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Esprit 2010 Whats New
Esprit 2010 Whats New
Whats New in ESPRIT 2010 Copyright 2009 DP Technology Corp. All rights reserved. U.S. Patent No. 6,907,313. Other U.S. patents pending. Information is subject to change without notice. No part of this manual may be reproduced, transmitted, translated in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from DP Technology Corp. The software described in this document may only be used or copied in accordance with the terms of the furnished license agreement and/or non-disclosure agreement. It is illegal to copy the software onto any medium except as specified in the license or non-disclosure agreement. All DP Technology Corp. software products contain integrated security programs and/or plug-in modules that are required for the software license to properly operate. It is a violation of the DP Technology Corp. copyrights and U.S. Copyright law to disable or attempt to disable or remove or otherwise operate the software without the security programs and/ or modules installed. Any software not supplied by DP Technology Corp. which is intended to allow the operation of the software without the required plug-in security module and/or integrated security programs is a copyright violation. ESPRIT is a registered trademark of DP Technology Corp. All brand or product names or proprietary file types mentioned in this document are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Contact the appropriate companies for more information regarding trademarks and registration. DP Technology Corp. 1150 Avenida Acaso Camarillo, California 93012 USA Phone (805) 388-6000 Fax (805) 388-3085 www.dptechnology.com Printed in the United States of America
Contents
ESPRIT 2010 Top 10 + 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
New Machining Technology Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 11 new SolidMill/SolidMillTurn Mold 3-axis cycles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 2 new SolidMill/SolidMillTurn Mold 5-Axis cycles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 New SolidWire Turn-and-Burn and Turn-while-Burn technology . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Feature-based machining for all FreeForm cycles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 New Pocket Feature Recognition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 New Stock Automation Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Associativity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 New SolidWire 4-Axis Pocketing cycle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 4 New Knitted Surface commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Support for 3 Rotary Axes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 New Licensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Whats New in the ESPRIT 2010 API . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 Whats new in the Post Processor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 Obsolete Operations, Product Features and Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
How It Works
The technology is the same, but the way the user interacts with it has changed All machining technology is displayed in the Project Manager so users can simultaneously enter data and see the part model The feature for the operation MUST be selected first The responsive interface constantly updates based on the feature input and the selected machining parameters Validation occurs as values are input to make sure the technology is correct before it is placed on the feature All machining input is stored with the technology
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The drop down button displays the context menu for the technology. The icon reflects the last command used by the user.
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Ver t ic al t ab s To save space, tabs are arranged vertically. Parameters are grouped on the tabs in a top down approach, where you define the most general information about the cutting cycle on the General tab, then move to the Strategy tab to define a bit more detail such as clearances and depths, moving down each tab to add more detail about your machining operation.
Param et er s area The machining parameters are displayed in the parameters area and grouped by category.
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Now that the technology has prior knowledge of the machining element, ESPRIT can reduce the number of parameters shown on the technology page based on the feature type. For example, if the user selects an Open Pocket feature, the SolidMill Pocketing technology will show all the Open Pocket parameters.
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However, if the feature is closed, there is no need to show parameters that will not be used by the tool path engine.
In ESPRIT 2010 the interface updates to show only the parameters you need and hide the options that are not used.
If the user changes a parameter, the interface updates to show or hide a different set of parameters.
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In ESPRIT 2010, all machining input is defined on the technology page and stored with the technology. Now that the technology stores the input, the user can add, change, or remove machining elements from the technology interface when editing an existing operation. X When selecting an object in the graphic area, the new technology page will show the name of the object followed by its element number: Object Name (element number)
In ESPRIT 2010, the new technology interface will check for the most common errors (such as the start depth) as the user enters values and will tag the incorrect parameter with a clear message on how to fix the value. For example, if the value of the starting depth is greater than the total depth, the parameter will be tagged as an error and the user will be able to see how to fix the value by moving the mouse over the error icon.
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If the user did not fix the incorrect values on validating the technology page, ESPRIT will send a message to the user as a reminder to fix the incorrect values and will leave the technology page open in order for the user to review all parameters. The operation will not be created until all parameters are valid.
In the event of a combination of incorrect values that cannot be detected at the interface level (tool path error, or invalid entries, etc...) ESPRIT will show the error message generated by the tool path and will leave the technology page open.
St and ard ESPRIT shows all the tools available in the document for the current technology type. The tool list is the same as in ESPRIT 2009.
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Tur ret s ESPRIT shows the tools sorted by turret. Since the tools can be sorted by turret at the selection of the tool, the selection of the turret name in the technology page in SolidTurn or SolidMillTurn is not required anymore. ESPRIT sets the turret automatically.
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Like the Mold 5-Axis cycles introduced in ESPRIT 2009, the new Mold 3-axis cycles are based on FreeForm features. X Complete information about SolidMill Mold cycles is available in ESPRIT Help. Look for SolidMill Mold in the index.
How i t wor ks Starting from the stock, this operation roughs out all the excess material from the model Stock material is roughed at several incremental Z-levels, starting from the top height and decrementing the height of each cut by the incremental depth until the bottom height is reached Top height is defined by the highest point of the stock or by the top Z limits set in the cycle limits Bottom height is set by the lowest point on the stock or by the bottom Z limit Z limits are used only if they are within the stock limits Each Z level is cut with a concentric pattern
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How i t wor ks Parallel tool path is generated by specifying a start point, an angle for the passes and the distance between each cut Create a zigzag or unidirectional tool path on the model This cycle offers high speed machining options and advanced slope options It can be used for pre-finish or final finishing
How i t wor ks Finishing tool path is generated at incremental Z-levels Milling starts from the top height, decrementing the height of each cut by the incremental depth until the bottom height is reached Tool path can be limited to zones on the model with a slope above a user-defined slope angle The tool performs a contouring of the part at every Z-level
How i t wor ks All passes intersect a center point This cycle is ideal for cutting circular areas Cutting passes can be limited to an angular portion with user-defined start and end points Cutting passes can be limited radially with a start and end radius measured from the center point
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How i t wor ks A single spiraling pass can start at a specified point or multiple spirals can be created that start from points in a PTOP feature Cutting passes can be limited radially with a start and end radius measured from the center point Tool path is generated by projection of the spiral along the tool axis onto the model
How i t wor ks Cuts all areas on the model with a slope angle less than a user-defined angle The tool path follows a concentric pattern based on the limits of the zones identified as floors Tool path can be offset to protect wall areas
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How i t wor ks The tool follows all positions where there are multiple contact points with the model. These positions are also called bi-tangency points. A single pass is generated to cut along these bi-tangency zones Tool path can be limited to zones on the model with a slope that falls within user-defined slope limits
How i t wor ks A reference tool is used to identify zones that need re-machining All zones on the model that cannot be reached by the reference tool are considered to be a corner Separate machining strategies can be defined for vertical corners and horizontal corners
How i t wor ks One or more 3D curves are used as input Several options let the user control the tool altitude along those curves: Follow the curve while cutting at a constant depth, project the curves onto the model, apply an incremental depth Lateral passes can be offset from the 3D curve to either cut toward the profile from a given distance or cut away from the profile by a given distance
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How i t wor ks Using a concentric pattern this cycle generates a constant scallop height on walls and floors The concentric pattern can be based on the part boundary or selected profiles Step over is constant along the model surface (compared to a projection plane for most other cycles) Passes can be generated on all the part elements or limited inside curves A user-defined point can be used to control the initial approach of the tool
How i t wor ks ESPRIT morphs passes between 2 input profiles The profiles can be defined by 2 chain features or a single Ruled feature Passes are created with a constant spacing along the surface (3D step over) Profiles can be open or closed Passes can cut along the profiles or across the channel defined by the profiles
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The new Impeller cycle is dedicated to the roughing and finishing of impellers.
How i t wor ks A FreeForm feature contains the surfaces to machine All the part surfaces of the FreeForm feature must be ruled surfaces: Parametric lines in one direction are straight lines. The cycle fails if a surface is not ruled. This cycle is restricted to a single pass on a wall. If you need an incremental depth, use the Ruled Swarf cycle. Upper and lower chain features put limits on the wall to cut X Complete information about the 5-Axis Surface Swarf cycle is available in ESPRIT Help. Look for 5-Axis Surface Swarf or Surface Swarf in the index. Compar ison of t he Sur f ac e Swar f and Ruled Swar f cycles The Surface Swarf cycle can offer benefits over the Ruled Swarf cycle. When cutting the part below with the Ruled Swarf cycle, the tool tilts along the wall because of the difference in length between the upper and lower profile above the boss on the floor of the part.
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When using the Surface Swarf cycle, the tool keeps a constant orientation along the wall as it passes over the boss.
A second advantage of the Surface Swarf cycle is that setting a small tolerance will not create an interruption in the tool path like it can with the Ruled Swarf cycle. Sur f ac e Swar f Technology The FreeForm feature defines the surfaces that are cut.
Upper and lower profiles put limits on the wall to cut. These profiles must lie on the model and their orientation matters because they define the cutting side.
The technology for the Surface Swarf cycle is quite simple since it only generates a single cut along the wall. The upper and lower profiles are selected from the technology page and then only a few parameters need to be defined.
