Machining Air Geometry
Geometry may be designated as "Air" by two methods, right mouse clicking the geometry and selecting the Change Feature From Wall To Air option or by selecting Toggle Wall/Air from the Modify menu. When geometry is designated as "Air" it is changed from it's normal color of blue to red. This red or "Air" geometry acts as a constraint similar to regular geometry except that the toolpath will overhang this area by the amount specified in the machining dialog. The default setting is to have the tool overhang the geometry by its cutting radius.
Additionally, geometry that is designated as "Air" will affect any Roughing or Contouring operations applied to this geometry. That means there are four general possibilities on how a tool will enter and machine a pocket.
- Plunge in the center and spiral out. This is the standard method the system uses to machine a pocket or pocket with an island. See Example 1.
- Start at the outside of the geometry and spiral in. This will occur when a complete loop of closed geometry is designated as "Air". The operation will begin a tool-on-center cut on the "Air" geometry. See Example 1.
- Start at the inside of the geometry and spiral out. This will occur when "Air" geometry is interior to regular, "Wall" geometry. The operation will begin a tool-on-center cut of the "Air" geometry.
4. Start at the outside, dig to the center and machine outward. This occurs on "Combination" geometry. Combination geometry is closed loop of geometry that consists of both "Air" and "Wall" geometry. The tool will begin at a corner of the geometry, dig its way to the center and spiral out.Example 1
This example illustrates the differences in entries between an entirely "Air" loop and a loop that is a combination of "Air" and "Wall" geometry. Note how the tool machines inward from where the "Air" geometry is coincident with the stock on the combination geometry example.
Example 2
This example uses "combination" geometry to machine an open-sided pocket as well as machining around an existing pocket. Image 1 shows the existing pocket. The darker, bold lines in Image 2 are designated as "Air". The toolpath is generated in image 3. Image 4 shows the tool machining to the center of the part so it may machine outward. Image 5 shows the tool overhanging the existing pocket. Image 6 is the completed open-sided pocket.
Example 3
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This example illustrates how a user could stretch an operation's toolpath around a boss to clean up the part. The boss geometry is offset from the stock by 2mm. The outer geometry is designated as "Air". We will use a 13mm endmill to cut the part. To clean up the boss a value smaller than the 2mm offset is entered in the Minimum Cut box. This ensures that open sides with material greater than the Minimum Cut will be machined. If this value was 2mm or more then the small space would be uncut.
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