to only reduce the feedrate on inner corners.
Specifies when rapid movements should be output as true rapids (G0) and when they should be output as high feedrate movements (G1).
This parameter is usually set to avoid collisions at rapids on machines which perform "dog-leg" movements at rapid.
The feedrate to use for rapid movements output as G1 instead of G0.
When enabled, retracts are done as rapid movements (G0). Disable to force retracts at lead-out feedrate.
Minimum distance between the tool and the part surfaces during retract moves. The distance is measured after stock to leave has been applied, so if a negative stock to leave is used, special care should be taken to ensure that safe distance is large enough to prevent any collisions.
When enabled, the strategy avoids retracting when the distance to the next area is below the specified stay-down distance.
Specifies the maximum distance allowed for stay-down moves.
1" Maximum stay-down
2" Maximum stay-down distance
Specifies the lift distance during repositioning moves.
Lift height 0
Lift height .1 in
Enable to generate a lead-in.
Lead-in
Specifies the radius for horizontal lead-in moves.
Horizontal lead-in radius
Specifies the sweep of the lead-in arc.
Sweep angle @ 90 degrees
Sweep angle @ 45 degrees
Specifies the length of the linear lead-in move for which to activate radius compensation in the controller.
Linear lead-in distance
Replaces tangential extensions of lead-in/lead-out arcs with a move perpendicular to the arc.
Shown with Perpendicular entry/exit
Example: A bore with lead arcs that are as large as possible (the larger the arc the less chance of dwell mark), and where a tangent linear lead is not possible because it would extend into the side of the bore.
The radius of the vertical arc smoothing the entry move as it goes from the entry move to the toolpath itself.
Vertical lead-in radius
Enable to generate a lead-out.
Lead-out
Specifies that the lead-out definition should be identical to the lead-in definition.
Specifies the length of the linear lead-out move for which to deactivate radius compensation in the controller.
Linear lead-out distance
Specifies the radius for horizontal lead-out moves.
Horizontal lead-out radius
Specifies the radius of the vertical lead-out.
Vertical lead-out radius
Specifies the sweep of the lead-out arc.
Replaces tangential extensions of lead-in/lead-out arcs with a move perpendicular to the arc.
Shown with Perpendicular entry/exit
Example: A bore with lead arcs that are as large as possible (the larger the arc the less chance of dwell mark),and where a tangent linear lead is not possible because it would extend into the side of the bore.
Enable ramps.
Shown with a 15 degree Ramping angle
Specifies the maximum ramping angle.
Specifies the maximum stepdown per revolution on the ramping profile. This parameter allows the tool load to be constrained when doing full-width cuts during ramping.
Height of ramp over the current stock level.
Specifies the helical ramp diameter.
Specifies the minimum ramp diameter.
Select points where holes have been drilled to provide clearance for the cutter to enter the material.
Select geometry near the location where you want the tool to enter.
Select points where holes have been drilled to provide clearance for the cutter to enter the material.
Select geometry near the location where you want the tool to enter.