Orienting tools

00:01

In this video, you’ll: Determine tool tilt angles for optimal tool contact.

00:09

Open the file Orienting tools.f3d in the Manufacture workspace.

00:16

A setup has already been created for this model.

00:20

In the Browser, select Setup1.

00:24

Be aware that this stock and body are the same size, to aid in the visualization of the toolpaths you are about to apply.

00:32

Review the model and orient it to the LEFT side.

00:38

Notice that one of the blades is colored orange.

00:42

This is the face that you will be applying toolpaths to.

00:46

From the Toolbar, expand the 3D drop-down.

00:51

Select Steep and Shallow.

00:54

Under Tool, click the Tool selection prompt to open the tool library.

01:00

From the list of tools within the document, select tool 1 – 1/8" Ball End Mill.

01:08

Click Select.

01:11

Enable Shaft & Holder.

01:14

Next, open the Geometry tab.

01:17

Enable Tool Orientation.

01:20

Expand the Tool Orientation drop-down and choose Select Z Axis/plane & X axis.

01:29

Then, in the canvas, pick the top face of the blade.

01:34

With the orientation set, in the dialog, expand the Machining Boundary drop-down and choose Selection.

01:42

Then, in the canvas, pick the outer edge of the fan blade to set it as the boundary.

01:49

Back in the dialog, enable Contact Point Boundary.

01:55

Then, enable Avoid/Touch Surfaces, and under that, enable Touch Surfaces.

02:04

Click the Avoid/Touch Surfaces selection prompt, and in the canvas, pick the face of the blade as the surface to touch.

02:15

Next, in the dialog, open the Passes tab.

02:20

Under Shallow Passes, expand the Type drop-down and select Parallel.

02:27

Expand the Direction drop-down to Both ways.

02:32

In the Stepover field, enter .05.

02:38

In the Wall Clearance field, enter .001.

02:43

Then, open the Multi-Axis tab.

02:47

Ensure that under Tool Axis, Primary Mode is set to Vertical.

02:54

Then, open the Linking tab.

02:57

Expand the Retraction Policy drop-down and select Minimum retraction.

03:03

Click OK.

03:06

In the canvas, the toolpath displays.

03:09

Notice that only a portion of the blade is being machined by this toolpath,

03:14

because the tool would collide with the part.

03:17

From the Browser, right-click the Steep and Shallow toolpath and from the shortcut menu, select Edit.

03:26

The Steep and Shallow dialog appears again.

03:30

Open the Multi-Axis tab.

03:33

Under Tool Axis, expand the Primary Mode drop-down.

03:38

Here, the From Point option allows you to designate a point for the machine to work with.

03:45

When this option is selected, the tip of the tool points away from a sketched point.

03:51

To do this, from the Browser, expand Models, CAM Root:1, Sketches.

04:00

Toggle ON the visibility of Sketch2, which is a point that has already been placed.

04:08

Then, back in the dialog, set Primary Mode to From Point.

04:15

Then, in the canvas, select the sketched point.

04:20

Click OK.

04:22

Once the toolpath updates, you can see that it now machines the entire face.

04:28

Now, from the Toolbar, Actions panel, select Simulate.

04:34

Notice that the tool pivots around the select point, so that it can machine the face of the blade without any collisions.