SmartCAM Production Milling Trial: Task 4 ‐ Rough the Open Outer Regions
Task 4
Rough the outer
open regions
One of the strenths of SmartCAM is that there are multiple methods of generating toolpath for those open pocket regions in SmartCAM.
You are going to use a method called Region Roughing. The region roughing process is highly flexible and is applicable to many applications scenarios.
Stock- and Part-boundaries are defined, which can be fully closed or open profiles or a mix of both. Islands and voids (cavities not requiring machining) can be included.
You will be able to see the results more effectively in an isometric view.
Switch to an isometric view of the model using f12.
Let’s remove the existing toolpath from the display while you generate the region roughing toolpath. It will make it easier on the eye when carrying out the tasks.
Right-click on any element in the existing pocket roughing process toolpath.
Left-click on the Hide command on the menu that is displayed.
Region geometries are comprised of CAD Layer elements.
Create a new CAD layer on which you will create the regions.
Switch to CAD mode by left-clicking the CAD button at the top-left of the insert properties bar, or the CAD text alongside it.
Left-click on the down-arrow to the right of the Layer: field, and left-click Add Layer on the drop-down menu.
A floating Add/Edit Layer panel will display.
Left-click in the Name: field and type a meaningful name for the new layer. We named ours Regions.
Left-click on your preferred color for the region geometry. We chose green.
Left-click on the Accept button to close the panel.
Now create the regions using stock and part profile inputs.
All geometry for those profiles needs to be at the same Z level for use in the region roughing process.
We have already prepared a stock profile at an appropriate Z level.
Display our stock boundary by right-clicking on the Layer 6: RegionStock entry in the List View and left-clicking the Mask/Unmask command on the menu.
You may have spotted that we had you use a Hide command from that right mouse button menu to hide the pocket
toolpath in the graphics view, yet we asked you to Unmask a Layer in order to display our stock boundary.
Both commands can be used to add or remove elements to the graphics view.
Additionally, Mask/Unmask controls processing of elements. Masked elements are inactive and are not processed by Verification
or Code. You could use Mask to selectively view, verify or code a portion of the toolpath model.
Now create the regions.
Left-click on the Create Regions icon near the top of the toolbar to the right of the graphics view.
Left-click on the User Region command on the menu.
The User Region panel is displayed.
Both the Part Input and Stock Input fields should be set to Whole Profile. If not then left-click within the field and left-click on
Whole Field in the list that is displayed.
The outer, yellow boundary profile of the component will be the part input to the command.
Left-click within the Profile / Start field in the left-hand, Part Input column.
Left-click on any element of the outer yellow profile.
Take care to avoid areas where there are elements that are common to the stock and part profiles, and the possibility of selecting
an element in an incorrect profile.
The stock boundary profile that you revealed using Mask/Unmask will be the stock input to the user region command.
Left-click within the Profile / Start field in the right-hand, Stock Input column.
Left-click on any element of the stock profile, again taking care not to select an incorrect element.
Check the Keep Original option checkbox.
Left-click the Go button on the panel and a set of four regions for the open pocket areas of the component will be created.
We won’t spend time taking you through how to view only those regions. An example is over there on the right.
The stock elements of a region are displayed with a broken / chain line style, the part elements in a solid line style.
Switch back to CAM Mode by left-clicking the CAM Radio Button in the Insert Properties Bar, near the top-left.
You will be adding region machining toolpath to the existing step that contains your pocketing toolpath.
SmartCAM should resume with STEP 10.
If not then left-Click the gray box at the right-side of the Step: input field.
A list of STEPS is displayed.
Left-Click 10:Rgh Mill in the list.
Open the Region Rough Process panel by left-clicking on the Wireframe Milling icon on the top toolbar and left-clicking the Region Rough command on the list.
You will see a red-text Group Requiredconditional warning in the panel title.
The region rough process is applied to the active group; in this case comprised of the four regions that you just created.
Left-click the group select tool on the group select toolbar, and left-click the Layer7:Regions item in the list view.
The four region elements are added to the active group.
We are going to use a little bit of demo license here and machine those regions to size rather than include a wall finishing allowance.
We will be getting you to finish profile the pocket and island. The techniques used to finish profile these four regions is identical.
Left-click the Go button on the panel and region roughing toolpath will be created for the four regions.
You may wish to press f12 on the keyboard to centralize the updated toolpath in the ISO view.
Verify the results and / or generate CNC code if you wish. As a reminder, you can get details about Verification by clicking here
You have completed Task 4. Next up: Finish Profile the Pocket and Island.