Cu t t ing Si d e
Cutting Side sets the cutting side based on the direction of the selected upper and lower profiles. The tool can be offset to the left or the right of the profiles.
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When cutting a wall without surfaces limiting the depth of the tool position, set Stop at Floor to No. Then input a Bottom Wall Extension to specify how much the tool is allowed to move down past the lower edge of the wall. The extension is measured from the lower profile.
If the depth of the tool position is limited by surfaces, set Stop at Floor to Yes. Then input a floor stock allowance to stop the tool at a distance away from the floor. You can also input a negative floor stock allowance for the tool to penetrate into the floor.
X This cycle is based on existing stock material. Stock must be created before using this cycle. How i t wor ks Ruled features define the blades Rough passes can be created to remove the material between the blades Finish passes can be created to finish the surface on the hub between the blades X Complete information about the 5-Axis Impeller cycle is available in ESPRIT Help. Look for 5-Axis Impeller or Impeller in the index. I mp ell er Blad e D ef ini t ion The impeller cycle supports 2 types of impeller geometry. Standard Splitter types
If the impeller to be machined is a Splitter type, an additional shorter blade is present between the main blades.
ESPRIT 2010 Top 10 + 2 | 17
D ef ining t h e m ain b l a d e s
To define the main blades, the user needs to create ruled features that represent the internal edges of two main blades. One feature needs to be created on the left side of the channel; the other feature on the right side.
D ef ining t h e sp li t t e r b l a d e
If the impeller has splitter blades you will get a better tool path if you specify two additional ruled features, created from the lateral surfaces of the Splitter-blade. The ruled features must have the same orientation and the orientation must correspond to the direction of the machining.
X It is not mandatory to specify the additional ruled features for a Splitter-type impeller. The volume of material between the main blades will be removed in any case without damaging the Splitter blade. However, when additional ruled features are specified for a Splitter blade, you will get a continuous tool path that goes around the small blade, instead of jumping on.
Creat ing t h e Rul e d f ea t ur e s fo r i m p ell e r b l a d e s
The roughing function of the Impeller cycle is based on a geometric construction that uses only the pair of ruled features as input information. This means that the shape of the upper and lower profiles of the ruled feature is important. You should not have problems extracting the ruled features from the blade surfaces or from curves extracted from the blade surfaces.
X Avoid loops at the beginning and the end of the features, as shown in the following example.
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Roughing and Finishing The Impeller cycle has two cutting strategies: Rough and Finish.
Set the Impeller Strategy to Rough to rough the material between the blades. Roughing is performed with the given incremental depth and the passes are limited to the stock. The system analyzes the actual state of the residual material to avoid air cutting. Any movement outside the stock will be removed.
Roughing Direction controls how the incremental depth is applied. The Top Down option creates passes that are parallel to the top edge of the blades. The Bottom Up option creates passes that are parallel to the bottom surface of the impeller hub (floor).
Set the Impeller Strategy to Finish in order to finish the impeller hub. Only passes lying on the hub will be created.
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M achining Pat t er ns Two machining patterns are available for the Impeller cycle: Parametric Pattern Contour Offset
Pa r a m et r ic Pat t e r n
When Parametric Pattern is chosen, the tool path follows the natural isoparametric curves of the auxiliary surface built between the main blades. Options are available that let the user control the direction of the cut on the parametric curves of the surface.
Contour O f f set
When Contour Offset is chosen, the tool path is calculated as a progressive offset of the auxiliary surface borders. Options let the user control the start point for the concentric offset and whether the progressive offset will start at the outside border, inside the area to be machined, or an alternating pattern that works best for machining areas with islands.
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How it works
Rotary motion is defined in SolidWire Machine Setup EDM features contain information about the part orientation for indexing operations Turn-and-Burn operations are created the same as standard EDM operations A Turn-while-Burn command has been added to the SolidWire Platinum toolbar Turn-while-Burn operations are created like any 4-Axis Contouring cycle Turn-while-Burn operations are based on features created with the Ruled Feature command as opposed to ruled features created with Draft Feature Recognition X Complete information about rotary EDM is available in ESPRIT Help. Look for Turn While Burn or index EDMing in the index.
The position of the rotary axis mounted on the machine table varies from machine to machine, so you must make sure to set it up correctly.
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To support rotary machining at the feature level, Draft Feature Recognition has been updated to allow the creation of a feature in the work plane that requires rotation. The operations are easily created using the new technology interface:
The simulation in ESPRIT 2010 shows the initial orientation of the part.
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If the next operation uses a different orientation, the simulation shows the indexing movement to rotate the part into position before the start of the next operation.
Enhanc ed EDM Feature Recogni t ion EDM features can now be created in any orientation because the part orientation is now based on the current work plane instead of the global Z-axis.
In ESPRIT 2009, EDM Feature Recognition used the Z-axis of the global coordinate system to define what was vertical and the Origin Point to define Z=0. Work planes were ignored. In ESPRIT 2010, EDM Feature Recognition always uses the W-axis of the current work plane to define what is vertical and the origin of the work plane to define Z=0. With the new EDM feature recognition you can create multiple features on a part using different plane orientations. In blue below are the faces that are considered vertical in the XYZ work plane (note the orientation of the UVW axis).
An opposite set of faces are considered vertical in the YZX work plane (note the direction of the W axis).
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The Planes Heights in the Draft Feature Recognition pages are now based on the origin of the current Work Plane.
You can reposition the UVW using the commands on the Modify Work Plane toolbar. The Modify Work Plane toolbar is displayed automatically when the Work Planes dialog is opened. From the Edit menu, select Work Plane to display the toolbar.
X Information about work plane transformation is available in ESPRIT Help. Look for Work Planes in the index. In ESPRIT 2010 you are now able to cut a complex part in a single program. The part shown in this example requires three operations and a positioning rotation. Two features can be created in the XYZ work plane:
As a result the three features are created in different work planes but in the same ESPRIT file using a single model.
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The new Turn While Burn command is available on the SolidWire Platinum toolbar.
A Turn While Burn operation is created like any 4-Axis Contouring cycle. However, the Turn While Burn Technology page is based on a limited 4 axis page. The limitations are: The Offset Type is always G40. G41/G42 can create problems when the tool path is offset at the machine. Therefore this option has been limited to G40. The only options for Entry/Exit are Position and Position Radius There is no look ahead capability There is no Cut-off strategy available There is no Startup Distance available Plane heights have to be set manually
The simulation shows the part rotating while the wire is cutting.
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Ruled Feature Recogni t ion Ruled feature recognition is similar to EDM feature recognition, allowing the user to input either solid faces or wire frame geometry. The dialog lets you enter a name and set the Cutting Side. The Recognize From parameter is automatically set if you select the input first. When solid faces are used as input, an edge on the lower profile has to be selected. The tool path is always plotted on the lower profile of the feature.
When wire frame geometry is used as input, upper and lower chains have to be selected.
Ruled feature recognition is similar to EDM feature recognition except: The lead-in/lead-out points are not created automatically. The lead-in/lead-out points must be added in the Property Browser. There are no plane heights. The heights come from the operation pages only. There is no Die, Punch, Open Left, Open Right, or Hole type
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X The work plane associated with the feature sets the orientation of the wire at the lead-in position when a Turn-while-Burn operation is created. Ruled feature recognition lists all the selected faces.
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The Lead-in/lead-out points are missing and have to be added using the Property Browser.
X Information about Ruled features is available in ESPRIT Help. Look for Ruled Feature in the index. Creat ing Tur n - whil e - Bur n op erat ions A Turn While Burn operation is created like any 4-axis contouring operation. Here are a few things to know: The work plane associated with the feature sets the orientation of the wire at the lead-in position The retract move is performed without rotation. It keeps the orientation of the part at the last point of the cut. The tool path is always plotted on the lower profile of the feature no matter what the plane height values are in the technology pages The part orientation can be seen by activating the Tool Point-Axis option in the Masks dialog
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How it works
A FreeForm feature must be selected before the technology for 3-axis or 5-axis milling can be defined FreeForm features can be selected only in the Feature Manager. Unlike other objects in ESPRIT, FreeForm features do not display in the work area until they are selected in the Feature Manager. If a FreeForm feature is not selected first, the interface to create the feature will open automatically so the user can create the feature before proceeding with the definition of the tool path Define elements as Part, Check, or Stock Color coding makes it easy to see the different elements: part surfaces are displayed in green, check surfaces in red, and stock surfaces in yellow Save any number of FreeForm features on a single part model FreeForm features are fully editable before and after operations are applied The orientation of surfaces can be adjusted to cut on the outside or inside For a 3-axis cycle, the W direction of the work plane associated with the FreeFrom feature defines the orientation of the tool relative to the part when machining X Complete information about how to create and edit FreeForm features is available in ESPRIT Help. Look for FreeForm Feature in the index.
When the command is clicked, the FreeForm Feature interface displays in the Project Manager.
