Machining STRATEGIST is a powerful 3D CAM solution that generates optimum roughing and finishing CNC toolpaths from the complex

shapes generated by all major 3D CAD systems

Smooth motion control machining for alltoolpaths

Tooling libraries, incorporatingtoolholders

Toolholder gouge protection

Drilling

Taper cutter support

3+2 axis machining

Rest machining, including restroughing and transversal rest finishing

Flat surface machining

Steep/shallow machining option for all3D toolpaths

Variable stock-allowance to steep andshallow areas

Local datums

Batch processing

Calculate multiple processessimultaneously in one database

Your HSM Solutionfor

Increased Productivity

With demands for ever-shorter lead timesand improved quality, High SpeedMachining (HSM) is becoming more widelyadopted in many mould, tool and diemaking companies both in the CADCAMoffice and on the shop-floor to machinehard materials with increased feeds.

machining STRATEGIST has fast become thetechnological leader in this niche area withmany unique machining strategies forgenerating world-class machiningprogrammes.

At the same time, many of these strategiescan improve the productivity of older CNC’swith dramatically reduced air-cutting timeand programmes with smoothing arcswhich help to maintain continuous machinetool motion.

Installed in a CADCAM office or on the shopfloor, machining STRATEGIST can take yourmachining capabilities to new levels andproductivity to new heights.

Features that count:

The on-line help contains comprehensive andeasy to understand text and illustrationswhile every effort has been made to ensurethat it is written in plain English. The help isfully context sensitive and displays topicsrelevant to the current operation and dia-logue box.

Hyperlinks have been incorporated to guidethe operator towards useful related topics,making the on-line help intuitive and easy tonavigate.

Reading third-party data accurately is criticalto the successful operation of a stand-aloneCAM system.

IGES 3D surface and solids data can be readin to machining STRATEGIST together withVDA-FS, STL or direct CATIA interface.

An optional nativeParasolid reader allowsthe transfer ofParasolids files fromVISI-Modelling or otherParasolid-based model-lers.

machining STRATEGISTcan export STL files,which can be particularlyuseful after applyingfillets to a model.

machining STRATEGIST hasbeen developed to be very easy

to learn and use and training istypically only one to two days in

total.

The software has context sensitive menusand dialogue boxes and is intuitive to drive,

while many parameters are calculated auto-matically or remembered to minimise operatorinput.

Operations are driven from a browser-liketree structure. This tree-structure develops toshow the history of the job as shown in theillustration below.

The history tree can be employed to recalcu-late earlier operations with modified param-eters or can be used to capture a sequenceof operations which can be applied to similar,but different jobs.

Data Import/Export

User-Interface

On-line Help

A dynamic section-ing function allowsfor closer interroga-tion of cross sec-tional detail.

This can be usefulwhen analysingtoolpaths whichmight otherwise beobscured by steepwall areas or forvisually viewing thedifference between a remainingmaterial stock model and the finished compo-nent.

A minimumcurvature canbe assessed onparts relative tothe smallest cutter tobe used.

By inputting the minimumcutter radius, a newmodel is generateddetailing corners sharperthan the specified cutter.

Fillets can be used tosmooth out the model formachining. Standardradius fillets can becreated slightly largerthan the ball-cutter to beused. The result will bemachining that has con-tinuous movement and nodwelling.

Fillets

OPEN-GL graphics are usedto maximise the visualaspects of machiningSTRATEGIST.

Once read in, importedCAD data can beviewed as wire-frame,

wire-frame with hidden-lineremoval or fully renderedand fully rendered withsurface edges drawn.

Use of OPEN-GL graphicsfacilitates real-timedynamic rotation,zooming and panning

machining STRATEGISThas a variety of interac-tive tools for analysingthe part geometry. By

snapping to surface node points accuratemeasurements can be taken including;

• dimensions

• lengths

• surface curvature

• slope angle

Any surface can be viewed at a vector normalto itself and this is particularly useful when po-sitioning the part for 3+2-axis machining.

