editing the toolpath

8/9/2019 Editing the Toolpath

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Editing the Toolpath

Please note that these options are only available in the milling and turning environment

Several commands allow you to edit the toolpath itself. These can be selected from Toolpath (Edit menu):

Section-Changes a toolpath section.

Split-Breaks up a toolpath.

Delete-Deletes a toolpath section.

Note that once a toolpath has been edited using one of these commands, it is no longer a normal machining

instruction and cannot be edited or regenerated.

Toolpaths that have been edited will be shown with an appropriate comment after the command name in

the instruction list.

Deleting a Section of a Toolpath

The command Toolpath Delete (Edit menu)lets you remove part of a toolpath between two selected

points. The system then creates a linear tool move to link the two parts of the toolpath.

Link Control (Milling only) Specifies how the link moves are to be created. Select Shortest to create a

single linear move. Select Retract to create a vertical move to the Retractplane (defined below) before

adding a link move.

Depth Parameters (Milling only) Specifies the Clearanceand Retractdepth levels used by the system to

generate the link moves.

Screen Snap Check this box to select a toolpath from the screen rather than a command from the

instruction list.

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Editing a Section of a Toolpath

The command Toolpath Section (Edit menu)lets you change part of a toolpath between two selected

points.

Location Check this box to move a node on the toolpath. If you reposition an arc move, it will change into

a linear move.

Feedrate Specify the tool feedrate in the workplane for the selected part of the toolpath.

Plunge Feed (Milling only) Specify the vertical tool feedrate (into and out of the workplane) for the

selected part of the toolpath.

Speed Specify the spindle speed to be used during the selected part of the toolpath.

Rapid Check this box to change the selected part of the toolpath to all rapid moves.

Screen Snap Check this box to select the toolpath from the screen rather than from the instruction list.

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Splitting a Toolpath

The command Toolpath Split (Edit menu)lets you break a toolpath at a selected point to produce two

separate toolpaths. This lets you insert new commands between the two toolpaths.

Screen Snap Check this box to select a toolpath from the screen rather than a command from the

instruction list. The toolpath will then be broken at the point nearest to the digitised point on the screen.

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Transforming the Toolpaths

Several commands are available to copy or alter one or more machining operations from the instruction list.

Note that only the toolpaths are altered by these commands there is no alteration of the original design

geometry.

These commands copy and transform the calculated toolpath. They do no tregenerate the path in its new

position. This means that fixed points such as home or toolchange positions and moves to Z clearance may

not give the desired output. Such moves should not be included in the instructions to be transformed.Subroutines used for repeating the hole cycle positions may also be invalidated as they will no longer have

unique identifying numbers.

These are the Editmenu commands (in Manufacture Mode):

Transform Mirror (Milling and Wire only) Check to reverse the order of the sequence and the direction of

the tool along the toolpath on the mirrored instructions. Note that this literally reverses the direction and

that the tool will cut in the opposite direction. If multiple passes have been made, the Reverse command will

cause the last pass to be cut first.

On simple toolpaths the Reverse command will allow the climb/upcut conditions to be maintained on a

mirrored toolpath.

Transform Repeat (Milling only) Copies the toolpath at successive depths. Do no tset the Finish At

parameter to Clearance or Retract for any cycles transformed by this command. Otherwise Z moves will be

output into the subroutine which may invalidate the toolpath. For similar reasons, there should not be any

other Z moves between a cycle and its associated repeat machining instructions. Note that repeats are

calculated from the current Z height of the tool when the repeat machining instruction is actioned.

Transform Rotate (Milling and Wire only) Rotates or copies a series of operations one or more times

about a selected point. This is used where the same feature appears several times about a central point.

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Transform Translate Moves or copies a series of operations one or more times. This is used where thesame feature appears more than once in a component.

Changes have been made in EdgeCAM 7.00 to the way in which the Translate command works,

particularly for controller subroutines. These changes result in a better correlation between the moves

shown by EdgeCAM graphics and the toolpath on the machine tool. See Notes on Translate Command.

In Wire Erosion, you may only translate the toolpath in the X and Y directions.

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Notes on Translate Command

Changes have been made in EdgeCAM 7.00 to the way in which the Translate command works, particularly

for controller subroutines. These changes result in a better correlation between the moves shown by

EdgeCAM graphics and the toolpath on the machine tool.

Translated moves

EdgeCAM translates the toolpath as represented by move end points within the designated labels. From a

machine tool point of view the "Start" of a sub-routine is, therefore, the End of the move leading to that first

endpoint. Slightly different results will be seen depending on the type of move. A direct rapid or feed move

will result in its end point being the subroutine start and the move will effectively be "lost" in repeats of the

subroutine. A 2D rapid, doglegged, move (e.g. XY and then Z) will give the dogleg point as subroutine start

and only the first segment of the move will be lost.