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Par t elements
Part elements define the area to be machined. By default, part elements are displayed in green. Valid element types for part elements are: Solid body Solid faces Surfaces STL
Check elements
Check elements define the area to be avoided. Check elements are displayed in red by default. Valid element types for check elements are: Solid body Solid faces Surfaces STL For the cycles that consider check elements, the tool path will only be created on part surfaces. Check elements are taken into account during the calculation of the tool path but the tool will stop cutting when it reaches a check element. It is important to understand that some cycles consider check surfaces the same as part surfaces. For these cycles, any check element of the FreeForm feature will be used as a part element and therefore, check surfaces will be cut. Cycles that support check elements
FreeForm cycles Roughing Variable-Z Roughing Finishing Z-Level Finishing Projection Finishing Remachining Mold cycles Z-Level Roughing Parallel Planes Finishing Z-Level Finishing Radial Finishing Spiral Finishing Floor Finishing Pencil Tracing Corner Remachining 3D Contouring Concentric Finishing Between Curves Finishing Mold 5-Axis cycles Ruled Swarf Surface Swarf Contouring Composite Impeller
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Stock elements
Stock elements define the shape of the stock around the part. When stock elements are defined, tool path will be created only between the stock and the part elements. Stock elements are displayed in yellow. Valid element types for stock elements are: Solid body Solid faces Surfaces STL Stock elements are used only for operations that support roughing. Cycles that support stock
FreeForm cycles Roughing Variable-Z Roughing Mold cycles Z-Level Roughing Mold 5-Axis cycles Composite Impeller
Stock el em ent s and t he stock automat ion engine The stock automation engine in ESPRIT 2010 will automatically generate a stock model for each operation when the operation is created or modified. This process is run in the background when Stock Automation is enabled in the Options dialog. In addition to using the calculated stock model for simulation, this stock model can also be used to calculate roughing tool path.
Fre e Fo r m cycl e s
ESPRIT FreeForm roughing cycles do not calculate the tool path based on the calculated stock from stock automation. The stock defined in Simulation Parameters is used. If you want to create a FreeForm roughing operation based on the stock from a previous roughing operation, you must define the custom stock in the FreeForm feature.
M ol d cycl e s
Mold roughing cycles must have a stock. You must create the initial stock in Simulation Parameters before you start creating operations. You should define stock elements in the FreeForm feature only if you want to force a stock that is different than the current stock in the machining process. With ESPRIT Mold, if the stock is not defined in the FreeForm feature, the operation uses the calculated stock from stock automation. The calculated stock will be used for the tool path calculation for SolidMill Mold 3-axis and 5-axis roughing operations. The calculated stock is also used with Parallel Planes and Z-Level Finishing if Retract Optimization is set to Stock X An operation will not calculate if stock automation did not calculate any stock and if the FreeForm feature does not have any stock surfaces. If Stock Automation is disabled (Tools > Options > Machining), Mold cycles still work but instead of calculating the current stock in the background, ESPRIT will calculate the stock on demand when it is needed for the operation. When calculating an operation with stock automation OFF and no stock in the FreeForm feature, ESPRIT starts by calculating the stock for the operation then it starts the calculation of the operation itself.
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How it works
Select a top loop to recognize all pockets inside the loop (great for closed pockets) Select a bottom face to recognize an open pocket or a single closed pocket Select a chain feature to recognize all pockets inside the boundary (great for noncontinuous faces or multiple open pockets) Select faces, loops, or chains prior to running Pocket Feature Recognition to recognize multiple pockets Tapered walls, chamfers, and fillets within the selection area are recognized Open edges are displayed with dashed lines for easy identification Areas that cannot be reached by a standard tool orientation are protected from gouging When ESPRIT FX and Pocket Feature Recognition are used together, associativity with the CAD model is maintained X Complete information about Pocket features is available in ESPRIT Help. Look for Pocket in the index.
Valid elements that can be used as input for Pocket Feature Recognition in ESPRIT 2010 are: Solid body Face loop Solid face Chain feature X In previous versions of ESPRIT, wire frame geometry could be used as input for pocket features. In ESPRIT 2010, wire frame geometry is no longer accepted as valid input for a pocket feature. In order to use wire frame geometry for pocketing operations, the user will have to create chain features on the geometry. Machining properties such as cutting side and depth can be assigned to chain features in the Property Browser.
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Chang es to hol e recogni t ion in pocket s The new Pocket Feature Recognition no longer recognizes holes as PTOP features as in previous versions of ESPRIT. The user must now use the Holes command to recognize holes. However, the new Pocket Feature Recognition still uses the Maximum Diameter parameter located in the Feature Parameters dialog to recognize cylindrical pockets. Any cylinder with a diameter equal to or greater than the Maximum Diameter will be recognized as a pocket.
Depending on the diameter, ESPRIT will search the pocket within the cylinder. Since the diameter of the inside pocket in this example is greater than the Maximum Diameter, ESPRIT will find the inside pockets.
Chang es to recogni t ion of invalid shap es In ESPRIT 2009, when a shape could not be machined with a standard milling tool orientation, Pocket Feature Recognition would ignore it; therefore the tool path would gouge the part. In ESPRIT 2010, Pocket Feature Recognition will analyze the shape of the pocket and, if it cannot be machined in a 2-axis machining, the shape will be covered as an island to avoid gouging the part. In the following part, ESPRIT 2009 ignores the red faces and then the tool path will gouge the area between the two islands.
In ESPRIT 2010, Pocket Feature Recognition covers the shape to avoid gouging the part.
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When the machining area contains multiple islands/pockets, the easiest way to create the open pocket features is to create and use a chain feature as an outside boundary for Pocket Feature Recognition.
In ESPRIT 2010, Pocket Feature Recognition now supports tapered walls and the display of the feature will now use this value. The Draft property is now set to the taper value for each feature. X The taper must be constant along the feature.
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Loop a s input When the cavity is a closed pocket, the cavity is usually defined from a top loop. If the user selects a top loop, ESPRIT will automatically find all the pockets and islands within the selected loop. The direction of feature recognition is taken from the plane attached to the selected loop regardless of the active work plane. This method is the easiest and the most efficient way to create a pocket feature.
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Fac e a s input When the machining area is an open pocket or if the user wants to machine a specific area in the part, the user can select the bottom face of the pocket. Pocket Feature Recognition will then recognize only the selected pocket. This method is the most suitable way to select a single level open pocket (not a nested open pocket). Using a bottom face as input is also very useful if the user wants to cut a specific pocket (open or closed). Pocket Feature Recognition will find all the walls adjacent to the selected bottom face, up to the next horizontal face.
Chain f eature a s input When the boundary of the pocket is open, or there is no continuous boundary to define the machining area, the easiest way to create a pocket is to manually create a boundary with a chain feature. ESPRIT will create pocket features from all the visible faces within the selected chain feature (as viewed along the W axis of the work plane associated with the chain). In this model, a continuous boundary does not exist on the part. Therefore, Pocket Feature Recognition cannot be executed on any outside loop. In order to create pocket features on the part, the user creates a chain boundary that represents the machining area. ESPRIT finds all the pockets within the selected chain.
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Solid a s input When selecting a solid as input, ESPRIT will automatically find the outermost boundary of the solid and then run Pocket Feature Recognition. ESPRIT will find pockets based on the solid boundaries in the active work plane.
Fac es a s input If the user selects one or more solid faces before running Pocket Feature Recognition, ESPRIT will run the recognition on each group of faces (ESPRIT will first group the connected faces together). For example, when using ESPRIT FX, sometimes the easiest way to select the machining area is to directly select the CAD Features in the ESPRIT FX tree.
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If the selected faces are not connected (do not share an edge), ESPRIT will find the pocket in the direction of the face regardless of the active work plane.
However, Pocket Feature Recognition cannot use the face direction when connected faces are selected. Instead, ESPRIT will use the direction of the active work plane. When the selected faces have different directions, Pocket Feature Recognition may fail to recognize any pocket in the wrong direction. In the following example, the active plane is XYZ and the user selects the shapes One and Five. Shape One is recognized correctly because it is in the same direction as the active work plane. However, shape Five is incorrect. In this case, you need to either select the loop of each shape before running Feature Recognition or create the pockets one by one in the correct work plane.
X The latest ESPRIT FX add-in will store the direction of the cut in the CAD Model. Therefore, when selecting connected faces attached to a valid CAD Feature, ESPRIT will be able to recognize each group of faces and create the features. Please note that ESPRIT FX stored the direction of the cut when the model was saved in the CAD software. If the model is rotated in ESPRIT, the direction might be obsolete.
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Chains a s input If the user selects one or more chain features before running Pocket Feature Recognition, ESPRIT will automatically run the recognition on each selected loop.
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How it works
Stock automation is enabled on the Machining tab in the Options dialog Stock automation is a new engine that will automatically generate a stock for each operation when the operation is created or modified A simulation can be started any time with the previous operation stock without using the Simulate from saved state command The calculated stock will be used for the tool path calculation for SolidMill Mold 3-axis and 5-axis operations When enabled, stock automation runs in the background on a second CPU (Core) when available and will simulate the material removal of each operation as needed by ESPRIT Stock automation works on every cycle in ESPRIT except SolidTurn B-Axis Contouring and all EDM cycles
Stock Automat ion Tol eranc e Stock Automation uses the simulation engine in ESPRIT to calculate the material removal. The Stock Automation Tolerance is the simulation tolerance that will be used by the simulation during the calculation of the stock. The smaller the value, the longer it will take for stock automation to generate the stock.
