Creating a Contour-Driven Machining Operation

You can machine an area on a part, using a contour as a guide.

Before you begin: There are three types of contour-driven machining:
  • Parallel contour, where the tool sweeps out an area by following progressively distant (or closer) parallel offsets of a given guide contour.
  • Between contours, where the tool sweeps between two guide contours along a tool path that is obtained by interpolating between the guide contours. The ends of each pass lie on two stop contours. This is the one used below.
  • Spine contour, where the tool sweeps across a contour in perpendicular planes.
See Also
Contour-Driven Machining
  1. From the Surface Machining section of the action bar, click Contour-driven .
    A Contour-driven entity is added to the manufacturing program. The Contour-driven dialog box opens at the Geometry tab .
  2. Still in the Geometry tab:
    1. Click the red area in the sensitive icon and select the part in the work area.
    2. Double-click anywhere in the work area to confirm your selection and redisplay the dialog box.
  3. Select the Radial tab and set the Stepover as required, e.g. Constant 2D.
  4. Select the Machining Strategy tab and select Between contours.
  5. In the sensitive icon:
    1. Click Guide 1.
    2. Select contours in the work area.
    3. Repeat this step with Guide 2, then Stop 1 and Stop 2 to obtain a contour like that:

  6. Select the Tool tab to choose a tool.
  7. Click Display or Simulate to check the validity of the machining operation.
    • The part is machined between two guide contours delimited at either end by two others.

    • A progress indicator is displayed.
    • You can cancel the tool path computation at any moment before 100% completion.
  8. Click OK in the Display or Simulate dialog box, and again in the main dialog box to create the machining operation.
    The tool path is created.