To play a machine simulation, you need to select a Machine Design (.md) file for each setup. For files where you simulate multiple setups such as indexed or turn/mill parts, you should associate the machine file with the first setup of a part.
- Select Home tab > Part Program panel > Setups to display the
Setups
dialog.
- Click the
Edit
button.
- Click the
Next button until the
Setups > Simulation Information
dialog is displayed.
- Enter the
X Offset,
Y Offset, and
Z Offset parameters. These represent offsets for loading the part onto the machine. For simulating single milling or turning setups these offsets are applied to the setup after the part is aligned with the
top-most location. For indexed parts or turn/mill parts, the offset is relative to the stock axis.
- The
Simulation machine design file section has these options:
-
Always use this one — Select this option if you want to identify a specific file. Browse to the location of the Machine Design file.
-
Use the one specified in the .cnc file — Select this option to use the machine specified in the post processor
.cnc file.
Example MD files
Example Machine Design files are provided with
FeatureCAM. In the
Examples\Machine Design folder there are several folders each containing three files:
- a machine design file (.md)
- a post processor file (.cnc)
- a sample part file (.fm)
Note: In these examples you do not need to set the machine design file for each Setup because the part file specifies using one in the post processor file, which in turn references the machine design file in the same folder.