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Stock long evi t y The stock models created by stock automation are available only in the active session. As soon as the file is reopened, stock automation will need to recalculate the stocks.
If no operation has been selected before running the simulation, the simulation will start with the initial stock. This is the same behavior as previous versions of ESPRIT. X Since the stock is calculated in the background for each operation, the stock may not be available at the time the user needs it. This may happen on large 3D operations. In the event where the stock is not ready, ESPRIT will prompt the user to start from the initial stock or cancel the simulation (and wait for the stock to be ready).
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To show or hide the status of the stock calculation: In milling, right-click on the header row of the Operation Manager and select Field Chooser. In the list, select Stock to display the column. In turning, right-click in the operation list and select Advanced > Field Chooser. In the list, select Stock.
The possible states of the stock are: Complete. Ending stock has been calculated and it is up-to-date for this operation. Processing. Stock is under calculation. The percentage next to the icon shows the progress. Initial stock has not been defined. In SolidMill mode, edit the Simulation Parameters to add a stock in the Solid page. In turning, set the stock in the machine setup or in the simulation parameters.In SolidTurn mode, set the stock in Machine Setup or in Simulation Parameters. The operation is suppressed Stock automation is disabled The operation not supported by stock automation. This is the case only with the SolidTurn B-Axis Contouring operation. Waiting. The stock needs to be calculated but is waiting for the calculation of previous operations to finish. Error. An error occurred during the calculation of the stock.
Blank (no stock). Ending stock does not exist for the operation. It can be because:
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Associat ivit y
Associativity can be defined as the recognition of a part and its subsequent downstream activities. When the the original CAD model changes, ESPRIT can recognize those changes and update the downstream activities that are associated to the original part, such as CAM features and tool path. In ESPRIT 2009, associativity with the CAD model was made available for wire EDM features and FreeForm features. In ESPRIT 2010, associativity with the native CAD model is expanded to Pocket features for 2-1/2 axis milling.
How it works
ESPRIT retains the link to the CAD file as well as to the faces selected when a feature is created on an imported CAD solid in ESPRIT If the CAD model changes, ESPRIT recognizes when faces have been changed, added, or deleted and gives the user control over whether to update the associated ESPRIT feature When a feature is updated, any tool path associated with the feature will be recalculated
Limitations
Associativity is limited to features created with Draft Feature Recognition for wire EDM, FreeForm features for 3-axis and 5-axis milling operations, and Pocket features for 2-1/2 axis milling Associativity is limited to features created from solid bodies and faces and the selected absolute reference collection The collection of CAD faces must never change, and can only be modified (Note: When the ESPRIT FX Add-In can be utilized, the user has fewer restrictions.) Available only on files created in ESPRIT 2009 or greater. File properties have been added to the ESPRIT 2009 file format that are not available in earlier versions. When a file from a previous version is opened and the ESPRIT file contains a reference file that has changed, the Update button in the Check Reference File dialog is disabled.
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Additionally, the user can have ESPRIT automatically check the status of the solid model by clicking Advanced > Options. The user can activate the option and set up how often ESPRIT will check the status of the imported file.
Translation example
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Scale example
Adding a pocket If a new pocket is added to the CAD model, ESPRIT has no knowledge of this new pocket; therefore, when updating the model, the newly created pocket will be ignored.
Removing a pocket If a pocket is removed from the CAD model, ESPRIT will remove the feature from the document because the faces do not exist in the new model.
Modif ying t he shap e of a pocket When the user makes a major change to the shape of a pocket by adding or removing faces, associativity will fail to recreate the feature because it cannot find the previous faces. The feature will stay in the document as is.
However, ESPRIT FX provides more flexibility when CAD features are modified because associativity can use the CAD Feature Properties attached to the selected face.
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Since the feature shown below was created based on all the faces of the CAD Feature Open Pocket, associativity uses the CAD Feature as the input for Feature Recognition; therefore the individual faces in the CAD feature are irrelevant.
If the user modifies the shape of the Pocket by adding or removing faces using a separate CAD Feature, even with ESPRIT FX turned on, the associativity will not be able to recreate the pocket feature. For example, the Pocket feature in the original file is created from the CAD Feature Extrude2.
In the updated CAD model, the user creates a sub-pocket using another CAD Feature. ESPRIT will try to recreate the feature using all the faces in the original CAD Feature but the associativity will not be able to get the remaining faces to create a full pocket.
When the added or removed faces are blend faces at corners, ESPRIT will be able to recreate the Pocket feature even though all the required faces are not selected. In this example, even if the corner faces are not used by the associativity because they were created outside of Extrude2, Pocket Feature Recognition will be able to recreate the feature correctly.
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How it works
Like any 4-axis operation in ESPRIT, the new 4-axis Pocketing cycle only uses EDM Ruled features. Draft conic features and chains are not supported. When the shapes of the UV and XY profiles are similar, a No Core strategy can be used to gradually remove all material inside the cavity with 4-axis no-core pocketing tool path When the shapes of the UV and XY profiles are different, a Cylindrical strategy will calculate the largest area shared by the two profiles and give the user the option of removing the core with a 2-axis contouring operation or burning the core with a 2-axis nocore pocketing operation. The remaining areas are then burned separately with 4-axis tool path. X Complete information about 4-Axis Pocketing is available in ESPRIT Help. Look for 4-Axis Pocketing or SolidWire in the index.
X Mitsubishi, Sodick and the Generic pages use the same Planes Heights parameters for 2-axis and 4-axis pocketing.
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Cores and Shells In 4-Axis Pocketing there are 2 areas in a cut that will be identified: The Core (more precisely the Cylindrical Core) The Shell The Core corresponds to the shadow of the cavity. The shadow is found by projecting the UV profile vertically onto the XY profile. In this example, the shapes of the UV profile and the XY profile are different.
The core is found by projecting the UV profile vertically onto the XY profile.
Core St rat egy The Core Strategy lets you choose between No Core and Cylindrical. The No Core option calculates an inner core profile and burns the entire shape with a no-core pocketing tool path The Cylindrical option calculates a core area and lets the user choose whether the core is burned as if it was a 2-axis Pocketing cycle or the slug is cut and dropped as if it was a 2-axis Contouring cycle
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No Core St rat egy The options for the No Core strategy are quite simple. The user enters the desired distance between cutting passes and the diameter of the thread hole.
The idea of the No Core strategy is to match each synchronization point from the outside shell to its equivalent inner core point.
In no-core 4-axis pocketing, the synchronization is critical because the synchronization match points from the outside shell must be matched to a calculated profile inside the core area for synchronized machining to occur naturally. Instead of using a standard offset tool path that could potentially cause problems with self-intersecting tool path, the tool path is generated by morphing the shape of the inner core profile and the shape of the outside shell. X It is important to create enough synchronization, or match, lines between the UV and XY profiles to allow the system to calculate an appropriate inner core profile. The integrity of the part surface could be impaired when an insufficient number of match lines are programmed. C ylindr ic al St rat egy The Cylindrical strategy calculates the cylindrical core and uses the Slug Strategy parameter to determine what to do with the core. Slug Strategy can be set to either Burn or Drop Slug.
When Slug Strategy set to Burn, the slug is burned as if it was a vertical 2-axis Pocketing cycle.
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When set to Drop Slug, the slug is cut as if it was a vertical 2-axis Contouring cycle. When the slug is dropped, the user can specify a cutoff distance and the type of stop to output in the NC code.
After the core has been removed, the Shell areas still need to be cut. The Clearance Strategy parameter allows you to choose how the shells are removed. This choice will mostly depend on the shape of the cavity. The Uniform strategy will burn the shell linearly, which requires the thickness between the inner and outer profile to be as uniform as possible to avoid over-burning the thinnest areas.
The Non-Uniform strategy will split the shell into smaller pieces. The synchronization match lines are used to determine where the shell is split. Each shell piece is then burned separately.
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How it works
New knitted surface commands are grouped under the menu Create > Knitted Surfaces After a command is selected, the interface appears in a tab in the Project Manager. The same interface is used for all four commands. To create a knitted surface, select all the faces to knit together and one or more vertexes depending on the knitted surface command Selected faces must be continuously connected Selected vertexes must be on the border of the group of faces selected X Complete information about how to create knitted surfaces is available in ESPRIT Help. Look for Knitted Surfaces in the index.
Face selection
Faces are added to the selection by first clicking inside the Faces frame and then selecting faces on the solid model. Use the Grouping Properties command to easily select multiple faces.
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There can be an opening in the middle of the selection but this hole must be inside a single face. If the opening is valid, it will be covered by the knitted surface.
The input is invalid if the hole touches more than one face.
Tolerance
The tolerance controls the precision when calculating the surface. The knitted surface command requires intense calculation; therefore a small tolerance can result in a very long calculation. If the surface will be used as a drive surface for a machining pattern, high precision is not needed.
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Using a knitted surface, a spiral parametric pattern is applied. The result is a single continuous pass that cuts the whole group of faces.
X The FreeForm feature includes the original faces of the model as part elements. The knitted surface is only used for the machining pattern; therefore the accuracy of the surface is not critical.
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In this second example, again a closed knitted surface allowed the creation of a single spiral pass that cuts 40 different faces.
