Embedded pattern finishing

Use the Embedded pattern finishing page to create a toolpath with the contact point defined by an embedded curve. Before you create an embedded pattern finishing toolpath you must create an embedded pattern.

Drive curve — Select for an embedded pattern to determine the machining profile. It defines the contact point of the toolpath.

Create pattern — Click to create a new empty pattern.

Selected pattern — Select a pattern from the list. If no pattern is displayed, or is selected, then no pattern is selected. The list contains a list of all available patterns.

Select picked pattern — Click to select a pattern by picking in the graphics window, rather than by name in the Select pattern list.

Clicking displays the Pick Entity tab. Select a pattern in the graphics window to close the Pick Entity tab and display the pattern in the Selected Pattern field.

Collect curves — Click to copy the selected curves into the pattern. This provides a fast, powerful means of extracting curve geometry from a surface model and copying it into the active pattern/boundary. For more information, see the collecting curves example.

Lower Limit

Axial Offset — Enter the lowest position of the toolpath.

Gouge Avoidance

Gouge check — Select to see if any part of the toolpath gouges. This enables the Gouge avoidance page.

Note: Deselect this option when creating an engraving toolpath. Because you are engraving the surface, you want the toolpath to gouge the surface.

Degouge — When selected the tool can move normal to the surface (by up to the distance specified in the Degouge Tolerance field) to enable the toolpath to move to a safe position. When deselected, the embedded pattern defines the point on the surface which may or may not gouge.

Degouge tolerance — Enter the maximum distance, normal to the surface, that the toolpath can move to find a safe position. If gouges greater than this value are detected, then the tool is lifted axially to avoid the gouge.

Note: Gouge avoidance moves the tool along the tool axis. Degouging moves the tool along the surface normal.

Tolerance — Enter a value to determine how accurately the toolpath follows the contours of the model.

Thickness — Enter the amount of material to be left on the part. Click the Thickness button to separate the Thickness box in to Radial thickness Axial thickness . Use these to specify separate Radial and Axial thickness as independent values. Separate Radial and Axial thickness values are useful for orthogonal parts. You can use independent thickness on sloping walled parts, although it is more difficult to predict the results.

Radial thickness — Enter the radial offset to the tool. When 2.5-axis or 3-axis machining, a positive value leaves material on vertical walls.

Axial thickness — Enter the offset to the tool, in the tool axis direction only. When 2.5-axis or 3-axis machining, a positive value leaves material on horizontal faces.

Component thickness — Click to display the Component thickness dialog, which enables you to specify the thicknesses of the different surfaces.