3D Profile Machining Operation

If set to True, an additive toolpath will be generated, suitable for extrusion heads.

Additive toolpaths are generated from lowest to highest Z levels with the lowest (starting) level at Z=StockSurface

For best results, this setting would be combined with a WaterlineRough 3D profile methods, and a small DepthIncrement.

This method is very experimental at the moment and more work is needed to tie in with the post processor to control the extruder.

When set to True, a toolpath for the back face of the model will be generated.

If the back face option enabled, a valid BackStockSurface setting should also be supplied.

The VolumeMax and VolumeMin clipping points may also need to be adjusted to include the back part of the model.

To improve code generation, model faces pointing away from the front are ignored.

This can cause problems when triangle winding order is inconsistent, so this behaviour can be disabled by setting BackFaceCulling to False.

If the BackFace setting is enabled, this is the current Z coordinate that willl be at Z=0 after the model is 'Flipped' about the FlipAxis.

This value replaces the some what confusing BackStockSurface property used previously in BasReliefs.

The outer boundary shape, as determined by the BoundayMethod setting, is extended by the distance give in the BoundaryMargin setting.

It is recomended that a margin greater than 0 is used when using waterline profile methods in combination with ShapeOutline boundary methods.

This property controls the shape of the area around the model to machine.

Boundary shapes options are:

ShapeOutline - the outline shape of the source 3d models.

BoundingBox - a rectangle enclosing the source geometry.

SelectedShapes - A list of 3D or 2D shapes specified in BoundaryShapeIds.

A list of drawing entity IDs that represent the shapes to use to determine the boundary shape.

Angle in degrees from vertical to taper the outer boundary edge.

The clearance plane (offset from the work plane).

The clearance plane should be clear of the stock and any holding devices to allow free movement to any location.

See available macros in CustomMopHeader

Various macros can be used in this script which will be expanded by the post processor.

| - denotes a new line
$f - cut feedrate
$t - tool diameter
$n - tool number
$x - X coordinate of 1st toolpath point
$y - Y coordinate of 1st toolpath point
$z - Z coordinate of 1st toolpath point
$r - Clearance Plane
$s - Stock Surface
$q - Peck distance (drilling only)
$p - Dwell (drilling only)
$d - Hole diameter (drilling only)

Controls what the TargetDepth coordinates are relative to.

Warning! Any setting other than Absolute may give unpredictable results.

Defines which drawing point will be at the machines 0,0 location.

Settings other than DrawingOrigin will use the select extremety point.
This point is calculated from all drawing objects used in all machine operations.

LeadInType : None | Spiral | Tangent
SpiralAngle : Used by spiral and tangents to control ramp angle.
TangentRadius : The radius of the tangent lead in

Controls the direction the cutter moves around the toolpath.

Conventional or Climb milling supported.

MillingDirection is not yet working in 3D profiling.

The method used to generate the 3D toolpath.

Options are:

• Horizontal - Use a Z scanning method in horizontal direction.
• Vertical - Use a Z scanning method in vertical direction.
• WaterlineRough - Uses a series of waterline slices which are pocketed up to the boundary shape.
• WaterlineFinish - Creates a profile using the tool offset at each waterline slice.

When WaterlineRough 3D profile method is selected, this option controls the pattern used to fill the pockets at each waterline layer.

Example fill patterns...

The effects of each option can be seen when using the new Draw - Fill Region menu option.

Options are:

• HorizontalHatch region filled with horizontal lines
• VerticalHatch region filled with vertical lines
• InsideOutsideOffsets region filled with progressive offsets from outside in, unioned with offsets from islands radiating outward.
• OutsideOffsets region filled with progressive offsets from outside in (like current pocket method).
• InsideOffsets region filled with offsets from islands radiating outward.

For Horizontal and Vertical 3D profile methods, this is the distance along each scan line (expressed as % of cutter diameter), for each Z height test point.
Larger resolution values may be faster but could result in some model features being over cut.

This is the amount of stock to leave after the final cut.

Remaining stock is typically removed later in a finishing pass.

Negative values can be used to oversize cuts.

The cut is increased by this amount each step, expressed as a % of the cutter width.

For horizontal and vertical 3D profile methods, this is the distance between each scan line.

For waterline roughing, this is the distance between fill offset lines.

For waterline finishing, this value is not used.

The ToolNumber is used to identify the current tool.

If ToolNumber changes between successive machine ops a toolchange instruction is created in g-code.

ToolNumber=0 is a special case which will not issue a toolchange.

The shape of the cutter

Used to transform the toolpath.

Warning! The property is experimental and may give unpredictable results.

Instructs the gcode interpretter whether or to use 'look ahead' smoothing.

Options are:

• ConstantVelocity - (G64) Smoother but less accurate.
• ExactStop - (G61) All control points are hit but movement may be slower and jerky.
• Default - Uses the global VelocityMode value under machining options.

A Point, used with VolumeMin to define a clipping volume.

If a VolumeMin and VolumeMax coordinate are both 0, the 3d profile will not be clipped.

Used to define the gcode workplane. Arc moves are defined within this plane.

Options are XY, XZ and YZ