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How it works
ESPRIT supports up to 3 rotary axes simultaneously Rotary axes are defined in the machine setup assembly. The machine axis type can be Rotary or Tool Change. Axes of both types are considered in the rotary axis count. It does not matter whether the axes are on the tool or on the table. The limit is that the total number of available rotary axes when cutting with a tool on a stock should not exceed 3. For kinematic reasons, the rotary axis should not be parallel Use meaningful labels for the axis in the machine setup. Axis labels are used for referencing the axis in the operation properties. All ESPRIT milling cycles support 3 rotary axes, including 5-axis simultaneous
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X For Mill-Turn machine setup, the C-axis of the spindle is implicit and it must not be added to the assembly.
The user can control: Which axes are the motion axes (the remaining axis is fixed) The position of the fixed axis If more than one angle combination can achieve the machining orientation, the angle for the motion axis can be changed Mot ion A xes The Motion Axes property lists the combinations of moving axes. If the machine has A, B and C axes then motion axes can be: A & B (C is the fixed axis) B & C (A is the fixed axis) A & C (B is the fixed axis)
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A xis Posi t ions The fixed axis position can be set to any position within the axis limits. If the machining orientation can be achieved with more than one angle combination within the machine axis limits, then you can change the position of the 2 motion axes. Tool Chang e A xis Posi t ion A tool change axis type can only be a fixed axis. When one of the 3 axes is a Tool Change type, then the motion axis property is not listed. In this example, Index is a tool change axis. It is always fixed.
When setting the position of a Tool Change axis, the angle is incremental from the station angle. 0 degree corresponds to the station angle of the station the tool is mounted on; 180 degrees adds 180 degrees to the station angle.
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Ac t ivat ing a lic ense First, make sure the USB module is inserted in a USB port. Then, on the Tools menu, click Activation.
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Enter a unique Customer Code and Serial Number and click Next.
Verify that the company information is correct and click Finish to activate the license. A green check mark shows that the license is the default. Double-clicking on a license sets the default status. Click File > Exit to close the Security Manager.
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ESPRIT will run only if the release date of the software is earlier or the same as the SMC expiration date. If the date of the release is later than the SMC expiration date, ESPRIT will not run. X Users are not prevented from downloading and installing a newer version of ESPRIT. However, the software will not run if the SMC Expiration Date is earlier than the release date of the newly installed software. Each time ESPRIT 2010 is run, a screen displays with the release date of the software, who the software is licensed to, and how many days remain for the license and the SMC. If the license is for demonstration purposes only (not purchased by the company), this information is also displayed. If the information is correct, click OK to start using ESPRIT. Click Cancel if you want to exit ESPRIT. If the information is incorrect (for example, you have a demo license even though you have paid for the software), notify DP Technology directly to have the issue resolved.
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This pattern requires a separate drive surface that does not belong to the part.
First a curve is created with a spiral pattern using the parametric lines of the drive surface. This curve is then projected on the model. The projection is normal to the drive surface.
To obtain a continuous tool path the parametric lines used for the spiral must be closed (start and end points are the same). When using the Project Spiral pattern, the step increment is an indication for the step over. The real step over on the part may be bigger than the programmed step increment. It depends on the parametric line spacing along the surface.
The direction of projection is, by default, the opposite direction of the natural Normal direction of the drive surface. That means that if the normal of the drive surface is pointing up, points will be projected toward the down direction.
When the drive surface is on both sides of the model surfaces, the direction of the drive surface normal should point toward the tool. Even if the drive surface is sometimes inside and sometimes outside the model, ESPRIT will still be able to project the curves.
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If the surface direction is not correct, use the option Reverse Projection Side to change the direction of projection.
The value for Projection Distance controls the maximum distance when points are projected on the model. This value can be reduced if you see that points are projected on undesired surfaces that are behind the target surface.
In the example below, Pass Position Percent is set to 10. The tool is positioned close to the start of the surface.
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In this example, Pass Position Percent is set to 50. The tool is positioned in the middle of the surface.
Rough passes are created using the same rules as the latest pass except that the model is offset by n times the incremental depth value based on the starting distance.
The Incremental Depth value is a 3D offset applied to the whole tool path. The Starting Distance is the distance, measured from the model, on which to apply the incremental offset. For example, if Starting Distance is set to 10mm and Incremental Depth is 5mm then 3 passes will be created: 1. 10mm away from the model. 2. 5 mm away from the model. 3. On the model.
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Limit Passes to Stock is used to limit rough passes to the stock limit. When this option is set to Yes, rough passes are not created outside the stock model.
X When rough passes are activated, only the Bridge link is available and only the Vertical approach is available.
When Auto Tilt is enabled, the tool is allowed to tilt when it encounters an area that cannot be cut with the base orientation.
The rule to calculate alternative tool orientations is set by Auto Tilt Mode.
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Across The tool can tilt around an axis defined by the tangent to the moving direction.
Along The tool can tilt along an axis defined by the tangent to the moving direction.
Fre e The tool can tilt around the tool center in any direction.
A round A xis The tool can tilt around a given reference axis. In this example, the tool is allowed to tilt around the X axis.
Along A xis The tool can tilt along a given reference axis. In this example, the tool is allowed to tilt along the Y axis.
M a ximum Til t Angl e This angle sets the maximum rotation allowed from the reference orientation.
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Per p endicular to Lower Cur ves This mode ignores the match lines of the ruled feature. ESPRIT creates its own match lines by creating segments between the 2 profiles that are perpendicular to the lower profile. The orange segments show the synchronization between the two profiles. The segments are all perpendicular to the lower profile.
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Radial A round A xis This mode ignores the match lines of the ruled feature. ESPRIT creates its own match lines by creating segments between the 2 profiles that are radial to the given reference axis (segments created by intersection of a plane going through the reference axis and the 2 profiles.) Per p endicular to A xis This mode ignores the match lines of the ruled feature. ESPRIT creates its own match lines by creating segments between the 2 profiles that are in a plane perpendicular to the given reference axis. This mode is useful for 4-axis programming. It forces the tool to be in a plane perpendicular to the reference axis. If synchronization is perpendicular to the rotary axis, the tool stays perpendicular to the rotary axis and the tool path is a strict 4-axis cut.
Angle Limitation
Two options are available: No Limit: The tool axis is free to assume the slope defined by the profile synchronization Fixed Angle With: The tool axis will keep a fixed slope relative to the reference axis. When using this option the upper profile is ignored.
X Complete information about the 5-Axis Ruled Swarf cycle is available in ESPRIT Help. Look for 5-Axis Ruled Swarf Milling in the index.
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The Strategy tab contains the machining parameters that affect the tool path. These are the same parameters as ESPRIT 2009 arranged in a more logical way.
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The Links tab contains the parameters that affect the way the tool moves in and out of the part and within the part.
Facing technology
The new facing interface is divided into four tabs: General Strategy Islands Links New I sland s t ab The new Islands tab lets the user select all the islands that must be avoided by the tool path. This tab is only visible if the user set the parameter Include Islands to Yes. Include Islands is located on the Strategy tab.
When Include Islands is set to No, the Islands tab will be hidden and ESPRIT will create a tool path with no consideration for islands. X If the input feature is a Feature Set (features contained in a folder), the facing operation does not allow the user to select any islands other than the islands contained in the Feature Set. Therefore the parameter Include Islands and the Islands tab will be hidden. When Include Islands is set to Yes, the user can select Island Features, Non Cross Pocket Features, and Cross Pocket Features. To select a feature, click in the area corresponding to the type of island and then select the feature in the document. You can add as many features as you want. The name of the object is displayed followed by its element number: Object Name (element number).
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X Now that the machining interface is integrated into the Project Manager, the user can select features either in the work area or from the Feature Manager. Since the new Interface shows the feature selected for the island, the user can now add or remove the features from the technology interface when editing an existing operation. The user can also turn on or off the Include Islands parameter on an existing operation. Valid input for Facing op erat ions Facing technology supports the following types of features: Chains Feature Sets Feature Groups With the new Pocket Feature Recognition, the Facing interface also supports the selection of the following sub-elements from a solid model: Face Loop When a face or loop is selected, ESPRIT will automatically create the feature for the operation based on the selected face(s). If the user selects multiple faces (not connected), ESPRIT will create a feature per face and will group them into a feature group. In the following example, two separate faces are selected.
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When the Facing command is clicked, ESPRIT creates a chain feature for each face and places them in a feature group.
Pocketing technology
The new pocketing interface is divided into seven tabs: General Strategy Pocket Rough Wall Finish Floor Finish Links The St rat egy t ab The display of the Rough, Wall Finish, and Floor Finish tabs is controlled on the Strategy tab. These tabs will only display when the corresponding parameter is set to Yes.
N ew Wall Fini sh Pa s s p a r a m et e r
In ESPRIT 2009, in order to enable a Wall Finish Pass on the Pocket cycle, the user had to set the number of wall finish passes to a value greater than zero.
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In ESPRIT 2010, the user can control whether or not to create a finish pass using the parameter Wall Finish Pass. When this parameter is set to Yes, ESPRIT will then automatically show the Wall Finish tab. The Pocket t ab The Pocket tab contains the advanced options for the Pocketing cycle such as the Taper, Open Pocketing, and Island Features.
