Regular Face grooves

Regular grooves are machined similarly to pockets, and include both a roughing and a finishing pass.

For a regular groove, FeatureCAM uses the following process:

1. Determines the type of tool required based on the groove width and depth. Using the required tool diameter and tool length as the tool selection criteria, selects the most appropriate tool from the current tool crib.
   • For tool diameter FeatureCAM uses the width of the groove to determine what diameter tool to use. The tool must fit into the groove, but still allow room for a finish allowance on both walls of the groove.
   • For tool length FeatureCAM picks a tool that has flutes long enough to reach the bottom of the groove.
2. Chooses feeds and speeds using the Feed/Speed database that you can customize. Feeds and speeds are determined based upon the stock material.
3. Performs a roughing pass, possibly in multiple Z steps depending upon the depth of the groove.

   The important aspects of roughing are as follows.

   • Getting to depth — The tool must get to depth, and this can be accomplished by a zigzag in Z (the default setting and influenced by Max ramp angle), by plunging, or by pre-drilling (see Pre-drill diameter and Pre-drill point).
     Note: Zigzag is not an option if the groove has no linear portion. Simple grooves support only plunging.
   • Vertical step — The rough pass can have vertical steps with cut depth not more than 100% of the tool radius (see Rough depth and Rough pass Z increment).
   • Horizontal stepover — Although not typically necessary, FeatureCAM can perform a horizontal stepover to manufacture a groove. FeatureCAM moves a percentage of the tool diameter laterally (controlled with Rough pass %), as it steps across the feature.
   • Finish allowance — The rough pass contains a Finish allowance attribute, which controls how much material to leave for the finishing pass. By default this is 0.02.
4. Performs a finishing pass. By default, the bottom is not finished. The roughing tool removes all of the material in Z. This is controlled by Finish bottom.
   • Tool selection — After the roughing pass, the roughing tool is used to finish the Groove. Use finish tool commands FeatureCAM to choose a separate finishing tool (that has the same characteristics unless you override them).
   • Ramp on — The finish pass ramps into the material with an arc equal to a percentage of the tool diameter (see Ramp diameter).
   • Finish passes and overlap — The tool goes around the Groove a number of times set by Finish passes, and overlaps the starting point by an amount controlled by Finish overlap.
   • Ramp off — Another arc of the same size as the ramp on moves the tool away from the finished wall.
   • Retract — This removes the tool from the stock area and sets up for the next operation.

You can edit this process in these places:

• To edit all instances of this type of feature in the current document, use the Machining Attributes dialog.
• To edit a single feature, use the Tools, Milling, Strategy, and Misc. tabs for the feature in the Feature Properties dialog.

The tooling database also has a large impact on how a feature is machined, and the feed/speed database helps to determine the feeds and speeds used.