Use the options on the Safe area tab of the Toolpath connections dialog to specify the size and shape of the safe area in which the tool can move at a rapid rate (the speeds are specified in the Feeds and Speeds dialog) to move the tool between two points in the shortest possible time.
The rapid move is generally made up of three moves:
- An up move from the last cutting position to a safe Z area.
- An across move at constant Z to the new start cutting position.
- A down move to the new start Z height.
Up move at the rapid feed rate.
Across move at the rapid feed rate.
Down move at the rapid feed rate.
Plunge move at the plunge feed rate.
Cutting move at the cutting feed rate.
Safe Z.
Start Z.
This tab contains the following settings:
Safe area
The options in this area specify where and when the tool moves at the rapid rate for absolute moves.
Type — Specifies the shape of the safe area over which rapid moves are allowed to take place.
Workplane — Select the workplane used to define the safe area (if different from the toolpath workplane). The tool axis remains fixed until the tool reaches the safe area. It is only as the tool moves over the surface of the safe area that any reorientations occur.
Normal — Enter the direction of the normal to the plane in which rapid moves are made. This option is available when you select a Type of Plane.
Position — Enter the coordinates of the point along the axis of the cylinder defining the safe area. This option is available when you select a Type of Cylinder.
Direction — Enter the direction perpendicular to the plane in which rapid moves are made. This option is available when you select a Type of Cylinder.
Centre — Enter the centre of the sphere defining the safe area. This option is available when you select a Type of Sphere.
Corner — Enter the coordinates of a corner of the box. This option is available when you select a Type of Box.
Dimension — Enter the length, height, and width of the box. This option is available when you select a Type of Box.
— Click to display the
Direction dialog, which enables you to edit the direction of an item. This button is available when you select a
Type of
Plane or
Cylinder.
— Click to display the
Position dialog. Use the dialog to manually enter coordinates and locate items in the graphics window. This button is available when you select a
Type of
Cylinder,
Box or
Sphere.
Rapid height — Enter a constant level in Z to which the tool will lift, before making rapid moves across the workpiece. This option is available only if you select a Type of Plane.
Plunge height — Enter an absolute value in Z to which the tool will move down at rapid rate, before cutting into the workpiece. This option is available only if you select a Type of Plane.
Use polar links — Select to specify that the paths across a planar safe area are defined in accordance with polar milling. This option is available when you select a Type of Plane.
Rapid radius — Enter the radius of the cylindrical or spherical safe area. This option is available only if you select a Type of Cylinder or Sphere.
Plunge radius — Enter the radius of the cylinder or sphere from which absolute plunge moves are made. This option is available only if you select a Type of Cylinder or Sphere.
Plunge offset — Enter the position of the plunge surface with respect to the box-shaped safe area. This option is available only if you select a Type of Box.
Polygonisation tolerance — Enter a value to define the tolerance to which any arc moves are polygonised, therefore defining the maximum deviation from the cylindrical or spherical surface. This option is available only if you select a Type of Cylinder or Sphere.
Finite length — Select to define a cylindrical safe area with an explicit length. This option is available only if you select a Type of Cylinder and is off by default.
- Length — Enter a value to define the length of the cylinder.
- Included Faces — Toggle the Minimum and Maximum options to specify the faces over which rapid moves are allowed to cross. The start and end faces of the cylinder are defined with respect to the axial direction.
Included faces — Toggle the options in this area to specify the sides of the box over which rapid moves are allowed. This option is available only if you select a Type of Box.
Calculate dimensions
The options in this area specify when the tool moves at the rapid rate for incremental moves.
Measured from — Select an option from the list to define the reference frame with respect to which the safe area and plunge surfaces are calculated from:
- Block and Model — Defines the safe area with respect to the box or cylindrical limits of the block and model combined. Cylindrical limits are used if the block is a cylinder and encloses the box limits of the model.
- Block — Defines the safe area with respect to the box or cylindrical limits of the block.
- Model — Defines the safe area with respect to the box limits of the model.
- Machine tool — Defines the safe area to lie within the linear travel limits of the machine tool. This option is unavailable if a machine tool is not specified for the toolpath.
Machine tool — Select a machine tool from the list.
Model location — Select the workplane that aligns with the machine tool coordinate system. This specifies the orientation of the part relative to the machine tool. These options are available only if you select a Measure from of Machine Tool.
Rapid clearance — Enter the clearance, from the block and model, required of the Safe Area. This clearance is in addition to, not instead of, the specified Plunge Clearance. This option is available only if you select a Measure from of: Block and Model, Block, or Model.
Rapid inner clearance — Specifies the clearance of the rapid surface inside the linear travel limits of the machine tool. This option is available only if you select a Measure from of Machine Tool.
Plunge clearance — Enter the clearance, from the block and model, required at the start of a plunge move. This option is available only if you select a Measure from of: Block and Model, Block, or Model.
Plunge inner clearance — Specifies the clearance of the plunge surface inside the linear travel limits of the machine tool. This option is available only if you select a Measure from of Machine Tool.
Calculate — Click to calculate the dimensions of the safe area required to achieve the specified clearance from the block and the model. If you select a Type of Plane where the plane is normal to the Z axis:
- Rapid height = Block Limit Max Z + Rapid clearance + Plunge clearance
- Plunge height = Block Limit Max Z + Plunge clearance
Drawing options
Draw rapid surface — Select to draw the surface of the safe area. Use the slider to set the level of opacity of the rapid surface.
Draw plunge surface — Select to draw the surface beyond which the rapid moves are made. This is the region of space beyond which approach moves are made at the plunge rate. Use the slider to set the level of opacity of this surface.
Gouge check — Toggle to specify if toolpath connections are checked for gouges and collisions.
Apply safe area — Click to save your changes and recalculate the safe area and any moves defined from it.