The Open Pocketing group of parameters is hidden if the input feature is not an open pocket feature. The Island Features parameter is hidden if the user selects a feature set as input since the tool path will automatically find the islands from the feature set.
N ew I sl a nd Fea t ur e s p a r a m et e r
In ESPRIT 2009, when creating a pocket operation from a chain feature, the user had to select the chains describing the islands after the interface was closed. In ESPRIT 2010, the boundary feature is selected as input for the pocket and then the user can add the island features using the new Island Features parameter. X When importing an ESPRIT 2009 file, ESPRIT will automatically set the parameter to the selected islands. Since the new interface shows the features selected for the islands, the user can now add/remove the feature islands from the technology interface when editing an existing operation.
N ew Ent r y Point s p a r a m et e r
In ESPRIT 2009, the Pocketing cycle allowed the user to select one or more entry points for each cavity after the interface was closed. In ESPRIT 2010, the selection of the point(s) for the entry/exit has been changed to introduce a new way of selecting multiple points. The selection of the point is now split into two categories: Define an entry point from a single point Define multiple entry points from a PTOP feature In cases where the user only needs to define one entry point, ESPRIT will let you either enter manually the X, Y coordinate of the Entry Point, or select an existing point/vertex in the document. In cases where the user needs to select multiple entry points (usually one per cavity), the user will have to create a PTOP feature first (each point of the PTOP will be an entry point). In the ESPRIT 2010 interface, when the user selects an entry mode that requires an entry point, the new interface will show the new parameter From Predefined Points to prompt the user whether the entry point will be from an existing PTOP feature or from a single point.
D ef in e a singl e ent r y p o int
To define a single entry point, set From Predefined Points to No. ESPRIT will then show the new control Entry Point X, Y. The user can either select a point in the graphic area using the selection arrow or manually enter the X, Y coordinates of the point.
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X The coordinates of the point are expressed in the Feature Work Plane.
To define multiple entry points from a PTOP feature, set From Predefined Points to Yes. ESPRIT will then show the new control Predefined Points. The user can select a PTOP feature in the graphic area using the selection arrow.
Valid input for Pocket ing op erat ions Pocketing technology supports the following types of features: Chains Feature Sets Feature Groups With the new Pocket Feature Recognition, the Pocketing interface also supports the selection of the following sub-elements from a solid model: Face Loop The user can now select the faces or face loops of the pocket before loading the operation technology without having to create a feature first. ESPRIT will automatically create the feature for the operation based on the selected face(s). If the user selects multiple faces (not connected), ESPRIT will create a feature per face and will group them into a feature group.
X When selecting multiple connected faces, make sure the active work plane corresponds to the direction of the machining. Please see the section on Pocket Feature Recognition for more information.
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Valid input for Trochoid al Pocket ing op erat ions Trochoidal Pocketing supports the following types of input: Chain features Feature Sets Feature Groups Faces Loops
Contouring technology
The new contouring interface is divided into five tabs: General Strategy Finish Advanced Links N ew Tr im Feature para m et er In ESPRIT 2009, when creating a contouring operation with the trim feature option, the user had to select the chain feature describing the trim profile after the interface was closed. In ESPRIT 2010, the feature for the contour is selected first and then the user can add the the trim feature using the new Trim Feature parameter on the Advanced tab. The feature is selected by clicking the selection arrow and then selecting the feature in the work area or from the Feature Manager. X The Trim Feature parameter will be visible only if the user selects the trimming option Trim Feature, otherwise it will be hidden.
When importing an ESPRIT 2009 file, ESPRIT will automatically set the parameter to the selected trim feature. Since the new interface shows the feature selected for the trim feature, the user can now add/remove the trim feature from the technology interface when editing an existing operation. N ew Lead - In /O ut Point para m et er s In ESPRIT 2009, when creating a contouring operation with the Position option for the Lead-In or Lead-Out, the user had to select the Lead-In/Out points after the dialog was closed. In ESPRIT 2010, if the user selects a Lead-In or Lead-Out that requires a point, ESPRIT will then show the new control Lead-In Point X, Y or Lead-Out Point X,Y. The user can either select a point in the graphic area using the selection arrow or manually enter the X, Y coordinates of the point. X The coordinates are expressed in the Feature Work Plane.
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When importing an ESPRIT 2009 file, ESPRIT will automatically load the Lead-In/Out position of the ESPRIT 2009 file. New Finish Pa ss para m et er In ESPRIT 2009, in order to enable a Finish Pass on the contouring cycle, the user had to set the number of finish passes to a value greater than zero. In ESPRIT 2010, the user can control whether or not to create a finish pass using the parameter Finish Pass on the Strategy tab. ESPRIT will then automatically show the Finish tab.
Valid input for Contour ing op erat ions Contouring supports the following types of input: Chain features Feature Groups Faces Loops
Li mi t at ion s w h en f ac e s o r l o o p s a r e sel e c t e d a s inp u t
Feature recognition with the Contouring command is based on Pocket Feature Recognition. For this reason, the user cannot select faces that represent an open profile since this is not supported. On an open profile, Pocket Feature Recognition will fail. A feature will not be created.
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However, in this case Pocket Feature Recognition will create an open pocket and the operation will succeed.
Pocket Feature Recognition always creates a Pocket Feature. Therefore, there are some rules to follow when selecting faces before creating a contouring operation. When selecting only the side walls of islands, Pocket Feature Recognition will ignore the top of the island and create a Pocket feature (Material Removal = Inside). Since some defaults in the contouring cycle use the material removal property, you should make sure all the machining parameters are correct or select different faces.
When selecting all faces of the islands, Pocket Feature Recognition will create an island feature (Material Removal = Outside). This is the correct way to select the faces.
When selecting all faces of the island including the bottom open face, Pocket Feature Recognition will create an open pocket feature. This type of feature is not supported by the Contouring cycle; ESPRIT will fail to launch the technology page.
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Drilling technology
The new drilling interface is divided into only two tabs: General Drill Valid input for D r illing op erat ions Drilling supports the following types of input: PTOP features Feature Groups Faces Loops Fac es and loops a s input for D r illing op erat ions When faces or loops are selected before the Drilling command is clicked, ESPRIT will run Hole Feature Recognition before launching the drilling technology page. Depending on the Maximum Diameter parameter in the Feature Parameters dialog a PTOP feature may not be created, causing the drilling technology page to fail.
S el e c t ing t h e f ac e s of ho l e s
When creating a new drilling operation, the user can select the faces of the holes either from the CAD Feature tree or directly from the graphic area. ESPRIT will then automatically create a PTOP feature from the selection. Hole Feature Recognition creates the PTOP features from the selected faces.
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X An easy way to group the faces of holes is to use the Grouping Properties option for Holes in a solid body or the Revolved Faces option for a selected loop or face.
S el e c t ing hol e s o n a cylin d r i c a l f ac e
When the holes are on a cylindrical face and the user does not have the CAD Feature tree, it is sometime easier to select the wrap face that contains the holes rather than manually select the faces of the holes. Hole Feature Recognition creates the PTOPS from the loops that belong to the selected face.
S el e c t ing hol e s o n a p l a na r f ac e
When the user does not have the CAD Feature tree, it is sometimes easier to select the top face that contains the holes rather than manually select the faces of the holes. Hole Feature Recognition creates the PTOPS from the loops that belong to the selected face.
S el e c t ing hol e s f ro m l o o p s
Hole Feature Recognition supports loops as input. The user can select the loop directly above the hole before launching the drilling operation. ESPRIT will then find the hole below the loop and feed it to the drilling cycle. X Loops are not highlighted in the graphic area. In the example below, all four hole loops are selected.
Spiraling technology
The new spiraling interface is divided into three tabs: General Strategy Links
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New Lead - In /O ut Point para m et er s The spiraling cycle will use the new Lead-In Point/Lead-Out Point parameters in order to define the points for the lead-in and lead-out of the spiraling pocket.
Valid input for Spiraling op erat ions Spiraling supports the following types of input: Chain features PTOP features Feature Groups Faces Loops Since this operation supports both chain features and PTOP features, ESPRIT will run Pocket Feature Recognition as well as Hole Feature Recognition on the selected faces or loops. Depending on the Maximum Diameter parameter in the Feature Parameters dialog, you may get a PTOP or a chain. Since the Maximum Hole Diameter is 30 mm in this example, the hole with a radius of 14 mm will be created as a PTOP and the 35 mm radius hole as a chain.
If the feature created by Hole or Pocket Feature Recognition is not suitable for the Spiraling technology, ESPRIT will return an error message. For example, if the selected face will not create a cylindrical profile, ESPRIT will not use the selected face.
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Threading technology
The new threading interface is divided into three tabs: General Strategy Links Valid input for Threading op erat ions Threading supports the following types of input: Chain features PTOP features Feature Groups Faces Loops
When importing an ESPRIT 2009 file, ESPRIT will automatically set the parameter to the selected Drive Curve. Since the new Interface shows the feature selected for the Drive Curve, the user can now modify the Drive Curve feature from the technology interface when editing an existing operation. Valid input for Wire Fra m e Milling op erat ions Wire frame milling supports the following types of input: Chain features Feature Groups
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N ew I sland Features para m et er Like the Pocketing cycle, the Wrap Pocketing cycle uses the new Island Features parameter in order to define the islands of the pocket.