Part Analysis

Fillets can also be specified to have adifferent radius to the diameter andthis can be useful if 3-axis machin-ing with carbide-insert buttoncutters.

As an example, if machiningwith a 32r6 cutter, fillets of34r7 could be created,resulting in smooth, con-tinuous machining even inwhat were previously sharp internalcorners.

Fillets are generally produced in seconds,even on large detailed models. With the useof fillets, smooth machine tool motion, bettersurface finish and improved tool life areassured.

Models read in with open holedetails can be filled with machining

STRATEGIST, using the planar patchfacility, in most cases eliminating the

need to take the part back in to amodelling system for modification.

Planar surfaces can be modelled if thecomponent is destined to become acore or electrode.

In the example below, a gap exists be-tween the model surfaces and the planarpatch used to create a land. machiningSTRATEGIST machines from a top-downattitude, making the vertical gaps inconse-quential and the part can be machined asintended.

In the example below, the aperture has beenfilled with a planar patch to stop the cutterdropping through - very useful for restrictingthe cutter from entering this area.

If planar holes are located at a vector inspace, these can also be filled, by specify-ing an AB rotation for the boundary used toconstrain the planar patch.

machining STRATEGIST automatically looksdown the vector path the boundary iscreated in when performing any associatedcommand such as machining or in this case,creating a planar patch.

Planar Patches

The history-tree structure withinmachining STRATEGIST can beused to record a sequence ofevents.

Rather than recording a macroin advance, the user can selec-

tively specify exactly which machiningsequences to record after the operation hasbeen run.

This allows the user to build up a selection ofoperations which can be used to automateother jobs. For instance, a sequence ofroughing and rest-roughing operations couldbe recorded using particular cutters for small,medium and large parts.

There is a powerful facility for reprocessing allcutter paths for a modified model.

Within a session of machining STRATEGIST,the operator can specify the software toretain any values which have been input/overridden. When exiting machining STRATE-GIST, the operator can then save this sessionas a Profile.

Profiles work especially well for different sizedcomponents, different operators who wish towork in their own particular style and evendifferent machine-tools, since high speedmachine tools benefit from different defaultparameters to conventional CNC’s.

Used in conjunction with batch processing,User-definable Profiles can help to make themost of process automation.

machining STRATEGIST was originally devel-oped specifically for Windows-NT, an operat-ing system that can support multiple proces-sors. As part of the design brief, machiningSTRATEGIST was developed with multiproc-essor support - known as multi-threading.

Within a session of machining STRATEGIST, itis possible to have multiple toolpaths andother processes calculating simultaneously.

On a single-processor PC, the default is forone independent operation to calculateautomatically.

On a dual-processor PC, two processescalculate automatically provided they areindependent of one another.

Multiple operations can be queued for calcula-tion.

Depending on work-flow priorities, the Proc-ess Manager allows the operator to mangethe processes being calculated. Pausing thecurrent operations , cancelling operations,forcing operations to start calculating out ofsequence and re-prioritising calculations helpprovide flexibility forthe operator to, forexample, reactquickly to demandsfor more urgentprogrammes,without sacrificingany work carriedout to that point.

Batch Processing

User-definable Profiles

Process Manager

Re-processing

The range of machining options availablewithin machining STRATEGIST includes:

DRILLING

Z-LEVEL ROUGHING

CORE-ROUGHING

LACE ROUGHING

REST ROUGHING

HORIZONTAL (FLAT SURFACE) FINISH MACHINING

Z-LEVEL WATERLINE MACHINING

RASTER (PLANAR) MACHINING

RADIAL MACHINING

SPIRAL MACHINING

MORPH MACHINING

ALONG BOUNDARY (SCRIBE) MACHINING

AXIAL OFFSET MACHINING

3D CONSTANT OFFSET MACHINING

3D CORNER OFFSET MACHINING

PENCIL MILLING

PARALLEL PENCIL MILLING

TRANSVERSAL REST MACHINING

All machining options have techniques formaintaining constant machine tool motion - anessential requirement for maintaining higherfeedrates and eliminating dwelling, the singleworst contributing factor to tool wear.

