Setup Orientation

Owned by Kevin Strider (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Sep 11, 2024 by Geoffrey Brennan
1 min read

‘Setup orientation’ is an expandable/collapsible section of the General Tab that contains an entry for each Machine Group that is part of the selected part’s setup.

Layout and content

The layout/content of the ‘Setup orientation' section depends on the choices you make in the ‘General’ section for the following:

  • Machining mode - CAM Assist provides two modes:

    • 3 Axis

    • 3+2 Axis

  • Machining direction (displayed when the ‘Machining mode’ is 3+2 Axis) - CAM Assist provides the following options:

    • Aligned to X, Y, Z axes

    • User-defined

    • Automatic

The following screenshots show the two possible layouts for the ‘Setup orientation’ section and when they are used.

The layout below is used for:

  • Machining mode = ‘3 Axis’ and ‘3+2 Axis’

  • Machining direction (for 3+2 Axis) = Aligned to X, Y, Z axes

image-20240612-125149.png

 

The layout below is used for:

  • Machining mode = 3+2 Axis

  • Machining direction = User-defined

image-20240612-125246.png

For details of these content changes and how to use the features of both layouts, see Machining Modes in the ‘How-to Guides’.

Operations

 

Feature

Operation

Feature

Operation

Machine Group Selection

This check box controls the Machine Groups that will be calculated for the active CAM Assist run.

Selected Plane

The Selected Plane is the reference direction that the toolpath(s) will be generated in reference to. Typically the first Machine Group will reference the Top plane, however any Plane can be selected.

Avoidance Geometry

Avoidance geometry is an optional feature for each Machine Group. Avoidance geometries are solid bodies that can be selected to prevent machining operations from occurring within. This could be portions of the setup, such as between the vise jaws where it would be ideal to prevent toolpaths from being generated in. See Using Avoidance Geometry for more information.

Workholding Security

The Workholding security slider overrides the tool library for a selected Machine Group. Sliding the control to the left will restrict the tooling in the selected library to smaller diameter cutting tools. This is useful for controlling the forces applied to the workholding setup during machining operations.

3+2 Features

 

Same direction for roughing and finishing

Enabling this checkbox will generate roughing and finishing toolpaths from the same reference geometry.

Keep roughing order

With the Keep roughing order selected, roughing toolpaths will be generated in the order they are selected.

Select machine directions

(available for User-defined 3+2 operations only)

Enable the select machine directions button to select reference surfaces on the part that will define toolpaths perpendicular to the selected surface.

Select roughing directions

(available for User-defined 3+2 operations only)

Enable the select roughing directions button to select reference surfaces on the part that will define roughing toolpaths perpendicular to the selected surface.

This button is only visible if ‘Same direction for roughing and finishing’ is unchecked.

Select roughing directions

(available for User-defined 3+2 operations only)

Enable the select finishing directions button to select reference surfaces on the part that will define finishing toolpaths perpendicular to the selected surface.

This button is only visible if ‘Same direction for roughing and finishing’ is unchecked.