About toolpaths

Toolpaths are paths along which a tool follows when manufacturing a product. Different toolpaths are available depending on what you are machining and how. For example, ArtCAM includes specific toolpaths for profile machining, fluting, carving, and drilling.

You can use one of the many 2D machining toolpaths available in ArtCAM to machine 2D shapes from vectors, or you can use one of the 3D machining toolpaths to machine 3D shapes from reliefs. When you have created toolpaths, you can simulate them. When the toolpaths are correct, you can save them and export the data to the machine tool to manufacture the product.

When creating a machining toolpath, you must specify:

• the thickness of the sheet or block of material from which the product is to be manufactured;
• the extent of the toolpath; and
• the tools with which you want to machine the product, including the tools' settings, such as stepover and stepdown distances, feed and plunge rates, spindle speeds, and clearance strategies.

You can access many of the functions you need for working with toolpaths from the Toolpaths panel. To display the panel, select the Toolpaths item in the Project Tree.

See also

• About vectors
• About reliefs