Any 3D machining strategy, can be controlledby specifying the surface slope-angle to bemachined, without the need for steep/shallowboundaries. This means that, in addition towater-lining steep areas, shallow areas canbe machined using any of the remaining 3Dmachining strategies. So a radial part couldbe finished with a combined steep waterlineand shallow radial strategy.

All toolpaths in machining STRATEGIST arecreated as a two-step process:

1 Toolpath passes are generated, calculated to a particular tool and toolholder.

2 The toolpath passes are linked witha home position, rapid moves andtoolpath linking moves.

There are a number of inherent benefits tothis approach. Firstly, if a different linkingstrategy is required, it is not necessary torecalculate the original toolpath passes.Secondly, if the original toolpath passesrequire editing, this is done prior to the linkingstage resulting in more control and betterlinking of trimmed toolpaths.

Toolpath linking moves were designed tominimise the time the cutter is spent off thejob with the net effect that overall machiningtimes are reduced.

All machining strategies can be driven in a3+2 axis orientation. machining STRATEGISTin 3+2 axis mode is as straightforward asconventional 3-axis machining with 2Dboundaries created in 3D space determiningthe Z-axis machining orientation, which canbe set as an AB, AC or BC rotation dependingon the particular machine tool setup.

Whether machining with a high speed or con-ventional machine tool, machining STRATEGISTcan help to reduce overall machiningtimes while improving tool life and pro-viding better machine tool motion.

Machining

DAPTIVE OUGHING RA

machining STRATEGIST’s roughing routinesemploys a number of techniques which, whencombined, results in a programme with thesmoothest cutting motion and significantlyenhanced tool life:

A series of offset passes are generated atspecified Z-depths and are automaticallycalculated to remove the maximum amount ofmaterial without leaving upstands.

The depth of cut automatically adapts, ensur-ing that flat faces are machined to within theprerequisite stock allowance.

A Core Roughing strategy is optimised tomachine from the outside-in, resulting inbetter cutting conditions when machine coresor parts with upstands.

Upon linking the passes, an “effective cuttingdiameter” helix entry is calculated, completelymachining the material under the cutter as itmoves to its next Z-depth.

Cutter contact is maintained as much aspossible to avoid the reduction of tool life.

machining STRATEGIST automatically adaptsto a profile ramping condition following thetoolpath as the tool ramps down in Z if a helixentry is not possible.

If both a helix entry or a profile-ramp entrywould leave material under the effectivecutting diameter of the cutter, which mightresult in the cutter being damaged as it dropsdeeper in Z, machining STRATEGIST discardsthis part of the toolpath, to be picked up laterby a rest-material re-machining operation.

The software cannot plunge vertically downthe tool-axis, ensuring safe, reliable cuttingconditions at all times.

Smoothing arcs are created automatically,eliminating dwelling, improving effectivecutting feedrates and tool life.

Smoothing arcs are also generated on themost critical pass, where the cutter is incontact with the workpiece + stock allowance.

Linking moves, from one offset profile to thenext, are created with smoothing arcs tomaintain a more constant cutting motionmachining STRATEGIST fully gouge protects fornot just the tool but also the toolholder.

For older machine tools and machining softermaterials, a traditional lace-roughing toolpathis available.

Roughing

Toolholder GougeProtection

previous tool could not machine due to poten-tial toolholder interference.

machining STRATEGIST can rest machine toeither a 2D or 3D stock model.

2D stock models are used to build up a seriesof “slices” from roughing operations which canthen be used to rest-rough against progres-sively smaller cutters. A hybrid toolpath, whichprofile machines and area clears only whererequired is automatically generated.

3D stock models can be used in a similarcapacity but can be more useful when restmachining at a semi-finish machining stage,for Cast Machining or to purely visualise acomposite sequence of machining operations.

Since accurate rest roughing toolpaths canbecome more fragmented, tight control ismaintained over the rapid linking moves. Thishappens with little or no operator interven-tion since the defaults are set up to functionin this fashion automatically.

