& Construction
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Integrated BIM tools, including Revit, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D
& Manufacturing
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Professional CAD/CAM tools built on Inventor and AutoCAD
Integrated BIM tools, including Revit, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D
Professional CAD/CAM tools built on Inventor and AutoCAD
How to analyze a solid body to identify manufacturability concerns based on best practices for plastic injection molding and use the results and recommendations to address any issues, using the Design Advice command in the Fusion Design Extension.
Type:
Tutorial
Length:
5 min.
Transcript
00:03
In the Manufacturing extension, steep and shallow is a finishing strategy that machines steep areas using contour passes,
00:10
and shallow areas using parallel or scallop passes.
00:14
You can use the steep and shallow strategy to optimize both steep and shallow regions in a single toolpath.
00:21
This strategy includes multiple features that reduce machining time and improve the surface finish of your part.
00:28
When using a scallop option on shallow areas, the steep and shallow strategy enables continuous spiral.
00:35
This means that the tool does not have to perform a step over between passes across shallower regions.
00:41
To access the steep and shallow continuous spiral option, on the Manufacture workspace toolbar, click Milling > 3D > Steep and Shallow.
00:52
Or, if you have an existing toolpath, right click it and select Edit.
00:58
In the Steep and Shallow dialog, click the Passes tab, and in the Shallow Passes group, select Spiral.
01:06
In this example, you can see that the continuous spiral option results in a better surface finish and eliminates linking passes.
01:15
The steep and shallow toolpath also enables corner smoothing, with automatic cusp removal.
01:20
Notice the sharp corners of the toolpath shown in this example.
01:24
When the machine tool approaches a sharp corner, it reduces the programmed feed rate to enable the cutting tool to change direction.
01:32
This slows machining time and the cutting tool stops deflecting, which can result in a small dwell mark on the part.
01:39
To resolve this, in the Steep and Shallow dialog, select Smooth Offsets.
01:45
This option rounds the corners of the toolpath to improve both the cycle time and surface finish of the part, as you can see in this example.
01:53
It is important to note that you can further improve your cycle time and surface finish
01:58
by enabling the centerline to cut passes over any small apexes.
02:03
This removes any tiny cusps of material where the cutting tool changed direction.
02:08
To use this feature, in the same Shallow Passes group of the dialog, select Remove Cusps at Junctions.
02:16
Another feature of the steep and shallow strategy is the ability to add an overlap value.
02:22
Without this value, the toolpaths for steep and shallow regions step over at the same edge
02:28
and can result in visible dwell marks on the surface of the part.
02:32
Specifying an overlap value for these regions extends the edges of the toolpath segments,
02:37
so that they step over in different locations.
02:40
In the Steep and Shallow dialog, on the Passes tab, Passes group, enter an Overlap Distance value—here, 1 is entered.
02:50
Notice the adjusted toolpath, with minimized dwell marks and an improved surface finish.
02:58
When using a parallel strategy for shallow areas, as in this example, steep and shallow enables you to set a Wall Clearance value.
03:06
Here, you can see that as the bottom of this deep pocket is machined,
03:10
the tool approaches the side wall of the pocket at the end of each parallel pass.
03:15
On the Passes tab of the dialog, Shallow Passes group, enter a Wall Clearance value.
03:22
In this case, .1 is entered, leaving the parallel passes slightly short of the steep wall.
03:28
This prevents the cutting tool from touching the wall of the pocket and eliminates the potential for marks on the steep faces.
03:36
Also, when machining shallow areas using parallel passes,
03:41
steep and shallow analyzes the shallow areas on the model to calculate an optimal angle.
03:47
In the Steep and Shallow dialog, Passes tab, in the Shallow Passes group, make sure that Fixed Direction is deselected.
03:57
In this example, you can see that the toolpath for each shallow region has a different parallel angle.
04:03
The angle is automatically calculated to minimize toolpath length, resulting in a faster and more efficient machining toolpath.