N ew Ent r y Point s para m et er The Wrap Pocketing technology allows the user to select an entry point from an existing point in the document. The input of the entry point for the wrap pocketing operation is either a PTOP or a 3D point. X The coordinates of the point are expressed in the global XYZ.
C ylindr ic al Int er polat ion and Cut t er Comp ensat ion Since, in ESPRIT 2010, all the parameters that are not used are hidden from the user, here is the rule on how to set wrap compensation for wall finish passes. Cylindrical Interpolation on the Wrap tab is available only when Wall Type is set to Radial Tool Axis Cutter compensation on the Wall Finish tab is only available when Cylindrical Interpolation is set to Yes, otherwise it is hidden
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Valid input for Wrap Pocket ing op erat ions Wrap Pocketing supports the following types of input: Chain features Feature Sets Feature Groups
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Valid input for Wrap Contour ing op erat ions Wrap Contouring supports the following types of input: Chain features Feature Groups
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When a wrap drilling operation is created on the face of the stock, you can select either the face that contains the holes or the faces of the holes.
In order to create a wrap drilling operation on the diameter, all the holes must be connected into one PTOP feature. However, when selecting multiple holes on a diameter, Hole Feature Recognition will create one PTOP per hole. As a result, wrap drilling will not work (ESPRIT will try to apply the wrap drilling operation on each hole). It is recommended not to use faces as input when creating a wrap drilling operation on the diameter. Instead, create hole features connected with one PTOP using manual selection of the face.
New I sland Feature para m et er The Legacy Wrap Pocketing cycle uses the new Island Feature parameter in order to define the islands of the pocket.
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Valid input for Legacy Wrap Pocket ing op erat ions Legacy Wrap Pocketing supports the following types of input: Chain features Feature Sets Feature Groups
When an ESPRIT 2009 file is opened, ESPRIT 2010 will automatically load the Lead-In/Out Position. N ew St ar t / End El em ent para m et er s In ESPRIT 2009, when creating a legacy wrap contouring operation with the trim Start/End Condition, the user had to select the Start/End Condition element after the interface was closed. In ESPRIT 2010, the user can select the Start/End Element directly from the Legacy Wrap Contouring interface. The Start/End Element control will be visible only if the user selects the option Up To Edge or Overcut Past Edge.
When importing an ESPRIT 2009 file, ESPRIT will automatically set the parameter to the selected Start/End Condition Element. Since the new interface shows the object selected for the Start/End Condition, the user can now add/remove the Start/End Condition Element from the technology interface when editing an existing operation.
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Valid input for Wrap Contour ing op erat ions Wrap Contouring supports the following types of input: Chain features Feature Groups
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This tab is only visible if the user sets the parameter Feature Covering to Yes on the Strategy tab.
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The Limits tab contains the parameters that define the boundary of the tool path as well as the stock automation parameters.
FreeForm features are not displayed like other graphic elements of ESPRIT. FreeForm features appear only when selected or when edited. The work plane of the FreeForm feature is displayed with the feature itself.
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X When importing an ESPRIT 2009 file, ESPRIT will automatically define the boundary and boundary islands features in the technology page. Since the new interface now allows the user to select the boundary features, the user can modify the boundary contour when editing a technology page (the boundary contour parameter was grayed out in ESPRIT 2009).
X When importing an ESPRIT 2009 file, ESPRIT will automatically define the previous operations in the technology page. Since the new interface now allows the user to select the previous operation, the user can modify the stock automation options (all Stock Automation parameters were grayed out in ESPRIT 2009).
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When Tool Motion is set to Normal, the new interface will show the new Profile control to let the user select the Base Element Profile (Arc, Segment, Circle or Chain Feature) and the Drive Segment control to select the drive segment.
When Tool Motion is set to Rotation, the new interface will show the new Profile control to let the user select the Profile (Arc, Segment, Circle or Chain Feature) and the Center of Rotation control to select the center of rotation element (Line or Point).
When Tool Motion is set to Offset or Offset Out, the new interface will show the new Profile control to let the user select the Profile (Arc, Segment, Circle or Chain Feature).
When Tool Motion is set to Parametric, Parametric Spiral, Parametric Feature, or Parametric Spiral Feature, the new interface will show the new Drive Surface control to let the user select the Solid Face or Surface required for the parametric tool path.
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Since the selection of the Surface Vector along which to machine is not available in ESPRIT 2010, the user has to describe the machining direction and cutting direction on the parametric surface using three new controls: Cutting Direction Reverse Cutting Direction Reverse Step Over Direction
X The dynamic interface in ESPRIT 2010 will display the Parametric Motion parameters only when Tool Motion Pattern is set to a parametric pattern. To select the Drive Surface, click the selection arrow and select a surface or solid face in the work area. The drive surface must belong to the model being cut. The U (red) and V (green) cutting directions are displayed on the selected drive surface. A white arrow shows the normal direction of the drive surface.
The main Cutting Direction can be set to either the U Direction or V Direction of the drive surface. U Direction cuts in the same direction as the red arrow. V Direction cuts in the same direction as the green arrow.
If U Direction is selected then V is the step over direction. If V Direction is selected then U is the step over direction. By default the tool follows the main cutting direction in the direction of the arrow. Set Reverse Cutting Direction to Yes to reverse the cutting direction. By default the step over goes in the same direction as the arrow on the screen. If Reverse Step Over Direction is set to Yes, the step over goes in the opposite direction.
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When Tool Motion is set to Morph In, Morph Out, Morph Spiral In or Morph Spiral Out, the new interface will show new controls to let the user select the Outside Profile (Arc, Circle or Chain Feature) and the Inside Profile (Arc, Segment, Circle or Chain Feature).
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How it works
Visible Faces in Loop groups all the faces visible within a boundary in one direction Visible Faces in Loop also allows the selection of a chain feature to define the boundary Wall Faces of Bottom Face groups all wall faces adjacent to the selected bottom face and will stop as soon as it reaches a horizontal face Along Parametric groups all faces that share parametric lines
When the user holds down the Shift key during the selection process, multiple solid faces will be selected automatically based on the selection object. In ESPRIT 2010, there are two new propagation options created for Pocket Feature Recognition: Visible Faces in Loop when a face loop is selected Wall Faces of Bottom Face when a bottom face is selected
There is also a new option to select parametric faces for 3-axis and 5-axis milling. This option replaces the Feature Propagation Parameters that were available in the Options dialog in ESPRIT 2009. Now all propagation functions are located in Grouping Properties.
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Direc t ion of p ropagat ion When running propagation with the Visible faces in Loop option, ESPRIT needs to get the direction of the propagation in order to define whether or not a face is visible. When selecting a loop as input for the propagation, ESPRIT will get the face that contains the selected loop, and then from the face get the direction of the propagation.
Visibl e f ac es from a 3D loop When selecting a planar loop, the face that contains the loop is planar too. Therefore, the normal of the face is the direction of the propagation. However, when the selection is a 3D loop, the face does not have a constant normal along the surfaces. Therefore, ESPRIT will use the active work plane as the direction of propagation.
Par t ial visibl e f ac es By definition, the Visible faces in Loop propagation is selecting all the faces visible within a boundary. In the event where a face is partially in the boundary, the propagation will also select the face. Due to the complexity of some CAD models, you may want to unselect this partial face when using Feature Recognition.
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V isibl e f ac es from a chain f eature Visible Faces in Loop also works with chain features. All visible faces within the chain are selected. When there is no loop that goes around the model, this selection method is the easiest way to select the faces without doing it manually.
When a face is selected with this option, the parametric flow lines are displayed on the face. Faces will be selected in the direction of the parametric flow lines.
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To use the opposite parametric flow lines, right-click to respond No when the incorrect flow lines are displayed. Then respond Yes to select the opposite flow lines.
Along Parametric has two properties that can be used to control the selection of faces.
M a ximum Tang ent Angl e Bet we en Fac es By default, the tangency angle used for propagation is 15 degrees. Propagation will continue until the tangency angle between faces exceeds the maximum tangent angle. Then propagation will stop. For the part shown below, propagation stops when it reaches the face with a 30 degree angle.
M a ximum Para m et r ic Angl e Bet we en Fac es By default, the slope angle used for propagation is 30 degrees. Propagation will continue until the slope angle between faces exceeds the maximum parametric angle. Then propagation will stop. For the part shown below, propagation starts at the vertical wall and stops at the face with a 35 degree slope.
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In ESPRIT 2009, the user had to select the chain and then toggle through each sub-element in the Property Browser to change an attribute. This was a tedious task when multiple sub-elements were involved. As a result, the Feature Utilities Add-in was created to make it easier to change edges to open or closed.
Now sub-elements can be selected directly in the feature and modified quickly in the Property Browser. The primary benefit of this change is to quickly designate open edges on a chain feature for open pocketing operations.
To make open edges easier to see, they are displayed with dashed lines.
This new functionality that is built into ESPRIT makes the Feature Utilities Add-in obsolete.
