Specify Changes tab

The Specify Changes tab enables you to define how you want to edit the selected area of the toolpath. You must define the area of the toolpath you want to edit on the Select Regionstab, before you can edit it.

To display the tab, click Toolpath Edit tab > Edit panel > Edit Within Region to display the Edit Toolpath Within Region dialog, and select the Edit Tool Axis tab.

This tab contains the following:

Type of Editing — Use the drop-down list to specify how to edit the selected area. You can either define a new tool axis, change the existing tool axis at a constant rate, or manipulate the point distribution:

• New Axis Definition — Select to define a new Tool Axis. You can also manipulate the existing Point Distribution.
• Axis Interpolation — Select to enable the Tool Axis to change at a constant rate over the selected region.
• Orientation Vector Only — Select to enable you to edit the orientation vectors without modifying the tool axis.

Rotary Axis Configuration — The read-only field displays the coordinate system PowerMill uses to calculate the azimuth and elevation for editing the tool axis and point distribution of the selected area of the toolpath.

— Click to display the Machine tool dialog, which enables you to specify the coordinate system PowerMill uses for editing the tool axis and point distribution of the selected area of the toolpath. To specify the coordinate system PowerMill uses for the initial calculation of the toolpath, select a rotary-axis-configuration option on the Machine tool page of the strategy dialog.

Tool Axis — The read-only field displays the tool orientation PowerMill uses in the selected toolpath area.

— Click to display the Tool Axis Direction dialog, which enables you to edit the tool axis.

Note: This option is available only if you have a Type of Editing as New Axis Definition.

Orientation — Displays the Orientation type. To edit the Orientation type, click to display the Tool Axis dialog and select an alternative from the list.

Point Distribution — Select to allow PowerMill to distribute points within the selected area of the toolpath in the style specified in the Type read-only field. To change how PowerMill distributes points, click and select a more appropriate option from the Output type list.

— Click to display the Point Distribution dialog, which enables you to specify how PowerMill distributes toolpath points.

Blend Distance — Enter a value to specify the distance over which the tool axis changes from the new orientation to the original. This can minimise marks on the model caused by a sudden change in tool axis. For more information, see Blend Distance example.

Undo — Click to undo changes you have made.

Note: This option is not available until you have selected Apply. The Undo option becomes unavailable if you; deactivate the current toolpath, edit the toolpath using something other than the Edit Toolpath Within Region dialog, or close the dialog.

Apply — Click to apply your changes to the tool axis.

Cancel — Click to close the dialog without making any additional edits.