Activity 1: Using 3D Adaptive Roughing

In this activity, you orient the part with a 3+2 machining setup and use a 3D Adaptive Roughing strategy (previously known as Adaptive Clearing) to create the elliptical shaped feature.

Before and after for 3D Adaptive Roughing

Before machining the part (left), after using 3D Adaptive Roughing (right).

Prerequisites

Steps

  1. On the Manufacture toolbar, Milling tab, select 3D > 3D Adaptive Roughing 3D Adaptive Roughing icon.

  2. In the 3D Adaptive Roughing dialog, set the tool to #12 – Ø8 R1 mm bullnose.

    1. Select Tool tab icon, Tool tab, on the 3D Adaptive Roughing dialog, if not already selected.

    2. Click the Select button.

    3. In the Select Tool dialog, in the left panel, scroll to the bottom and select Tutorial Tools (Metric).

    4. In the list of tools, click the tool #12 – Ø8 R1 mm (Bull nose end mill).

      Select 8 mm bullnose tool

      The Tutorial Tools (Metric) library is selected, then the specific tool is selected.

    5. Click Select to select the tool and close the Select Tool dialog.

  3. Define the orientation and the elliptical geometry to machine.

    1. On the 3D Adaptive Roughing dialog, select Multi axis tab, Multi-Axis tab.
    2. Check the Tool Orientation box, to expand this group.
    3. Choose Select Z axis/plane & X axis from the Orientation drop-down menu.
    4. Ensure the Z Axis button is active and select the face containing the Ellipse, to define a face defining the Z-axis.
    5. Ensure the X Axis button is active and select the longest edge of the face you just selected. This selection defines the X direction.
    6. Choose Selected point from the Origin drop-down menu.
    7. Click the Point button for the Tool Orientation Origin parameter.
    8. Click the bottom left corner of the trapezoidal plane the ellipse is in to define the new origin.

      Define plane for machining

      Plane defining the z axis direction (1), edge defining the direction of the X axis (2), corner defining the origin (3).
  4. Pick the outer elliptical edge as the machining boundary.

    1. Choose Selection in the Machining boundary perimeter.

    2. Ensure the Machining boundary selection is active.

    3. Click on the outer elliptical edge.

    4. Select Tool center on boundary from the Tool Containment drop-down.

    5. Click OK on the 3D Adaptive Roughing dialog to start calculating the toolpath.

      Before and after for 3D Adaptive Roughing

Activity 1 summary

In this activity, you used a 3+2 machining technique to orient the part so the plane containing the ellipse is normal to the machine’s Z-axis. Then, you used 3D Adaptive Roughing to rough cut the elliptical pocket.

Before and after for 3D Adaptive Roughing

Before machining the part (left), after using 3D Adaptive Roughing (right).