Features and Functionality
Before continuing, if you’re not familiar with the Cutting Parameters Explorer, it’s recommended you take a look at the Introduction and Overview.
Features and functionality
The following screenshot shows the main layout and features of the Cutting Parameters Explorer.
Cutting Parameters Explorer’s main features are shown in the following table.
# | Feature | Description |
---|---|---|
1 | Title banner | Contains the add-on title 'Cutting Parameters Explorer’. (Cutting Parameters can be resized and repositioned in the same way as other aspects of Mastercam’s user interface) |
2 | Cancel | Cancels the current action, closes the Cutting Parameters Explorer, and returns focus to Mastercam. |
3 | Input tabs | Across the top of the Cutting Parameters Explorer are five ‘input tabs’ that display the inputs used to make recommendations. When Cutting Parameters is first opened, the inputs are populated by the choices already made in CAM Assist (the ones used to compute the toolpath strategy). For more details, see Input Tabs. |
4 | Display Area | Contains either the 2D Milling diagram (see #4) or the Heatmaps (see #5). |
5 | ‘2D Milling diagram’ option | Displays the 2D Milling diagram in the Display Area. For details, see 2D Milling Diagram. |
6 | ‘Heatmaps’ option | Displays selected Heatmaps in the Display Area. For details, see Heatmaps. |
7 | Report a bad recommendation | Opens the ‘Report a bad recommendation’ form that, once completed, is sent to the Product Support team. |
8 | Aggression Control switch/sliders | There are two sliders that are used to indicate the level of aggressive control over the use of the tool for the machining operation. The switch to the left of the sliders controls which sliders are displayed. For details, see Aggression Control Sliders. |
9 | Fine tune | An expandable/collapsible section that contains a set of ‘Fine tune’ sliders that enable you to control the feeds and speeds of the tool used for the selected operation. For more information, see Fine Tune. |
10 | Scroll bar | Use the scroll bar to scroll the display area and the ‘Fine tune’ section (if expanded). |
Bottom banner | ||
11 | Session settings | Displays the ‘Session settings’ pop-up:
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12 | Save operation | Saves the reconfiguration of the cutting parameters and applies them to the selected Toolpaths view in Mastercam. |
Resize and reposition
Resize
The Cutting Parameters Explorer UI can be resized to whatever is most convenient: the resized interface will be reused when the Cutting Parameters Explorer is next opened.
To resize:
Click and drag any edge to the required size (the resize icon will be displayed when the action is available).
Reposition
The Cutting Parameters Explorer can be positioned anywhere within the desktop (it is not confined to the Mastercam window).
To reposition:
Drag the top banner to the desired position: it can be docked within Mastercam.