Much of the tool path calculation created during initial operations will be reused in further tool path generation by VX QuickMilling's advanced caching control. Cached data offers various ways of reuse such as common cache folders shared by different machines or threads and restarting tool paths based on cached data.

 

The cache folder (i.e., the VX temporary directory) is where QuickMilling stores incremental steps in tool path creation. The steps are gradually more and more specialized until the final tool path is achieved. When a tool path operation parameter is changed, QuickMilling first looks to the most specialized version of the cache entry that wasn't affected by the change and begins processing from there. This caching control can shorten the time required to calculate subsequent tool paths by as much as 30-90%.

 

 

 

VX QuickMilling is a set of tool path operations that are based on internally calculated STL files. These are triangulated representations of your part geometry. See QuickMilling Operations for more information. This command removes all QuickMilling cache files except for the STL files.

 

 

 

This command removes all VX QuickMilling cache files including the STL files. These files represent incremental steps in tool path creation.

 

 

 

The VX QuickMilling log is an XML formatted file that logs all QuickMilling activities (refer to the figure below). Use this command to display the log fie in Windows Internet Explorer.

 

 

VX QuickMilling Log

 

 

 

Use this command to get information about VXQM (Version and Executable Location). Details are send to message window.

 

Example:

 

Message: QuickMilling Executable Path [w:\vx\nt\release\driver\vxqm.exe]

Message: QuickMilling Executable Version V0.7.12

 

 

 

Use this form to set the default tool path display colors. There are three display modes (Standard, Rainbow and Feed).

 

The Feed and Rainbow options are applied to all tool paths, without permanently changing the color settings on each definition form.

 

• Standard - The tool path colors are governed by the Color parameter on the operation definition form for each tool path.

• Rainbow - The tool path colors are assigned based on the distance that the tool has traveled (i.e., a rainbow affect).

• Feed - The tool path colors are assigned based on the feed motion. Use the buttons to assign colors to each of the available feed motions.

• Save Config - Saves the current feed display colors to a configuration file that you specify.

• Load Config - Loads a configuration file of feed display colors that you have previously saved.