'Tool' Input Tab

The tool shown in the Tool input tab is the one used for the operation displayed in the Operation input tab.

The value of the tool’s properties have one of two possible sources:

Original CAM Assist ‘Tool Library’ - the tool library that you originally selected when CAM Assist computed the toolpath strategy (see the screenshot to the right).
Tool pop-up - the values you specified, within the Tool pop-up, for the Tool's properties (see below).

Tool pop-up

On clicking the ‘Tool' input tab, its pop-up covers the Display Area (see the screenshot below).

The pop-up contains a set of properties for the tools associated with the operation toolpath that was selected from NX’s Geometry View,

How to change the tool’s properties

The tool cannot be changed within the Cutting Parameters Explorer but the value for some of its properties can be changed within the Tool pop-up (see below).

Change the property value
- The following table shows which properties can be changed and how to change them.

Property	How to change

Property	How to change
Coating	Click the drop-down arrow and select one of the options. For a definition of the Coating options, see the Glossary listing.
Tool retention	Click the drop-down arrow and select one of the options.
Helix angle	You can do either/both of the following: Enter the value directly into the textbox. Use the up-down buttons to increment/decrement the value (the arrows appear when you the mouse pointer near ‘degrees’).
Radial rake angle	You can do either/both of the following: Enter the value directly into the textbox. Use the up-down buttons to increment/decrement the value (the arrows appear when you the mouse pointer near ‘degrees’).
Chip breaker	Click the required option (Yes/No/Unknown) - it will go grey.

Click on the button in the top-right of the pop-up:
- The Tool’s property values are automatically saved.
- The Tool pop-up closes.

For a definition of the terms used within Cutting Parameters, see the Glossary of Terms.