Provides an interactive play-back of the generated toolpath
Once generated, the toolpath and its visualization becomes available for examination in the Toolpath Visualization. The controls in the context view change to adjust the toolpath display and its playback.
Preview mode
The settings in this section adjust the display of the preview. Choose the type of the colorization as well as partial or full rendering, and check the amount of Layers in your build and its height.
If the machine uses an EBPA buildstyle, and the Layers display is set to show all layers, an additional field becomes available, displaying a build time estimate.
Mode allows you to select how the part and layers are displayed.
- Fully Colored Model: Preview the entire part in color.
- Gray Model - Colored layer: Preview the entire part, with only the active layer shown in color.
- Cut at current layer (colored): Preview the part using a cut plane with the active layer on top and in color.
- Cut at current layer (gray): Preview the part using a cut plane with the active layer on top and in gray.
- Display current layer only: Preview only the active layer.
Switch between preview modes to get the best insight into the rendered toolpath.
Layers provides a selection between rendering all layers, or every second, fifth, tenth, or twentieth layer.
The Recalculate button is used to update the preview of the part each time you change the layersize setting in case you canceled the preview calculation earlier. Otherwise, changing the selection in any of the above updates the toolpath and visualization automatically.
This section also displays the layer count and the build height for your information.
Build information
The build information reports details about the layer count, the build height, the current layer, and the current z height. The current layer and the current z height are updated as you use the scroll bar to visualize the different layers of the build.
Animation
The Preview animation section provides information and playback controls to run and control the playback of the toolpath visualization as it progresses through layers and its contours and hatches. You can navigate slice by slice and adjust the playback speed, for example, and watch the same layer build-up repeatedly by unchecking Jump to next layer after animation.
Quick access commands
The following quick access commands are available for part preparation:
- Start build simulation: Opens a dialog to create the file necessary to begin simulation as well to select between Simulation Utility LT and Simulation Utility, as available, where you can perform predictive modeling of the additive manufacturing build process.
- Back: Leaves the toolpath preview and returns to the part preparation tools.
- Export build data: Generates the file(s) necessary for your AM machine.