Create a Machining Process for Prismatic Features

This task shows how to create a Machining Process (MP) dedicated to machining a Prismatic Machining Area including rework operations. The objective of the MP is to machine a prismatic pocket by:
  • a roughing stage using a Pocketing operation 
  • a channel rework stage using a Pocketing operation
  • a corner rework stage using a Profile Contouring operation
  • a finishing stage using a Profile Contouring operation.
Start the Prismatic Machining workbench.
1. Click Machining Process View and create an MP using Machining Process . 
Insert the following operations:

2. In the Knowledge Advisor workbench, use the Parameters Explorer icon to create a "RoughingRadius" length type parameter for the "RoughingPocketing" operation.

In the same way, create a "MacroRadius" length type parameter for the "FinishingProfileContouring" operation and set the value to 3mm.

These user parameters will enable you to set manufacturing parameters such as the "RoughingRadius" for the rework stages or the "Approach and retract tool path radius" for the finishing stage.
3. In the Prismatic Machining workbench, create a Prismatic Rework Area feature .

Set the "Tool radius" corresponding to the roughing radius before the rework stage to the "RoughingRadius" parameter of "RoughingPocketing" by using the Edit Formula contextual command inside the field.

Check that the feature is included in the Manufacturing View .

Note: If the "ToolRadius" parameter is set to 0.0, it will be automatically computed when the machining process is applied.
4. Edit the "RoughingPocketing" operation in the Machining Process View and set "Offset on Contour" to 1mm.
5. Using the Edit Formula contextual command on "RoughingPocketing", set the "Roughing Radius" to half the End mill Nominal diameter which will be found when the MP is applied.

6. Edit the RoughingPocketing Tool Query:
  • Set the Tool Diameter to be greater than 10mm.
  • Set the Cutting length to be greater than the Depth of the "Prismatic Machining Area" feature which will be selected when the MP is applied.
  • Choose the repository file for the Tool Query: ToolsSampleMP, for example.
7. Edit the "ChannelReworkByPocketing" operation in the Machining Process View.

Select the previously created Prismatic Rework Area from the list.

Edit "Offset on Contour" using the Edit Formula contextual command, and set it to the same parameter of the "Roughing Pocketing" operation.

Note: If no Rework Area feature is assigned to a Pocketing operation identified as Channel, Corner and channel, or Channel rework, a new Prismatic Rework Area will be created when the MP is applied.

 In this case, the "ToolRadius" parameter will be automatically computed and equal to half of nominal tool diameter of the operation which precedes the first operation referencing this Prismatic Rework Area.
8. Edit the ChannelReworkByPocketing Tool Query:
  • Set the Tool Diameter to be less than 10mm.
  • Set the Cutting Length to be greater than the Depth of the "Prismatic Machining Area" feature which will be selected when the MP is applied.
  • Choose the repository file for the Tool Query: ToolsSampleMP, for example.
9. Repeat the Edit Operation and Tool Query steps described above for the "CornerReworkByProfileContouring" operation.
10. Edit the "FinishingProfileContouring" operation in the Machining Process View.

In the Stepover tab page, set the Number of paths to 2.

Edit the "Distance between paths" parameter using the Edit Formula contextual command, and set it to the "Offset on Contour" of "RoughingPocketing" divided by the Number of paths.

In the Macro tab page, assign a circular path on each macro, and set each "Radius" parameter to the "Macro Radius" parameter using the Edit Formula contextual command in the Edit Parameters pop-up.

11. Using the Edit Formula contextual command on "FinishingProfileContouring", set the "MacroRadius" to a quarter of the End mill Nominal diameter which will be found for this operation when the MP is applied.

12. Edit the FinishingProfileContouring Tool Query:
  • Set the Tool Diameter to be less than 10mm.
  • Set the Cutting Length to be greater than the Depth of the "Prismatic Machining Area" feature which will be selected when the MP is applied.
  • Choose "Document" as repository file.
13. Click Close in the Machining Process View to store the machining process.
A sample StandardMPForPocketing machining process similar to the one just created is available in \Startup\Manufacturing\Processes\MP_Demo.catalog.