3X Toolpaths Calculation

Until V6.09 the technology to calculate toolpath was: surface was converted in facets (tessellation)

Since V609 we have new technology: toolpath is applied directly on the surface.

Advantages:

with some parts, calculation in V6.09 is faster compared to V6.08.
Because the MESH is not used, points are not at the same location so, the “visual aspect” of the part has less facets.

Rules:

this calculation is applied only if initial data is surface
STL files are not taken into account.

The 2 calculations are applied in 6.10, according to the Curve Tolerance value. This value is defined in Options page of all the cycles:

When Tolerance is > 0.01 (eg: 0.02), we use tessellation method.
When Tolerance < 0.01 (eg:0.005) then we use surface based method.

The difference between tesselation-based and direct surface-based toolpath generation in CAM (Computer-Aided Manufacturing) software lies in how the software represents and processes the geometry of the 3D models before generating toolpaths for machining.

Tesselation-Based Toolpath Generation:

Representation: In tesselation-based methods, the 3D surfaces of a model are converted into a mesh of small polygons (usually triangles). This process is called tesselation, and it results in a faceted representation of the original smooth surfaces.
Toolpath Generation: Toolpaths are then generated based on this faceted representation. The toolpaths follow the edges of the triangles, and the tool motion is determined by the connectivity between the triangles.

Direct Surface-Based Toolpath Generation:

Representation: In direct surface-based methods, the toolpaths are generated directly from the mathematical representation of the smooth 3D surfaces. The software uses the mathematical equations that define the surfaces without converting them into a mesh of polygons.
Toolpath Generation: Toolpaths are calculated by considering the curvature and features of the original surfaces. This method can provide a more accurate representation of the part's geometry, especially for complex surfaces.