In many cases, the cutter remains deep insidethe workpiece when making rapid moves fromone cut pass to the next. The result is lessair-cutting time and greater productivity.

Toolholders can be specified from a standardtooling catalogue or be created according toany toolholders available in the customersshop. These can then be stored in a data-base, accessible over a network if required.

There is no limit to the complexity of thetoolholder which can be created.

The primary benefit of specifying a toolholderis that, by using short, rigid roughing cutters,large cavities can be roughed out more effi-ciently by maintaining a greater depth of cutand higher feed rates. As the holder clearsthe surfaces, the tool can clear out to depthsfar greater than the actual tool length.

Toolholder gouge protectionaids in 3+2 axis machiningoperations since the soft-ware will allow the operatorto machine areas whichmight be deemed as other-wise inaccessible unlessusing this approach.

By specifying the toolholdershape, all toolpath calcula-tions will be fully gougeprotected including theleading and trailing edges ofthe defined toolholder.

A stock model can be cre-ated and used to referencea cutter with greater reachto re-machine areas the

(The concept of putting arcs in the toolpath follows through toall other machining operations. Z-level (waterline) machiningwhen used for semi-finishing has smoothing arcs within thetoolpath to maintain even cutting conditions).

Stock Modelsand RestRoughing

By generating a setof rouging passes tothe final surfacemodel and trimmingthese passes backto the cast surfacemodel, plus anappropriate castingstock allowance,machining STRATE-GIST can efficientlymachining a castingwith no air-cutting.

If there is no castingmodel available,similar results canbe achieved by

trimming the roughing passes back to theoriginal model, plus a casting allowance.

Once the casting allowance has been ma-chined, rest roughing can be carried out in theusual manner with 2D or 3D stock models.

Boundaries can play a major role in semi-finish and finish machining since it is rare thata carbide cutter can machine a complete diesteel block without being replaced, so it oftenbecomes necessary to isolate local areas tobe machined.

machining STRATEGIST has a comprehensiveset of boundary creation and modification tools,including:

Silhouette BoundariesContact Area BoundariesShallow BoundariesTheoretical Rest AreaBoundariesBoundaries from cutter pathpassesManual BoundariesFreeform

RectangleCircleFrom Text (True Type Fonts)

Boundaries can be importedfrom a modeller although therange of boundary commandswithin machining STRATEGISTlargely negate the need to dothis.

Within boundaries can be made:cutter path passes; stock mod-els; planar patches; otherboundaries.

All boundaries can be gener-ated in any 3D plane, specifiedas an AB rotation to aid 3+2axis machining.

Boundaries can also be usedto edit toolpath passes in anyplane.

CastMachining

Boundaries

Silhouette BoundariesCreated by selecting a surfaceor group of surfaces, the soft-ware generates a peripheralboundary looking down the toolaxis.

Contact Area BoundariesBoundaries are generatedwhere the cutter would contacta group of selected surfaces andthe adjacent, unselected sur-faces with options for cuttercentre and cutter contact point.

This command is used for con-straining and machining areasadjacent to near-vertical wallssince it stops the cutter from

riding up these walls without the need tosubsequently edit toolpaths to achieve thedesired result.

Theoretical Rest AreaBoundariesBy specifying a referencecutter and smaller cutter tobe used, accurate boundaries are calculatedshowing the difference between the two. Thisworks for toroidal cutters just as well as ballcutters and any combination of the two withthe resultant boundaries being very smooth.

Manually Generated BoundariesBoundaries of a defined size can be gener-ated using a dialogue box for data input.Freehand rectangle and circle boundaries canalso be created.

Boundaries From TextAny Windows font can be used to gener-ate text which can be machined usingseveral of the finish machining strate-gies.

Shallow BoundariesUsed to isolate areas of a part at aparticular slope angle, for steep/shallowmachining, this command has largelybeen superseded with the ability tospecify a slope angle in the dialogue boxof Waterline and all 3-axis machiningstrategies.

