New Feature - Strategies page (Drilling)

Use the New Feature - Strategies page of the New Feature wizard to specify the machining strategy for the feature.

After you have created the feature, you can edit these options in the Strategy tab of the Feature Properties dialog.

Combine with similar holes into canned cycle — By default, a tool retracts to the Z rapid plane between operations. Enable this option and then select whether to Retract to the Z rapid plane or the lower Plunge clearance plane after drilling each hole. This option also creates more efficient NC code by entering the canned cycle mode only once.

Machining Type — Select from:

• Drill only — All Hole features are drilled in the traditional way using a drill that is the same size as the hole diameter.
• Drill/Mill — This option allows Hole features to be drilled or milled, to minimize the number of tools needed.
Note: When using Drill/Mill, FeatureCAM adds a rough operation to the tree view and you can access the Stepovers and Milling tabs.

Spot Drill — Enable this option to add a spot drill operation to the Hole feature.

Attempt chamfer w/ spot — Enable this option to try to cut the chamfer during spot drilling. If no available tool can spot and chamfer without gouging the hole, a separate chamfer operation is created.

Pilot Drill — Enable this option to add a pilot drill operation to the Hole feature.

Drill — Enable this option to add a drilling operation to the manufacture of the hole. This operation is usually undersized in preparation for later reaming or boring.

Drill large counterdrill first — For Counter Drill holes, select this option to do the counterdrill operation before the drill operation.

Ream — Enable this option to add a Ream operation to the Hole feature. This option drills a Hole undersized and then reams it to size. The diameter of the drill is between 93% and 97% of the final Hole diameter.

Ream before chamfer — Enable this option to do the Ream operation before the Chamfer operation. This avoids pushing any kind of burr or edge back up onto the chamfer if the chamfer is a sealing surface.

Tap type — This option is available for Tapped Hole features. Select the type of tap from:

• Cutting — The tool cuts the threads into the material.
• Rolled — The tool presses or forms the threads into the material.
• Helicoil — The size of the Drill and Tap operations are larger to fit the helicoil insert.

Bore — Enable this option to add a Bore operation to the Hole feature. Boring places a hole accurately.

Note: The options on this tab are the same as the options on New Feature - Strategies page for a Hole feature in the New Feature wizard.