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Integrated BIM tools, including Revit, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D
Professional CAD/CAM tools built on Inventor and AutoCAD
Identify when it is better to use Delete Passes instead of toolpath trimming. Also, determine when to use the various selection methods that are available.
Type:
Tutorial
Length:
4 min.
Tutorial resources
These downloadable resources will be used to complete this tutorial:
Transcript
00:03
With the Manufacturing Extension,
00:06
you can use the Delete Passes function to delete a selection of passes or segments for toolpath optimization and improved part quality.
00:14
The Delete Passes strategy is often used in conjunction with, or as an alternative to, the Trim Toolpath function.
00:21
This is particularly helpful when unwanted passes are next to or overlap desirable segments.
00:28
As an example, here, you can see the difficulty of sketching a polygon to Trim the toolpath.
00:34
This is a situation where Delete Passes is useful.
00:38
It is worth noting that Delete Passes does not work on all toolpaths—for instance, with most roughing toolpaths,
00:45
or if Cutter Compensation is set to In control, Wear, or Inverse wear.
00:51
To take a closer look at the Delete Passes functionality, with your toolpath activated,
00:56
on the Manufacture workspace toolbar, click Milling > Modify > Delete Passes.
01:04
In the Delete Passes dialog, first choose a Selection Type.
01:09
Select Segments to delete individual segments, defined as the segment between 2 consecutive points,
01:15
or select Passes to delete an entire toolpath pass.
01:19
Then, on the canvas, select the individual segments or passes to delete.
01:25
Keep in mind that you do not need to press Ctrl or any other key as you click to add further selections.
01:31
There are two ways to select multiple passes at once.
01:35
On the canvas, click and drag a window from right to left to select all passes partially contained within the window.
01:44
Alternatively, click and drag a window from left to right to select the passes fully contained within the window.
01:53
To deselect a pass, press and hold Ctrl and then click the unwanted pass.
01:59
Both window selection methods work for partial segments as well.
02:04
Click Invert Selection to reverse your selection.
02:07
This deletes the passes or segments you selected while selecting the remaining passes or segments in the toolpath.
02:14
Deleted passes are added to the timeline and can be removed or edited at any time.
02:20
Simply right-click the appropriate deletion in the timeline and select Delete or Edit.
02:28
Looking at a real-life application, the cavity shown here contains flat sections,
02:33
which means a ball nose will not work to finish the sections, and these toolpath passes need to be removed.
02:39
Activate the appropriate toolpath, and then open the Delete Passes dialog.
02:45
Click and drag a window from right to left to select the appropriate passes, then click OK.
02:51
The relevant toolpath passes are removed.
02:55
Next, explore what happens when you edit the toolpath in a way that violates the toolpath deletion.
03:01
Right-click the toolpath in the Browser and select Edit.
03:05
In the Steep and Shallow dialog, on the Passes tab, Shallow Passes group, adjust the Type to Scallop, then click OK.
03:15
The toolpath fails to regenerate, and a yellow warning shows on the Delete Passes feature in the Timeline.
03:22
In this case, right-click the Delete Passes feature and select Delete.
03:27
Now, the toolpath generates, but with the Type now changed to Scallop, there are more passes on the floor than previously.
03:36
There is another way to select passes for deletion.
03:40
With your toolpath activated and the Delete Passes dialog open,
03:44
on the toolbar, click Milling > Select > Paint Selection to change the selection type.
03:51
Then, click and drag to select the passes on the canvas.
03:55
Everything the paintbrush touches is selected for deletion.
03:59
Click OK, and as you can see, the relevant toolpaths are removed.
04:04
Now you know how to optimize your toolpath using the Delete Passes strategy,
04:09
which is especially useful for unwanted segments that are next to or overlapping desirable areas.
Video transcript
00:03
With the Manufacturing Extension,
00:06
you can use the Delete Passes function to delete a selection of passes or segments for toolpath optimization and improved part quality.
00:14
The Delete Passes strategy is often used in conjunction with, or as an alternative to, the Trim Toolpath function.
00:21
This is particularly helpful when unwanted passes are next to or overlap desirable segments.
00:28
As an example, here, you can see the difficulty of sketching a polygon to Trim the toolpath.
00:34
This is a situation where Delete Passes is useful.
00:38
It is worth noting that Delete Passes does not work on all toolpaths—for instance, with most roughing toolpaths,
00:45
or if Cutter Compensation is set to In control, Wear, or Inverse wear.
00:51
To take a closer look at the Delete Passes functionality, with your toolpath activated,
00:56
on the Manufacture workspace toolbar, click Milling > Modify > Delete Passes.
01:04
In the Delete Passes dialog, first choose a Selection Type.
01:09
Select Segments to delete individual segments, defined as the segment between 2 consecutive points,
01:15
or select Passes to delete an entire toolpath pass.
01:19
Then, on the canvas, select the individual segments or passes to delete.
01:25
Keep in mind that you do not need to press Ctrl or any other key as you click to add further selections.
01:31
There are two ways to select multiple passes at once.
01:35
On the canvas, click and drag a window from right to left to select all passes partially contained within the window.
01:44
Alternatively, click and drag a window from left to right to select the passes fully contained within the window.
01:53
To deselect a pass, press and hold Ctrl and then click the unwanted pass.
01:59
Both window selection methods work for partial segments as well.
02:04
Click Invert Selection to reverse your selection.
02:07
This deletes the passes or segments you selected while selecting the remaining passes or segments in the toolpath.
02:14
Deleted passes are added to the timeline and can be removed or edited at any time.
02:20
Simply right-click the appropriate deletion in the timeline and select Delete or Edit.
02:28
Looking at a real-life application, the cavity shown here contains flat sections,
02:33
which means a ball nose will not work to finish the sections, and these toolpath passes need to be removed.
02:39
Activate the appropriate toolpath, and then open the Delete Passes dialog.
02:45
Click and drag a window from right to left to select the appropriate passes, then click OK.
02:51
The relevant toolpath passes are removed.
02:55
Next, explore what happens when you edit the toolpath in a way that violates the toolpath deletion.
03:01
Right-click the toolpath in the Browser and select Edit.
03:05
In the Steep and Shallow dialog, on the Passes tab, Shallow Passes group, adjust the Type to Scallop, then click OK.
03:15
The toolpath fails to regenerate, and a yellow warning shows on the Delete Passes feature in the Timeline.
03:22
In this case, right-click the Delete Passes feature and select Delete.
03:27
Now, the toolpath generates, but with the Type now changed to Scallop, there are more passes on the floor than previously.
03:36
There is another way to select passes for deletion.
03:40
With your toolpath activated and the Delete Passes dialog open,
03:44
on the toolbar, click Milling > Select > Paint Selection to change the selection type.
03:51
Then, click and drag to select the passes on the canvas.
03:55
Everything the paintbrush touches is selected for deletion.
03:59
Click OK, and as you can see, the relevant toolpaths are removed.
04:04
Now you know how to optimize your toolpath using the Delete Passes strategy,
04:09
which is especially useful for unwanted segments that are next to or overlapping desirable areas.
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