04:11
Now, you are familiar with some of the benefits and features of the steep and shallow toolpath,
04:17
including continuous spiral, corner smoothing, overlap values, wall clearance, and automatic parallel angles.
Video transcript
00:03
In the Manufacturing extension, steep and shallow is a finishing strategy that machines steep areas using contour passes,
00:10
and shallow areas using parallel or scallop passes.
00:14
You can use the steep and shallow strategy to optimize both steep and shallow regions in a single toolpath.
00:21
This strategy includes multiple features that reduce machining time and improve the surface finish of your part.
00:28
When using a scallop option on shallow areas, the steep and shallow strategy enables continuous spiral.
00:35
This means that the tool does not have to perform a step over between passes across shallower regions.
00:41
To access the steep and shallow continuous spiral option, on the Manufacture workspace toolbar, click Milling > 3D > Steep and Shallow.
00:52
Or, if you have an existing toolpath, right click it and select Edit.
00:58
In the Steep and Shallow dialog, click the Passes tab, and in the Shallow Passes group, select Spiral.
01:06
In this example, you can see that the continuous spiral option results in a better surface finish and eliminates linking passes.
01:15
The steep and shallow toolpath also enables corner smoothing, with automatic cusp removal.
01:20
Notice the sharp corners of the toolpath shown in this example.
01:24
When the machine tool approaches a sharp corner, it reduces the programmed feed rate to enable the cutting tool to change direction.
01:32
This slows machining time and the cutting tool stops deflecting, which can result in a small dwell mark on the part.
01:39
To resolve this, in the Steep and Shallow dialog, select Smooth Offsets.
01:45
This option rounds the corners of the toolpath to improve both the cycle time and surface finish of the part, as you can see in this example.
01:53
It is important to note that you can further improve your cycle time and surface finish
01:58
by enabling the centerline to cut passes over any small apexes.
02:03
This removes any tiny cusps of material where the cutting tool changed direction.
02:08
To use this feature, in the same Shallow Passes group of the dialog, select Remove Cusps at Junctions.
02:16
Another feature of the steep and shallow strategy is the ability to add an overlap value.
02:22
Without this value, the toolpaths for steep and shallow regions step over at the same edge
02:28
and can result in visible dwell marks on the surface of the part.
02:32
Specifying an overlap value for these regions extends the edges of the toolpath segments,
02:37
so that they step over in different locations.
02:40
In the Steep and Shallow dialog, on the Passes tab, Passes group, enter an Overlap Distance value—here, 1 is entered.
02:50
Notice the adjusted toolpath, with minimized dwell marks and an improved surface finish.
02:58
When using a parallel strategy for shallow areas, as in this example, steep and shallow enables you to set a Wall Clearance value.
03:06
Here, you can see that as the bottom of this deep pocket is machined,
03:10
the tool approaches the side wall of the pocket at the end of each parallel pass.
03:15
On the Passes tab of the dialog, Shallow Passes group, enter a Wall Clearance value.
03:22
In this case, .1 is entered, leaving the parallel passes slightly short of the steep wall.
03:28
This prevents the cutting tool from touching the wall of the pocket and eliminates the potential for marks on the steep faces.
03:36
Also, when machining shallow areas using parallel passes,
03:41
steep and shallow analyzes the shallow areas on the model to calculate an optimal angle.
03:47
In the Steep and Shallow dialog, Passes tab, in the Shallow Passes group, make sure that Fixed Direction is deselected.
03:57
In this example, you can see that the toolpath for each shallow region has a different parallel angle.
04:03
The angle is automatically calculated to minimize toolpath length, resulting in a faster and more efficient machining toolpath.
04:11
Now, you are familiar with some of the benefits and features of the steep and shallow toolpath,
04:17
including continuous spiral, corner smoothing, overlap values, wall clearance, and automatic parallel angles.
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