Defining the Guide in Parallel Contour Mode

Contour-driven proposes several methods to define a guide in parallel contour mode.

This task shows you how to:

Before you begin: The contents of the context menu and of the sensitive icon change depending on which item has been selected previously.

By default, you are in Guide contour mode, i.e. in a standard geometry selection mode.

See Also
Contour-Driven Machining

Define Guide with Faces

You can define a guide from faces.

  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 Machining Strategy tab .
    1. Select Parallel contour.
    2. Right-click the Guide 1 in the sensitive icon and choose Select faces ... in the context menu.
  4. Click Boundary Faces in the sensitive icon and select faces.

  5. Click Preview Guide in the Boundary Face context menu to visualize the contour.

    • The faces you select must be topologically clean.
    • In the case of an open face, the guide is computed from the external boundary.

    Here are two other examples of computed guide (shown in red):



  6. In the Strategy tab, select the Reference:
    • Either Contact point:

    • Or Tool end:

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

Define Guide with Guiding Points

You can define a guide from points.

  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 Machining Strategy tab .
    1. Select Parallel contour.
    2. Right-click the Guide 1 in the sensitive icon and choose As guiding points in the context menu.
    3. Click Start and select a point in the work area.
    4. Click End and select a point in the work area.

      After each selection, double-click anywhere in the work area to revert to the dialog box.

  4. Select the Tool tab to choose a tool.
  5. Click Display or Simulate.
    • The tool path is computed.
    • A progress indicator is displayed.
    • You can cancel the tool path computation at any moment before 100% completion.


  6. 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.

Define Guide with Guiding Axis

You can define a guide from an axis.

  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 Machining Strategy tab .
    1. Select Parallel contour.
    2. Right-click the Guide 1 in the sensitive icon and choose As guiding axis in the context menu.
    3. Click Start and select a point in the work area. Double-click anywhere in the work area to revert to the dialog box.
    4. Click Axis and define an axis in the dialog box that is displayed. Click OK to revert to the main dialog box. The direction is displayed through a red arrow while the dialog box is open, through a black one after you have closed the dialog box.
  4. If necessary increase the Maximum width to machine.
  5. Select the Tool tab to choose a tool.
  6. Click Display or Simulate to check the validity of the machining operation.
    • The tool path is computed.
    • A progress indicator is displayed.
    • You can cancel the tool path computation at any moment before 100% completion.


  7. 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.