Silhouette

Presentation

This method enables to calculate all the islands at a given altitude by taking the stock as the pocket.

At first sight, the result obtained could pass for a section, but this is not : the calculation takes into account all the material that is over the given altitude. Therefore it manages undercut shapes and as it is calculated from the stock, it also manages the multi-faces machining.

Characteristics:

1. Bottom radius:

As any other type of profile, if there is a radius on the bottom of the pocket, the profile is created shifted from the radius value.

A symbol points out the presence of a radius on the bottom and the value is displayed in the label.

The bottom radius can be only a visual effect with no mechanical characteristics. If you do not want to machine it, set the option 'Reading on solid' to No, in the page Options of each cycle. If it is set to Yes, the cycle will machine it by respecting the crest value given in the page Options.

2. The stock is the pocket:

The leadin of the tool will be always outside of the material. What is created by the silhouette profile are the islands, in other words the material which is not machined.

3. Altitude of selection:

You can make several silhouette calculations since they all will be different if you change the altitude of calculation.

Advises

This type of profile is dedicated to facing and contour roughing operations.

It will not be efficient to machine closed pockets, or any interior shape.

Methodology

1. Right-click to select Silhouette

2. Click a face to give the orientation of the tool.

3. Give the altitude of calculation (bottom Z)

Examples

Contour Roughing Click any flat face on this part. To be sure to get the whole part silhouette and program a contour roughing, select the lowest Z. What is calculated is the material avoided during machining, the stock is the pocket.

Facing Roughing Here we want to make only a roughing from Z0 to Z-15. We click a flat face and the define the Z, either by entering the value or showing a solid edge. All the islands to avoid are calculated and put at Z0. As you can see on the 3rd image, the island number 4 has an undercut shape. The profile is correctly created to manage this shape.