Boolean Operation Boundary

The Boolean Operation Boundary dialog enables you to perform Boolean operations (such as add, subtract, and intersect) on two existing boundaries.

Click Boundary tab > Create panel > Boolean Operation to display the Boolean Operation Boundary dialog.

This dialog contains the following:

• Lock — Click to lock the boundary so that its parameters cannot be changed. When a boundary is locked, the button changes to and all the parameter fields become 'read-only'. Click the button again to unlock the boundary. This is useful for protecting complex boundaries that may have taken some time to calculate.
• — This icon shows the type of boundary you are creating; in this case, a Boolean operation boundary.
• Name — Enter the name of the boundary.
• Reference Boundaries — This defines the two boundaries you want to work on.
  • Boundary A — Select from the drop-down list the first boundary you want to use.
  • Boundary B — Select from the drop-down list the second boundary you want to use.

  Boundary A must be different from Boundary B. If you choose a Type of:

  • Subtraction, Boundary B is subtracted from Boundary A. The order of selection of the A and B boundaries is important.
  • Addition or Intersection the order of selection is irrelevant. The result is the same whichever order the A and B boundaries are selected in.

Boolean Operation

• Type — Select from the list the type of Boolean operation you want to perform.
  • Addition —This creates a boundary which is the addition of the two boundaries (Boundary A + Boundary B).
  • Subtraction — This creates a boundary which is the subtraction of Boundary B from Boundary A (Boundary A - Boundary B).
  • Intersection — This creates a boundary which is the intersection of Boundary A with Boundary B.
• Allow boundary to be private — Select to create a boundary that could become a private boundary. The boundary becomes private only when it's linked to a toolpath or stock model. A private boundary is linked to a specific toolpath and cannot be used by any other toolpaths. To use the same boundary elsewhere you have to duplicate it.
• Information — Hover over this button to display private boundary information.
• Apply edit history on calculation — When selected, applies the list of edits to the boundary when it is recalculated. When deselected, the boundary is recalculated using the options on this dialog, but no edits are applied.
• View boundary edits — Click to display the Boundary Editing History dialog, which enables you to see all edits you have made to the boundary.
• Apply — Click to calculate the boundary immediately, using the parameter settings from the dialog.
• Queue — Click to check that all the parameters used to calculate the boundary are acceptable. The boundary is added to the calculation queue and the dialog is closed. The boundary is calculated in the background when PowerMill would otherwise be idle.
• Accept — Click to store the boundary parameters. This closes the dialog without calculating the boundary. The boundary is calculated automatically when required.
• Cancel — Click to close the dialog without storing the boundary parameters.

For more information, see Example of Boolean operations on two boundaries.