Minimum Clear Length

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Cimatron E informs you of the Minimum Clear Length that can be used to complete the machining of an executed procedure, without leaving unmachined regions due to holder collisions.

The Clear Length is the distance between the tip of the cutter and the lowest part of the holder. Minimizing the Clear Length enables you to use a shorter tool which increases its stability.

In order to calculate the Minimum Clear Length, use a cutter with a clear length that is much larger than the estimated requirement (for example, a clear length that is greater than the stock height).

The Minimum Clear Length value is calculated and displayed in the Output pane and the NC Process Manager (in the Limit by Holder column) after calculating the procedure.

A cutter with this calculated Minimum Clear Length can then be used for the actual machining, regardless of the clear length value in the procedure.

Example:

The cutter length before calculating the Minimum Clear Length	The recommended cutter length after calculating the Minimum Clear Length

Notes:

The Minimum Clear Length calculation may be activated from the following functions: Finish, Cleanup and Pencil.
The Minimum Clear Length calculation does not occur in the following cases: if Tilting is used, Multiple Cutters are defined or if no holder is defined.
The result of the Minimum Clear Length calculation is displayed in the Output pane and can be one of the following:

"Clear Length can be reduced to XX.XXX."
This message is displayed if it is possible to reduce the clear length without colliding with the Stock or the Part.
"Clear Length cannot be reduced."
This message is displayed if the cutter’s clear length cannot be reduced. This means that, either the Shank or the Holder was already very close to the Stock or the Part, OR that some areas were not machined (due to the Holder collision check) during the calculation of the toolpath.
"Clear Length information is not relevant."
This message appears if the calculation of the minimum clear length was not applicable due to one of the following reasons:
a. The tool does not have a Holder.
b. The procedure was defined with the Tilting option.
c. The procedure was defined with Multiple Cutters.

Changing the clear length of the used cutter suspends the procedure and requires the procedure to be rerun. In order to avoid this process, do not change the clear length in the procedure; instead, change the cutter in the machining center with one that has the appropriate clear length.

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