Note that the graphics often show an apparent dogleg when resolved rapids are not used. This intermediate

point does not exist on the NC data - it is purely for visualisation purposes - and will not be used as a start

point.

Some previous changes in this area have been removed from EdgeCAM. This means that in some cases

the graphical representation will change, compared to previous versions, to more closely represent what

happens on the machine tool.

Good practice

For safety reasons, subroutines should always start and finish at a safe clearance height. If this practice is

followed then the link moves between subroutines can be expected to also be at the safe height. The

subroutine should always include the liftout move at the end of a cut.

A specific move to a point near to the required start of the subroutine before defining the subroutine is

recommended. This is generally preferable to making a move direct from, say, toolchange and relying on

the 2D rapid's dogleg to be the start point. If the machine tool movements are not exactly as represented on

screen then this will minimise the discrepancy.

Code Generators

Some additional system variables have been added to the Code Generator to pass the subroutine start

point.

In macros TRANSLATE and RESET, the variables XEND, YEND, ZEND now represent the end of

any approach move and thus the start of the subroutine.

In macros SUBSTART and SUBCALL, the existing variables NEXTXMOVE, NEXTYMOVE,

NEXTZMOVE can be used.

The TRANSLATE Macro (No. 32) should now use XEND etc. as subroutine start point instead of

XSUB etc. Rapid approach moves to this point should be output.

The SUBSTART Macro (No. 55 ) should use NEXTXMOVE etc. as a "HOLD" point for calculation ofincremental moves.

The SUBCALL Macro (No. ) should include a rapid approach move to NEXTXMOVE etc.

Existing code generator files will continue to work as before since no existing variables have been changed.

It may be, however, that their actions are not correctly represented on screen by EdgeCAM graphics.

The Code Wizard templates for milling and turning have been updated to match the graphics. Template

based code generators should be updated to the version 7.00 templates to take advantage of these

changes.

The templates have also been updated to make the switch between incremental and absolute subroutines

easier. The logic within the template will now determine whether to use the Rapid or Translate codeconstructors and G90/91 blocks will only be output by subroutine start and end if they are required. This last

change is within the default sequence of the code constructors. It will not be applied automatically to

updated CGD files but will be available for newly created files.

It should always be remembered that the exact action of a machine tool when using controller cycles is

beyond the control of EdgeCAM. It is the user's responsibility to ensure that his code generators are

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correctly configured and that the on-screen representation closely matches the actions of his controllers.8



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Using Matrix Mode

Only available in the milling environment

Matrix Mode lets you repeat an operation or series of operations at regular intervals, specifying the number

of rows and columns you need in your grid or matrix.

EdgeCAM always displays the selected geometry in the bottom left hand corner of the Matrix. The variouselements of the matrix are machined starting from the bottom left hand corner by default. However, when

you select a tool, the Quadrantlist box lets you start from the other corners of the Matrix. (Note that the

Quadrant parameter must have been enabled in your code generator for this to work.)

Matrix Mode Start (Edit menu)is used before the sequence of machining commands that are to be

matrixed.

You now perform a normal sequence of toolchanges and machining cycles on the geometry as a

single part.

Matrix Mode Finish (Edit menu)is used after you have finished entering the sequence of commands that

are to be matrixed.

EachMatrix Mode Startmust be completed with a Matrix Mode Finishcommand.

Note that the Mode (View menu)command contains a Matrix check box that allows you to display or hide

the Matrixed toolpath.

In this example, a Lacing area clearance toolpath has been created after a Matrix Mode Start.

On selecting the Matrix Mode Finishcommand, the Lacing toolpath is repeated in a grid according to the

parameters specified in the Matrix Mode Start command.

Repeats Specify the number of cells in the matrix in the X and Y direction.

Fret Specify the number of Border widths (Double or Single) separating each cell in the matrix.

Border Specify the border spacing in part units in X and Y.Length Specify the distance between each cell in the matrix in X and Y.

Dead Zones Allows you to specify areas that can be used by clamps or fixturing. Define the dead zones

by nominating two sides of the matrix rectangle and a distance in from the edge.

Thisexamplehas X Repeats=5 and Y Repeats=4, and a Dead Zone along the bottom right of the matrix:

Direction Specifies which cell is to be machined after the first cell. Select between Row or Column.

Column forces the tool to move to a cell in the Y direction and Row (the default) forces the tool to move to a

cell in the X direction.

Lace Cut Deselect to move the tool in the same direction along each row or column. The default setting of

the checked box moves the tool to the next cell with the shortest possible movement.Subroutines Select Pathtraceto avoid using subroutines when generating CNC code from this matrixed

toolpath. The default setting of Controllerwill use subroutines where available.

Define Layout Select to ignore the Direction modifier and specify exactly in which order the individual

cells are to be machined. The system displays a diagram of the cells in the matrix. Select each cell in the

order you want the cells machined in. As each cell is selected, it is given a number to show its position in

the sequence.

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