Boundaries From Cutter Path PassesBoundaries can be made by converting acutter path pass. This can be useful ifthe operator wishes to delete some ofthe toolpath passes and machine withinan area with a different strategy.

Boundary ModificationBoundaries can be manipulatedonce created with options forintersection, union, subtractionand convex hull. They can beoffset in and out, opened,closed and merged. Nodes canbe added and subtracted andstraight-line segments can bearced with all of the boundarymanipulation commands driveninteractively with the mouse.

Z-Level Waterline MachiningUsed to semi finish and finish machine themore vertical areas of a part.

If a slope angle is specified, the steeperareas are machined, leaving the shallowerareas for more appropriate strategies.

Linking options for Waterline Passes includeone-way and bi-directional milling. With one-way linking, the default is to climb-mill and tokeep the cutter down in the job when makinga rapid move to the next cut position.

Raster (Planar) MachiningRaster passes are typically used to semi finishcusps from roughing operations and to finishshallow detail.

Linking options include one-way and bi-directional, plus options for down milling (for3D machining with carbide-insert cutters) andup-milling (for 3D finishing with solid carbideball cutters).

Horizontal (FlatSurface)MachiningHorizontal Passesfinish machine flatsurfaces moreefficiently usingtoroidal cutters.

Horizontal machin-ing utilises similarsmoothing charac-teristics as roughing. Without boundaries, itcan detect and machine all flat surfaces on apart to a finish.

Linking is similar to roughing with helix andprofile ramp entries and smooth linking mo-tions.

Radial MachiningProvides the user with the ability to machineradial parts. Some unique options include theability to stop short of the centre of the radialpasses where they become very dense.

The centre of the detail to be machined radiallyis located automatically.

Spiral MachiningSimilar to radial machining, however anArchimedean spiral is generated and constantcontact is maintained with the cutter and theworkpiece.

Morph MachiningMorph passes allowthe user to flow aset of toolpathpasses from two,three or four irregu-lar boundary pro-files.

Boundary MachiningFacilitates machiningalong an open or closed Boundary profile andcan be applied to engraving text or scribingother detail.

Machining

At any stage of the machining process, Stock Models can begenerated, which display the result of any machiningoperations. If required, composite stock models can begenerated which show the result of a sequence ofoperations from roughing through to finishing.

3D Constant Offset MachiningA universal strategy for maintaining a con-stant, equidistant stepover from one toolpathpass to the next irrespectiveof the slope angle of thepart.

3D Corner Offset Ma-chiningSimilar to constantoffset machining,however with thisstrategy, ratherthan start from anoutside boundaryshape and work in tothe centre of thepart, a set of pencilmilling passes arecreated at thecorners of the joband the passescalculated constantand equidistant outto the edges of thepart.

The resultant surfacefinish in the cornersis significantlybetter than 3DConstant OffsetMachining as canbe seen from thecorresponding stockmodels.

Pencil and Parallel Pencil MillingA strategy developed to finish corners whichmight otherwise have cusp marks from previ-ous operations. Single pass pencil milling canbe used when machining soft materials

When machining harder materials, multiple-passes are required to gradually

machine the remainingstock to a

finish.

Transversal RestMachiningPencil milling vertical corners can cause both theflute of the cutter and the radius to be in fullcontact with the material, creating adverse cut-ting conditions. Transversal rest milling picks thecorners out from the top down, resulting in bet-ter machining technique.

The shallow areas can be machined with a con-ventional pencil mill pass or alternative, ma-chined normal to the shallow corners, takingadvantage of the diameter of the cutter to im-prove surface finish.

Finish Machining With FilletsWhen finish-machining to a finish stock allow-ance, where the radius of the cutter isgreater than the curvature of the corners tobe machined the cutter will machine thesecorners using the full radius of the tool. As aresult, the toolwill pull in to theworkpiece and“gouge” thecorners to amaterial-offcondition. If thecorner happensto be at thebottom of avertical wallthen this facecan also bemarked.

machining STRATEGIST solves this problemwith the use of oversized fillets.

