3D Curve Profiling

You can machine wireframe profiles that vary in height (Z value) along their length, these are:

To machine these profiles you check the 3D Profiling box in the General tab. This would be useful in removing the flashing from moulded components, for example.

Note that 3D Profiling is only available with Model Type (in the cycle dialog's General tab) set to Wireframe.

Tip: when double-clicking to select a profile of adjoining entities in 3D, remember you will probably need to hold down the Ctrl key, for more details see Selecting Contiguous Entities by Chaining.

The height of the cycle's z-level passes is dependent on the Level modifier, and normally you specify this as an absolute value. When 3D curve profiling however the height cannot be fixed, so you specify Level as an incremental offset from the height of the profile. (So specifying a Level and Depth of 0 produces a toolpath that follows the profile at the same height, wherever the profile is positioned vertically.)

 

Retract and Depth are relative to Level, so they are influenced by the 3D Profiling setting. Clearance is absolute, so it is not affected.

Otherwise, when 3D curve profiling you use the cycle in the same way, apart from:

Offset parameter

This becomes a purely XY offset.

CRC Compensation and CRC register settings

These become unavailable. The toolpath is always for the bottom centre of the tool. The toolpath follows the geometry, offset by the tool radius in the XY plane (as viewed down the tool axis). (This applies to any wireframe profiling.)
 

Lead Moves

The cycle dialog's Lead tab modifiers operate as if the profile is flattened into a flat XY plane.
 

Modifiers made unavailable by setting 3D Profiling

General tab

Depth tab

Control tab

Start/End tab

Contouring