New Hole Feature dialog - General tab

Operation

This setting reflects the complexity of the hole geometry - whether is has a counterbore and/or countersink for example. This determines which parameters the hole can supply to cycles -  a hole with a 'Counterbore' setting can supply a 'Preparation Depth' value, to be used in a New Hole cycle for machining the counterbore.

The setting is automatically made on the creation of the hole feature, and the appropriate settings enabled and made in the Geometry tab.

Change this Operation setting to change which additional settings are enabled for editing in the Geometry tab (over and above the 'basic' settings of 'Level', 'Depth' and so on).

The Formed setting refers to hole with a freeform wall profile, comprising any mixture of line and arc segments. Formed holes can only supply basic level and depth parameters to cycles. To fully machine the hole geometry you would need to use a formed tool matching the geometry. Alternatively you could treat the hole as if it were a pocket, and use Roughing and Profiling cycles, for example.

Formed is useful when identifying other holes with the same geometry, using 'Find Similar' (below).

Termination

An indication of how the hole is to be machined. When using the New Hole cycle for example, the depth is increased slightly for Through hole to ensure break-through.

Coord Input

Check this to re-digitise the hole's geometry. This is only available for holes found using Solids menu ► New Hole Feature. You could re-digitise a completely different hole in the solid.

Orientation

Only available with 'Coord Input' checked, above.

This imposes a constraint on the geometry you can digitise. You could not change from Radial to Vertical for example and re-digitse the same hole in the solid, as this would not be correctly oriented. You would have to digitise a new hole, lying in the correct orientation.

Set this to how you want the re-digitised hole to be orientated:

Vertical

The axis of the hole feature is parallel to the Z axis of the feature's CPL.

Radial

The axis of the hole feature intersects one of the axes of the feature's CPL. See an illustration...

Find Similar

Only available with 'Coord Input' checked, above.

Check this to use your re-digitised geometry as a template for finding similar holes (that is holes with matching geometry, and that fulfil the CPL selection criteria (so for a radial hole, the 'similar' holes must also be radial to the same axis)).

Threading Information

Only available with 'Coord Input' checked, above. Check this to import any threading information associated with your re-digitised geometry.

The data  must have been defined using the CAD system's Hole Wizard,  and the EdgeCAM session must have been started using the 'Launch EdgeCAM' option within the CAD system.

From Autodesk Inventor assemblies, threading data can only come from parts within the assembly, not from the assembly itself.

In SolidWorks, the holes must have a Cosmetic Thread (see an example dialog from SolidWorks 2006...).

Axis

Only available with 'Coord Input' checked and with 'Orientation' set to Radial - see above.

This indicates  the X, Y or Z axis of the hole's CPL that the hole's axis intersects.

You could change this and re-digitise the same hole in the solid, as a hole can be radial to more than one axis.

Colour

The colour of the feature.

Layer

The layer the feature is on.

Style

The line style for the feature.

Name

The name of the feature.

Comment

Type in some useful notes text on the feature.