As the surface becomes more horizontal, the Z-level passes become more spaced out (looking at right-angles onto the surface), this may lead to a non-uniform finish.
The cycle gives you options for inserting extra passes to correct this.
You use the Finish Shallow Areas option on the cycle's Control tab; you can (licence permitting):
Take no special measures for the shallow areas (choose 'None').
Finish shallow areas with a 'Constant Cusp' strategy.
The extra passes are created by projecting the Z level passes with
an offset calculated to give a constant cusp height. The extra passes
are stopped if and when they meet a Z level pass.
Finish shallow areas with a 'Projected' strategy.
The extra passes are created by projecting the Z level passes across
the surface with a constant XY offset (as you'd see looking from the top),
which is defined by the %Stepover
value. The extra passes are stopped if and when they meet a Z level pass.
Note that for the extra passes, the 3D toolpath spacing (as you'd see
looking at right angles onto the surface) gets smaller as the surface
gets flatter. This is the opposite of the Z-level areas, where the 3D
spacing gets larger as the surface gets flatter.
Machine shallow areas with a 'Parallel' (lace) strategy (generally for use on flat faces of prismatic type parts).
All these strategies use the %Stepover parameter.
For the shallow areas the 'Type' lead parameter is forced to Vertical.
Constant Cusp Strategy Example