Preferences dialog - Solids tab

Flat faces (parallel to CPL's XY plane) white

Positive sloping faces green.

Vertical faces (parallel to CPL's Z axis) yellow

Negative sloping faces blue.

Preferences dialog - Solids tab

Note that some of the options in this tab may be unavailable, depending on your licence.

The options on this tab specify how EdgeCAM will react when loading or reloading a solid model.

Separate Layers - When loading solid assemblies or solid models containing multiple bodies you can specify whether all bodies are placed on the same layer or each body is placed on an individual layer using this option. The default for this option is OFF.

When checked, each body is placed on a separate layer where the layer name is the name of the file followed by the body number, i.e. filename - 001, filename - 002 etc. If a Pro/ENGINEER file is loaded then the layer names will be those of the individual bodies loaded. If a SolidWorks assembly is loaded the layer name will be that of the assembly. If the part contains configurations, the configuration names are also appended to the layer names.

Active Configuration - When launching a SolidWorks file with configurations, you can restrict this to only loading the active configuration instead of all configurations by checking this option. When loading a .sldprt file, the configuration that was active when the part was saved will be loaded.

Please note that each configuration (including the default) needs to be saved in SolidWorks, if it is to be loaded into EdgeCAM.

Granite Model Tolerance (inch/mm) - If necessary, Granite solid models are converted to this tolerance as they are loaded (and also on automatic re-loads). If the conversion fails you are warned and the model loads with its original tolerance. The inch or mm version is available depending on the 'Part Units' set (in the General tab).

Model Tolerance Notification - To ensure that Granite models are machined to the required accuracy in EdgeCAM you should ensure that the model is created in the CAD system to at least the desired machining tolerance. Whenever a solid with internal tolerance is loaded or transformed in EdgeCAM a message reporting the internal tolerance is displayed. Uncheck this box if you do not want to display this message.

Zoom Extents - Effectively carries out a Zoom Extents command (which is in the View menu), on loading the solid. This means that the solid will fill its display window, which is useful in overcoming the problem of 'Inches' solids initially appearing too small, for example.

Load Sheet Bodies - Check this for sheet bodies to be loaded on opening solids, uncheck this for sheet bodies to be ignored (sheet bodies can be problematical to machine).

When launching EdgeCAM from Part Modeler, Autodesk Inventor, SolidWorks or Solid Edge, information contained within the CAD file (such as work plane or coordinate information) is written out to a separate .xml file that is stored in the same folder as the CAD model.

You can use the following options to allow EdgeCAM to automatically generate CPLs from these planes.

Coordinate System Planes - Automatically generate CPLs from the coordinate system information written out to the .xml file. This option is only available when EdgeCAM is launched from SolidWorks or Solid Edge.

Work Planes - Automatically generate CPLs from the work plane information written out to the .xml file. This option is available when EdgeCAM is launched from Part Modeler, Autodesk Inventor, SolidWorks or Solid Edge.

Sketch Planes - Automatically generate CPLs from the sketch plane information written out to the .xml file. A plane can be defined from 2D sketch geometry and EdgeCAM interrogates the sketches within the CAD model to generate CPLs normal to these sketch planes. This option is available when EdgeCAM is launched from Part Modeler, Autodesk Inventor, SolidWorks or Solid Edge.

Prefix CPL Names - When generating CPLs from the plane and coordinate system information written out from the CAD file, EdgeCAM will use the same identification names as used in the CAD system. Check this option to add a three character prefix to the CPL name. Using the prefix will group CPL names by type in the EdgeCAM CPL list for easy identification.

Change Notification - When this box is checked EdgeCAM will issue a change notification and prompt for a reload to the latest version of the model. If this box is not checked a change notification will not be issued.

Reload Multiple Instances - This is useful when multiple instances of the same solid exist within one EdgeCAM part file. Check this box for all instances of the solid to be reloaded automatically without prompting.

Regenerate Current Sequence - Check this box to automatically regenerate the machining sequence following the reload of the solid.

Geometric Match - This option can be used in addition to standard feature ID matching for enhanced feature identification.

The solid model has a unique identifier for every entity in a body (face, loop, edge and vertex). When a feature is identified EdgeCAM holds a cross-reference to the solid keys. When a body is reloaded EdgeCAM will first try and match the current features to the keys in the new model.

In addition, you can now use the Geometric Match option to enable matching by geometry. Geometric attributes are used to match vertices, faces and edges during the reload and if the geometric shape of the feature found by the matching process is considered to be the same as the original feature it is deemed to be unchanged (and given the same ID in the new model).

Delete Orphaned Features - An orphaned feature is a feature that no longer exists on the updated model. These features can be deleted automatically following a reload by checking this box. Note that any existing machining instructions related to an orphaned feature will need to be deleted or re-specified.

Manual features other than surface features behave like automatic features on a reload and orphaned features are retained unless Delete Orphaned Features has been checked. Because surface features are defined as references to faces of the current model, they cannot be retained if orphaned.

Feature Find Summary - When the Feature Finder command or any manual feature identification command is re-run after reloading a solid a summary of the features found on each CPL and on each solid is displayed. Ensure that this box is unchecked if you do not want to display the summary. Note that the status of features since the last reload is listed in the feature browser. Manual features other than surface features behave like automatic features on a reload, their status is updated and they are added to the report message.

Ignore Thread Info for Grouping - Check this for threading information to be ignored when grouping holes, so that holes can be placed in the same group even if their threading information differs, so long as all their other properties are identical.

Superseded Feature Find - Check this for the Feature Finder dialog to include options for finding superseded type (pre-version 9) pocket and boss features.

Render by Geometry Type - Check this for the geometry type of a solid face to be indicated by its colour (view must be 'rendered' not 'wireframe'). This can be used as a diagnostic tool to obtain information about the different face types in a solid. See a list of geometry types and their colours. There is also a button for quickly setting this option; in the Display toolbar drop down the menu from the Render button to see this.

Render by Slope - Check this for the slope of a solid face to be indicated by its colour (view must be 'rendered' not 'wireframe'). This is useful for near-vertical faces for example, when the colour (blue) will indicate 'negative sloping' (overhanging) faces that will definitely need undercutting. There is also a button for quickly setting this option; in the Display toolbar drop down the menu from the Render button to see this.

Slope is measured relative to the current CPL. Vertical faces are yellow, horizontal faces are white, 'positive' slopes are shades of green, 'negative' slopes are shades of blue. The lightness of the colour indicates the amount of slope. For curved faces the colour shows the average slope.

Ignore Model Values - When exporting parasolid files (*.x_t, *.x_b) colour attributes for hole features will be passed from the CAD system to EdgeCAM. The Automatic Feature Finder will detect these colours and group hole features according to their colour , as well as their geometry. Strategy Manager decisions can be based on the colour attribute of the feature(s). The colour of the solid cannot be modified in EdgeCAM, and stock/fixtures do not show the user defined colours when rendered. If preferred, the colour attributes can be suppressed by checking this option.

Please note that Autodesk Inventor 4 and above and Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire pass the model colour (body colour of the entire solid, not just the hole feature) through to EdgeCAM. This can be suppressed by checking the Ignore Model Values option.