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Merge Tolerance

Chained sweep machining on adjacent faces requires parametric continuity for the faces. Since continuity is not always possible, TopSolid'Cam tolerates a space between the position of the iso parameters of 2 adjacent faces with identical values.

The user can use a cursor to introduce a variation, between 0 and 100%, for this tolerance value.

The first diagram shows chain sweeping on 2 adjacent and tangential faces. Since TopSolid'Cam always tries to establish parametric continuity to obtain an ‘extension’ of the first face’s passes to the other face, the faces’ size can be different. However, in the example on the left, even if parametric continuity is ensured, since the merging cursor is at zero, the chaining operation will not be performed. In the example on the right, the cursor is other than zero (the value does not matter) ; the chaining operation will thus be performed.

The second diagram shows the same chain sweeping operation for the adjacent and tangential faces. However, parameters’ definition for these faces is not homogeneous ; therefore, TopSolid'Cam cannot ensure parametric continuity (iso parametric curves can never be placed opposite one another). If the merging cursor is at zero, the result will be identical to that previously obtained ; on the other hand, relative to the cursor position, it will be possible to ‘merge’ certain sweeping passes on the left face with certain passes on the right face. A 100% value for the cursor corresponds to a merger rate of 50% of the machining pitch. Sweeping passes on the second face will be ‘merged’ with the first face’s passes, provided the space between them is not greater than half of the pitch induced by the user defined crest height.

Topsolid CAM online Help Index