NC 4 Axis Menu

Cut a single surface by following flow lines that define the surface.

Generate a toolpath by projecting an existing toolpath, created on one part design, onto the surface(s) of another design.

See "Project" under NC 3 Axis Menu.

Project Cut Control Tab

Introduction

Swarf Cut Control Tab

Use the side of the tool to cut a surface. The tool shank is oriented parallel to the surface during the cut with the side angle having a value of zero.

There are two types of orientation of the tool shank along the surface during the Swarf operation. The orientation of the tool shank can be off the centerline to the positive or the negative side of the part

To insure the correct tool orientation for the machining process, turn on the tool display during the cut. To turn on the tool display, click Tools > Options > Display. The Tool Display Options dialog box appears. Set Draw The Tool to Yes.

The Swarf operation has the capability of machining a small part of the surface with a process that is called Tool Containment. See Tool Containment.

If you must set the tool at a slope along the axis of rotation, a 5 Axis Swarf cut is required.

Introduction

Contour Cut Control Tab

This is a one pass operation that can be used as a swarf operation, a contour operation, or both.

This operation can be used to perform a contour cut on a spline using a guide surface associated with multiple bottom surfaces that control the cut.

Bottom surfaces are gouge protected and avoided.

For more information, see 4 and 5 Axis Contour.

Introduction

Trim Cut Control Tab

Use the Trim operation to trim the material from an outside or an inside edge of a part. To trim an inside and an outside edge, you must do the operation two times.

A trimming curve along the final edge of the part helps to make a Trim operation toolpath. During the Trim operation, the outside edge of the tool is tangent to the trimming curve. The center of the tool is offset to one side or the other of the trimming curve.

The angle between the top surface of the part and the edge that is cut by the side of the tool is determined by direction lines that you attach to the trimming curve at appropriate locations. The angle at which the direction lines intersect the surface is the angle at which the tool will cut. If a direction line is normal to the surface at a given location, the angle between the surface and the edge will be 90º. The size of the cutting angle, as the tool moves from the location of one direction line to the next, will slowly change in a smooth transition.

The direction lines must attach to the trimming curve at the end points of the elements of that curve. If you need a direction line between the end points of an element you must use Break 1 on the Edit > Trim Break menu. Break that element where the direction line will be positioned. See the following examples.

Complete the Trim Operation

Click the Trim command.
SURFCAM displays the Select Chain menu. Select the first element of the trimming curve.
Complete the chain operation.
SURFCAM displays the Trim dialog box.
When you finish, click the OK button.
SURFCAM displays the Select menu. Select the tool direction lines or vectors.
Click Done .
Select the offset side.of the trimming curve. Then SURFCAM creates the trim toolpath and displays the tool motion, and the Keep Operation dialog box.
Click the Accept button to keep the operation.

Trim Curve Examples

A trimming curve

Trimming curve with direction lines

Tool tangent to trimming curve

Tool offset to interior of
trimming curve

Trim toolpath showing tool

Tool tilted by the direction line

Used to perform Z axis canned cycles including drilling, reaming, tapping and boring.

See Hole Processing.

The axis of rotation can be selected with any orientation. When this command is not used, SURFCAM defaults to the axis rotation defined in the SURFCAM.INI file. When this parameter is set for the machine configuration, it is not necessary to click the Set axis command.

See Set Axis.