Tips for creating electrodes

Here are some tips to help you create electrodes:

• Check the direction of the Z axis:

  The electrode is extracted along +Z axis. If the Z axis is not aligned correctly, create a new workplane with the Z axis aligned in the direction of the desired electrode extraction. A common problem is having this axis in the wrong direction or opposite orientation.

• Use the appropriate selection method:

  When selecting the burn region on the Select Region page of the Electrode wizard, we suggest you use the selection methods in the following order:

  • Selection Method — Always try the Concave Region option first (use the Convex Region option if you are creating the electrode from the inside of the solid). This is the easiest and most reliable method.
  • Box selection — Try box selection next. The best approach is to:
    1. Drag a box around the desired region.
    2. Select Single Face from the Selection Method menu.
    3. Enable shaded mode.
    4. Press and hold Ctrl and click to toggle in and out any missed or unwanted faces.
  • • Trace Region — Only use this option when the first two methods fail due to the solid being linked badly or the region being too complex. This takes more time to compute the electrode than the other options.
• Use top fillets:

  You can make the electrode using fillets that run along the top of the solid. If you do, we recommend you use one of the following:

  • a zero extension distance.
  • a non-zero extension distance, with the Split Surface option selected on the Extension Distance Options page of the Electrode wizard.

  In many cases, you get much nicer electrodes if you avoid these fillets.

  If you use box selection, use Ctrl+Click to toggle out any top fillets.

  Note: If you use Concave or Convex Regions from the Selection Method, the fillets are not usually selected.
• Experiment with extension options:

  When choosing the Extension options on the Extension Distance Options page of the Electrode wizard, Grow to box is the default option for post-version 8 solids. For electrodes with no side openings to be extended horizontally, Align Vertically is probably the best option.

  Also experiment with the Surface Internals option. It can sometimes produce the desired result when the other two are not quite right.

  If the extension surfaces are proving problematic, you can try creating an electrode with zero extension and skip this stage altogether.

• Set the height dimensions of a user defined blank:

  There are three height dimensions that you can set on the Specify Electrode Blank page of the Electrode wizard:

  • Height
  • Thickness
  • Base Ht

  Each of these dimensions has a lock button next to it. Use it to lock the value of a height dimension when specifying a user-defined blank.

  If the overall height of the blank is fixed:

  1. Enter the Height value and click the lock button.
  2. Enter a value for either Thickness or Base Ht. The third value is automatically calculated.

  If the thickness of the blank is fixed:

  1. Enter the Thickness value and click the lock button.
  2. Enter a value for either Height or Base Ht. The third value is automatically calculated.

  If the base height of the blank is fixed:

  1. Enter the Base Ht value and click the lock button.
  2. Enter a value for either Height or Thickness. The third value is automatically calculated.