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Suggested Technique for Creating an Open Cutline Surface Milling Sequence Using Auto Inner Cut Lines and Synchronization Lines


This Suggested Technique describes how to utilize the Cutline options Auto Inner Cutline along with defining Synchronization Lines to create an Open Cutline Surface milling tool path on the model shown in Figure 1.

Surfaces to be machined will be selected from the reference model, cut lines will be selected from single edges on the reference model and the synchronization lines will be selected as a tangent chain of edges from the reference model.


Procedure
  1. To begin creation of the tool path, the type of NC sequence must be chosen. Select Machining, NC Sequence, New Sequence, Surface Mill, and Done. This presents the NC SEQUENCE and SEQ SETUP menu which contain all the options necessary to define the NC sequence.

    mil225a

    Figure 1


  2. Select an appropriate tool, coordinate system and retract plane using the Tool, Coord Sys and Retract options respectively, if they have not been previously established.
  3. NC sequence parameters must be established before the tool path can be created. Critical parameters are shown in Figure 2.

    SCAN_TYPE TYPE_1
    LACE_OPTION LINE_CONNECT
    REMAINDER_SURFACE NO
    TOLERANCE 0.001
    STEP_OVER 0.0625
    PROF_STOCK_ALLOW 0

    Figure 2


  4. The next item that must be defined is the surfaces to be machined. For this example select Model and Done from the SURF PICK menu and select the surfaces shown in Figure 3. Once the surfaces have been selected, select Done Sel, Done, and Done/Return.

    mil225d

    Figure 3


  5. Immediately after completing the surface selections, the CUT DEFINITION User interface will appear. In the CUT DEFINITION User Interface select Cutline for the Cut Type, next select Machine Srfs for the Cut Line References, Open Ends for the Cut line type. To define the first cut line select the Plus (+) button. From the ADD/REDEFINE CUTLINE User Interface select From Edges, since there are multiple edges to select for each cut line which belong to the surfaces selected for machining, use the default Boundary Chain option. Select the "c" shaped segments using From-To option as shown in Figure 4. Once the edges have been selected, select Done Sel, Done, and OK. Define the end cut line the same way as the start cut line has been defined. To Preview the cut lines simply select each cut line from the Cut Line Setup list, this will highlight the selected cut line on the model.

    mil225e

    Figure 4


  6. The DIRECTION can be controlled from the CUTLINE DEFINITION User Interface using the Cutting Direction button. The direction of machining is determined by the red flip arrow displayed at the beginning of the first defined cut line.
  7. The last items to be defined are the synchronization lines. Since this geometry has edges that define the surface boundaries, use them to define the synchronization lines rather than using points. Start by selecting the Options tab at the top of the CUT DEFINITION User Interface which reveals the section needed to define the synchronization lines. Next check of the option labeled Auto Inner Cutline to allow Pro/NC to calculate the Inner Cut lines.

    To define the synchronization lines select the green + button from the SYNCHRONIZE CUT LINES section of the OPTIONS Tab. From the SYNCHRONIZATION User Interface select From Edges, and using Tangent Chain, select one of the edges shown in Figure 5. By selecting one edge segment with this option, Pro/NC finds all tangent edges attached to it in one single selection. Accept this selection by choosing Done and repeat the process for the other synchronization line. Use the Preview option in the SYNCHRONIZATION User Interface to ensure the proper edges were selected.

    mil225f

    Figure 5


  8. The resultant tool path is shown in Figure 6. Notice how the tool cuts back in forth along the surfaces. This is because the LACE_OPTION NC sequence parameter has been set to LINE_CONNECT.

    mil225h

    Figure 6



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