See also: Four Axis Turning
The Four Axis Turning option allows you to use more than one turret at the same time in the turning environment. This means you can use two fixed cutting tools in the same cycle, using the Four Axis commands from the Cycles menu.
In Balanced cycles, the Upper and Lower turrets work opposite each other about the Z axis. These cycles have an additional parameter called Z Lead. Using a value here instructs the currently active turret to cut in front of the other turret by the Z Lead distance.
The Four Axis cycles operate in the same way as the Two Axis cycles Straight Turn and Rough Turn, except that two turrets are used for the same cycle at the same time. The leading turret is the currently selected (active) turret.
Feedrate - Specifies the feed movement speed of the tool. This is feed per minute, or feed per revolution (default), as selected using the Feed Type (M-Functions menu) command.
Speed - Specifies the spindle speed of the turning centre in revolutions per minute . If you have previously selected Constant Surface Speed using the CSS (M-Functions) command, this spindle speed is measured in surface speed (metres or feet) per minute.
Cut Increment - Specifies the distance between cuts in the units used for the part.
% Stepover - Specifies the distance between cuts as a percentage of the effective length of the cutting edge of the tool. Use only ONE of these parameters to define this distance.
Z Lead - In Balanced cycles, the upper and lower turrets work opposite each other about the Z axis. Using a Z Lead value instructs the currently active turret to cut in front of the other turret by the Z Lead distance.
Link Type - Selects the rate to move the tool at between drives. This can be at the Rapid or Feed rate.
Digitise Start - Check to select a cycle start position when entering co-ordinate data for the cycle.
Safe Approach - Check to use the Safe Approach strategy on the initial approach move. This causes approach moves to be split into two separate blocks. If a radially mounted tool is in use the approach will be in the order Z and then X. For an axially mounted tool the order will be X and then Z.
Rough Cuts Only - Check to rapid move the tool back for the next drive. If the Rough Cuts Only box is blank, the tool feeds along the profile and to the previous drive line before returning for the next drive.
Feature Name - Enter a name here to allow labelling of digitised information for this cycle to enable "pickup" of this information in another (similar) cycle.
Cut Direction - Specifies the cut direction for the cycle. Choose between <Digitise>, Face and Turn.