www.kxcad.net Home > CAM Index > EdgeCAM Index >
EdgeCAM provides these pocket clearance commands from the Cycles menu:
|
Areaclear |
|
|
Lace |
|
The Areaclear (Cycles menu) command generates a concentric toolpath pattern and is used when you have to keep the cutting direction constant:
There are two possible directions for the cycle. Choose the Direction (inside-out or outside-in) carefully, to avoid pushing over or breaking thin walls or islands.
Here is the same area machined using the Lace cycle:
The overall cycle time may be shorter than if using an areaclear cycle for the same task.
Unlike areaclearance, a lacing toolpath leaves cusps of material along the inside of the profile wall. To produce a final pass around the profile, check the Finish Pass box. If you want to use a different tool to do the finishing pass, consider using a profiling cycle instead.
Each strategy has its own strong and weak points, but both strategies guarantee total clearance of the area, and both can handle multiple levels and islands.
When using a planar cycle, note that:
EdgeCAM automatically places the toolpath on the correct side of the profile.
You can specify 2D geometry to represent islands. When generating the toolpath, the cycle automatically adds the tool offset to the geometry.
If your part has separate pockets and you check the Cut by Region box, each pocket is machined completely before the tool moves on to the next pocket.
See Also
Roughing Male Parts with the External Boss Strategy
