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Contour processing is performed on the open or closed 2D contours selected in the drawing. Contours can consist of geometry elements such as lines, circles and/or curves (splines).

Contour editing:

• Optionally with or without cutter radius correction
• With or without allowence
• From Z starting height to Z end depth with one or more infeeds
• With different tangential inlet and outlet shapes
• Immersion Perpendicular/helix
• and much more.

With vectorcam pocket milling you can machine circular pockets, rectangular pockets, slotted holes or free-form pockets. Different strategies calculate optimal tool paths.

Pre-roughing with a large tool quickly removes large amounts of material. Residual stock machining removes the remaining material.

The 3D recognition of island contours calculates the complete roughing of the free-form pocket on the basis of 2D contours at different Z positions. A 3D-CAD model is not necessary for this.

Pocket milling:

• Efficient strategies for short machining times
• Pre-roughing and fast removal of large amounts of material
• High feed rates due to rounded tool paths
• Any 2D free-form pockets
• Automatic detection of islands, even at different Z-heights
• Residual material detection and machining
• Optimum short tool paths
• Tool-saving strategies
• and much more.

Chamfer milling is used for fast deburring/chamfering of individual edges or contours with a chamfer milling cutter.

The calculation is performed on the same contours that were used for contour or pocket milling. The user only needs to specify a chamfer width. The rest is calculated automatically by vectorcam.

Chamfer milling:

• Single edges
• On open or closed contours
• With one or more deliveries
• With different inlet and outlet forms
• With indication of the bevel width
• and much more.

Starting from the 2D module of vectorcam, curves or chamfers can be milled with a ball or torus cutter. An open or closed 2D contour is sufficient to create a rounding/chamfer.

The surface quality is determined by specifying the roughness depth. The generated tool paths are Z-constant and can therefore be used on all CNC controls.

Often there are no suitable quarter-circle milling cutters available for all roundings. With this function any rounding can be generated directly.

Rounding:

• Row off of any rounding radii
• Row off any chamfers/sloping edges
• Surface quality is determined by the roughness depth
• 2.5D Z-constant tool paths
• Quarter-circle milling cutter not necessary
• Finished stored machining operations
• and much more.

Example of application

The vectorcam profile milling calculates Z-constant tool paths for any Z-profile contour. Again, no 3D CAD model is required. All necessary parameters are queried in the dialog. Undercuts are automatically eliminated.

Standard profile shapes that can be defined directly in the dialog are a linear wall with angle or an S-profile. The user simply draws all other profile shapes in the CAD part of vectorcam.

The user determines the desired surface quality using the "Roughness" parameter.

3D profile contour:

• Row off any Z-profile
• Use of ball or torus cutter
• Surface quality is determined by the roughness depth
• 2.5D Z-constant tool paths
• Undercuts are automatically eliminated
• Finished stored machining operations
• and much more.

The engraving/labelling process processes any complex 2D contours or fonts. With one or more infeeds, for example, marking of workpieces can be quickly carried out with an engraving graver. All Windows fonts are available to the user. For standard fonts, vectorcam automatically uses the outlines. In addition, countless single-line fonts are available on the Internet. 

Complex shapes with hundreds or thousands of geometry elements can be reorganized using a special function. Reorganizing optimizes all geometry elements and links them to form coherent contours. This results in optimal and short tool paths. 

Another special feature of this function is the possibility to engrave 3D contours / fonts. 

Engraving/Lettering:

• With one or more infeeds
• Any complex contours
• Automatic chaining for short tool paths
• Engraving/Lettering with Windows fonts
• 3D contours / engraving fonts
• and much more besides

The simulation graphically displays the NC machining of the workpiece. Optionally the blank, tool paths, workpiece, tool incl. holder geometry as well as defined clamping devices can be displayed. All elements can be shown/hidden or displayed transparently. 

Numerous functions and analyses display information such as machining times, max. travels/ ranges, various measuring functions, colour-coded analyses, etc. 

The simulation can be carried out in single blocks, subsequent blocks or per machining. The user can jump directly: to the next operation, to a selected operation, directly to the end, and so on.

Simulation:

• Simulation sequence in single block/following block/per operation
• Fast forward/rewind, jumps within operations
• Display of machining times (separate display for rapid traverse paths - feed paths)
• Fade in/out/transparent display of blank, component, clamping device, tool paths, tool incl. holder geometry
• and much more

You can find detailed information on simulation here.