Embedded pattern finishing toolpath - engraving example

When you have an Embedded pattern you can use it to define the tool contact point of a toolpath. This example looks at an engraving toolpath. The Embedded Pattern Finishing dialog is similar to the Profile Finishing dialog.

1. Click Home tab > Create Toolpaths panel > Toolpaths to display the Strategy Selector dialog.
2. From the Finishing category, select Embedded Pattern Finishing.
3. On the Tool page, select from the Tool list. This displays the Tapered Spherical Tool page.
4. On the Tapered Spherical Tool page:
   1. Enter a Diameter of 3.
   2. Enter a Tip Radius of 0.2.
   3. Enter a Taper Angle of 30.
   4. Enter a Length of 15.
5. On the Tool axis page:
   1. Select a Tool Axis of Lead/Lean.
   2. Enter a Lead of 0.
   3. Enter a Lean of 0.
   4. Select a Mode of Contact Normal.
6. On the Embedded pattern finishing page:
   1. In the Drive Curve frame, select an Embedded Pattern of TrebleClef_1 (created in Creating an embedded pattern example).
   2. In the Lower Limit frame, select an Axial Offset of -1.
   3. In the Gouge Avoidance frame, deselect Gouge Check. Because you are engraving the surface, you want the toolpath to gouge the surface.
7. On the Multiple Cuts page:
   1. Select a Mode of Offset Down.
   2. Select an Order by of Level.
   3. Deselect Maximum Number of Cuts.
   4. Select Upper Limit and enter a value of 3. This option is only available when you select the Mode of Offset Down.
   5. Enter a Maximum Stepdown of 1.
8. Click Calculate to create the embedded toolpath.

   

Note: You can see that the lowest pass of the toolpath is 1 mm below the embedded pattern. You get a difference between the toolpath and the embedded pattern as the embedded pattern is at the tool contact position and the toolpath is at the tool tip position.