Working with feeds, speeds and cutting data tables

To view feed, speed, and cutting data tables

1. Select Features & Manufacturing tab > Materials panel > Feeds & Speeds.
2. Select the document type.
3. Select the material and tool grade.

   A material can have multiple data tables to account for the different combinations of tool grade and finish.

4. For Wire EDM tables, select the other parameters such as thickness and wire type.

Note: If a feed/speed table exists for a material cut with a tool with a BRIGHT finish, but not for TI_N or BLACK_OXIDE tool finishes, then the speed values are derived from the BRIGHT table. The speed for TI_N is 1.5 times the BRIGHT speed. The speed for BLACK_OXIDE is 1.05 times the BRIGHT speed. The feed rates are the same as the BRIGHT feed rates.Use Range — Some materials have two tables, each associated with a hardness value. For these, you must select either Hardness 1 or Hardness 2 to see the table.

To edit the feed, speed, and cutting data tables

1. View the table you want to edit in the Feeds/Speeds And Cutting Data Tables dialog.
2. Change the values in the table.
3. Click OK.

To create a new table

If the material you have selected does not have an associated table, click New and enter the values in the table for each document type.

To use ranged tables

For a rangeless table, deselect Use Range. The stock hardness value is ignored and a single feed/speed table is used.

For a ranged table, select Use Range. You must enter two values of hardness and two separate feed/speed tables are created. You must enter the values for both tables.

For a stock hardness below the first value in the range, the table for the first hardness is used. For a hardness between the two range values, a table of interpolated values is used. Hardnesses above the last hardness value are invalid.

To override the feed or speed value for a single operation

1. Select an operation in the tree view in the Feature Properties dialog.
2. Edit the values on the Feed/Speed tab for turning operations, the F/S tab for milling operations, or the Turn F/S tab for turnmilling operations.
3. Click OK.

To override the feed or speed value for a tool

You can associate cutting data with individual tools in the tool database at two levels:

• On the Overrides tab of the Tool Properties dialog. You can set cutting data for the tool for all materials and operations.
• On the Feed/Speeds tab of the Tool Properties dialog. You can set cutting conditions by material, operation, and cut type. These override any settings on the Overrides tab.

To restore default tables

You can reload INITDB to restore default tools and tables that you have deleted.

1. Exit FeatureCAM if it is open.
2. Run INITDB from the FeatureCAM group in the Start menu.
3. Select where your database is located:

   On my local computer — Select this option to use the database on your PC.

   On another computer that I will access over a network— Select this option to use an MS Access shared network database. Click Browse and browse to the location of the shared network database.

   On a SQL Server — Select this option to use an SQL Server network database. Select the Server Name and the Database Name. To use SQL authentication, select SQL Server in the Authentication Mode list and enter your SQL Username and SQL Password. If you use SQL authentication, the Database Name list only displays databases to which you have access.

4. Select the units of tools you want to add. FeatureCAM does not alter any items that you changed or delete any items that you added.
5. Click OK.
6. If you added tooling of both units, you prompted to select which unit you use most often to model parts.

Any tool or feed/speed table that you add to the database remains even if you re-run the INITDB program. INITDB does not overwrite any existing tools or feed/speed table in the database.

The only way to remove them is to explicitly delete them in the Feed/speed table dialog or the Tool Manager dialog.