Essentially, by filleting the part with a curva-ture slightly greater than the radius of thetool, the corner is protected. Finish machiningcan be carried out on the part globally, per-haps using a steep/shallow machining tech-nique.

The corners can then be finished using apencil milling or transversal rest machiningoperation. The result is a perfect finish in allcorners with no cusp marks or “gouges”.

Any set of toolpath passes can be trimmedback to a boundary, or set of boundaries,created in any 3D plane. Toolpath passes canalso be edited to stock models and originalmodels.

In addition, toolpath passes can also beedited to a toolholder.

In operation, a set of toolpath passes can becreated without a toolholder. These passescan then be edited to a toolholder wherebythe minimum tool length can be established.

A complete 3D toolpath can be split intozones based on tool length, with shortertools being utilised to maintain rigidity, withfaster feed rates, followed by longer, less rigidtools with appropriately reduced feedrates.

This first dialogue box showsthe shaft profile. In essence,this is the shape generatedto guarantee the cutterdoes not collide with theworkpiece.

In the second dialogue box,a tool holder has beenintroduced. The shaft profile has turned red tohighlight where the holderwould collide with the work-piece. At the same time,machining STRATEGISTcalculates the minimum toollength required to machineall of the passes.

If the original tool length isretained, the passes areedited, with the resultsshown in the three imagesto the left.

The first and second imagesshow the edited passes withthe tool holder set to clearthe part by 1mm.

The third dialogue box showsthe remaining passes whichcan be linked and machinedusing a longer tool or alter-natively, the operator canuse the longer tool tomachine the complete job.

machining STRATEGISTlinking options are designedto keep the cutter in continu-ous motion and to minimisethe time the cutter spendsoff the job.

When roughing and horizon-tal machining, linking movesare designed to havesmoothing arcs and for thecutter to keep in contact withthe part for as long aspossible.

For waterline passes, thedefault is to keep the cutter in contact withthe part as it moves from one Z-level down tothe next. If the cutter has to leave the sur-face to enter at another cut position it will doso with arcing movements.

Editing Toolpath Passes

Linking

machining STRATEGIST takes advantage ofInternet Explorer to display tooling sheetswhich can be viewed as an HTML documenton any suitable computer within a company’sinternal network, providing a paperlessmeans of distributing tool sheets.

Tooling sheets contain comprehensive infor-mation and graphics with hyperlinks to theactual tape file itself.If printouts are required, a more simplistic tool-ing sheet can be produced without graphics.

A variety of postprocessors are supplied asstandard with machining STRATEGIST, includ-ing configurations for the latest machine toolcontrollers.

These postprocessors, if required, are easilyconfigurable by the operator

With rapid moves, the default is for shortest-route rapids which look ahead at the sur-faces/stock model and take a “racing-line”approach to the next cut move.

For all other machining operations, similar ap-proaches are used.

While excellent for HSM, these moves can bedemanding for older and slower controllers soa second option, minimum vertical retracts canbe enabled to still keep the cutter in the partas much as possible.

Finally, there is a full vertical retract optionwhich forces the cutter back to a minimumsafe Z height.

Within all linking options, arc moves maintaincontinuous machine tool motion.

There are two methods of generating sistertooling toolpaths whereby an identical re-placement tool is on-hand to replace thecurrent tool after a period of use.

The first allows the operator to force a retractevery N mm. This has been designed to forcea retract on older machine tools which maynot have a tool-changer or where the opera-tor only requires a retract move to

manually change the cutter or tofacilitate an insert change/rotation.

The second works from a linkedtoolpath. It will split the linkedtoolpath into a number of newtoolpaths each with a home posi-tion. The operator can specify alinear distance or number of toolsto be used. Tool changes will al-ways occur at the end of a cut passto minimise any marking of theworkpiece.

Postprocessors

Tooling Sheets

Sister Tooling

Vero Software PlcHadley HouseBayshill Road CheltenhamGloucestershireGL50 3AW United Kingdom

tel. +44 (0) 1242 542090fax. +44 (0) 1242 542099email. info@vero.co.ukweb. www.vero-software.com