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Selecting multiple sub-elements has also been improved with propagation from a starting element to an ending element. 1. Select a start element. 2. Press Ctrl and select an end element. 3. Press Ctrl+Shift and select any element between the first two.
All feature sub-elements between the start and the end are grouped.
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In this example, the lower turret has a tool change axis collinear with the X-axis. A fake B-axis was required in ESPRIT 2009 in order to change the tool orientation from 2V to 1V for cutting on the sub-spindle.
This upper turret has a 45 degree axis allowing the same tool to be used 3V or 3H.
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Balanc ed Roughing The Rough and Finish tabs are shown only when they are enabled on the Strategy tab.
G rooving The Rough and Finish tabs are shown only when they are enabled on the Strategy tab.
Threading In ESPRIT 2009, the button for the Thread Database was grayed when the thread definition was set to From Profile. In ESPRIT 2010, the database button will be visible only if the Thread Definition is set to From Database.
In ESPRIT 2010, the button to access the manual thread depth input dialog will be visible only when Depth Variation is set to Specify Depths.
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Cutof f The Rough and Finish tabs are shown only when they are enabled on the Strategy tab.
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Cut Dat a t ab The Cut Data tab contains the machining parameters for the primary and land cuts. This tab replaces the Contour or Pocket tabs in ESPRIT 2009.
A pp roaches t ab The Approaches tab contains the parameters that affect the way the wire moves in and out of the part and between skim cuts.
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Advanc ed t ab The Advanced tab contains the parameters that give the user more control over the wire path, such as optimized wire path, taper information, and control over machine functions.
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Now the name of the command file and the parameters are set up only once in Part Setup.
Only the ISO file name is defined per operation on the General tab. When CMD Settings are disabled in Part Setup, the CMD File control is hidden on the technology page.
None: A measurement cycle is not performed CAL: Semi-automatic measurement of the alignment of two holes CEN: Automatic centering of the wire in a hole CRN: Automatic position of the wire in relation to the corner of a rectangular part EDG: Automatic positioning of the wire from a reference face
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EXC: Determines the center of a cylindrical part EXM: Determines the midpoint between two parallel faces MID: Automatic center of the wire between two parallel faces PAL: Measurement of the alignment error of a reference face When Pickup Mode is set to any cycle other than None, the NC code string for the cycle displays along with the values that can be defined. When a value is entered, the NC code is updated automatically.
CAL , X , Y, R Determines the angle between the X axis and the line linking the centers of two holes according to the rotation angle (R). X and Y values are what the machine axis will be set to at the end of the alignment cycle. R is a modal function.
CEN, X , Y, R Determines the wire center in a hole with the electrical touches oriented according to the rotation angle (R). X and Y values are what the machine axis will be set to at the end of the centering cycle. R is used for rotation.
CRN, DX , DY, G, X , Y Determines the corner position of a rectangular part. Corner was designed for the lower left-hand corner. DX = Incremental distance the wire will travel in the X axis (Modal) DY = Incremental distance the wire will travel in the Y axis (Modal) G = Spark gap (Modal) X and Y = Values used to describe the corner position X If rotation is needed, the ROT (Modal) user parameter can be used.
EDG, X or Y (a xis), X or Y (valu e) Finds an edge by electrical touches in the direction defined by the sign and the axis. A = Axis. Axis can be set to -X, X, -Y, or Y X or Y = Distance along the axis.
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E XC, R , D, X , Y Determines the center of a cylindrical part by 3 external edge measurements performed 120 degrees apart according to the defined distance (D) and rotation (R).
EXM, R, D Determines the midpoint between 2 parallel external faces of a part from 2 edge measurements made 180 degrees apart according to the defined distance (D) and rotation (R).
PAL , D, R Measures the alignment error of a reference face according to the defined distance (D) and the assumed angle (R).
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Now the number of the main program, the travel mode, measurement cycle, and pallet changer are set up only once in Part Setup.
When an operation is created, the user only needs to define the point number on the General tab. When CMD Settings are disabled in Part Setup, the CMD File control is hidden on the technology page.
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None: A measurement cycle is not performed G70 Edging G71 Centering G72 Slit Centering G78 Corner Point G79 Horizontal Alignment G79 Circle Center Point Additional options are provided for Charmilles-Millenium machines.
G940 Corner Cycle G941 Align Edge Cycle G942 External Middle Cycle G943 External Centering Cycle G945 Hole Alignment Cycle
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X Refer to your machine manual for descriptions of the measuring cycles.When Pickup Mode is set to any cycle other than None, the NC code string for the cycle displays along with the values that can be defined. When a value is entered, the NC code is updated automatically.
The method for selecting a large group of sub-elements is quite easy. 1. Select a start element. 2. Press Ctrl and select an end element. 3. Press Ctrl+Shift and select any element between the first two.
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All feature sub-elements between the start and the end are grouped.
X When a corner is isometric it does not have a Draft property. Therefore, when a group of sub-elements includes an isometric corner, the Draft property does not display in the Property Browser. This is because the Property Browser only displays properties that are shared by all the sub-elements in a group. A taper can only be inserted with the Taper Change command.
Although a gradual taper can be inserted with the Property Browser, it is recommended to use the Taper Change command for gradual tapers on multiple sub-elements. When the Property Browser is used, the taper is added to each sub-element, not the entire group of sub-elements.
To insert a gradual taper from a starting element to an ending element, the Taper Change command must be used.
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Support for 4 axis no-core EDM pocketing was added for all EDM machine types through the new Technology objects TechEDM_ Agie123Pocket4x, TechEDM_AgieVisionPocket4x, TechEDM_CharmillesFanucPocket4x, TechEDM_CharmillesMillenniumPocket4x, TechEDM_CharmillesOrangePocket4x, TechEDM_CharmillesOrangePocket4x, TechEDM_CharmillesPocket4x, TechEDM_ FanucPocket4x, TechEDM_GenericPocket4x, TechEDM_MakinoPocket4x, TechEDM_MitsubishiPocket4x, TechEDM_ OnaArionPocket4x, TechEDM_OnaPrimaPocket4x, and TechEDM_SodickPocket4x. Support for turn while burn EDM with rotary axis movement was added for all EDM machine types through the new Technology objects TechEDM_Agie123TurnWhileBurn, TechEDM_AgieVisionTurnWhileBurn, TechEDM_ CharmillesFanucTurnWhileBurn, TechEDM_CharmillesMillenniumTurnWhileBurn, TechEDM_CharmillesOrangeTurnWhileBurn, TechEDM_CharmillesOrangeTurnWhileBurn, TechEDM_CharmillesTurnWhileBurn, TechEDM_FanucTurnWhileBurn, TechEDM_ GenericTurnWhileBurn, TechEDM_MakinoTurnWhileBurn, TechEDM_MitsubishiTurnWhileBurn, TechEDM_OnaArionTurnWhileBurn, TechEDM_OnaPrimaTurnWhileBurn, and TechEDM_SodickTurnWhileBurn. In order to support the creation of all FreeForm and Mold cycles via the API and Process Manager, it was necessary to include information about all of the graphical entities that are selected or used in addition to the feature chosen. Such graphical entities are chosen for tool motion pattern and boundary information, for example, and also used for stock automation. That graphic information was implemented as specially encoded strings on the individual Technology objects. Some of those string properties include BoundaryFeature, BoundaryIslandFeatures, BoundaryProfiles, CenterOfRotation, CrossPocketFeatures, CuttingProfiles, DriveCurve, DriveSegment, EndElement, InsideProfile, IslandFeatures, LowerProfile, MachiningProfiles, NonCrossPocketFeatures, OutsideProfile, PredefinedPoints, PreviousOperations, ProjectElement, PunchProfile, StartElement, TrimFeature, and UpperProfile.
Ot her Enhancements
PropagationAlongParametric was added as another type of propagation. It is accessed through the AlongParametric property of the PropagationSetting object. All propagation related settings are available through the PropagationSettings in the Configuration. A RhinoFile object was added to the Configuration for support of exporting Rhino format (.3dm) CAD files. SolidVertex objects and a corresponding SolidVertices collection were implemented in the EspritSolids library. They are another type of SolidEntity. The EspritSolids library and all of the SolidEntity types are accessed through the SolidSession interface on the Document. A GetNameValuePair method was added to the TechnologyUtility to help make Technology objects easier to work with by returning both the Name and Value corresponding to a certain CL Code. A new NameValuePair structure is used for the return value from this method. The TechnologyUtility also has helper methods now to aid with certain complex calculations. The new methods are ComputeThreadPassNumberFromStartDepth, ComputeThreadStartDepthFromPassNumber, and GetDrillChamferDepth. Solids can be associated to CadFeature objects by using the new AddSolidID method to associate the ID of the solid to the CadFeature. There are also new RemoveSolidId and RemoveAllSolidIds methods. The new selection propagation methods PropagateByBottomFace, PropagateByChain, and PropagateByVisibleFaces have been added to the ISolidSelections object in the EspritSolids library.
Problem Fixes
Resetting the FileName property of the Document to a null string was previously causing a crash. Now resetting the FileName causes the Windows Save dialog to appear when the Save method is called, instead of automatically resaving as the same name. Some of the derived inverse trigonometry functions that were copied from Microsofts VBA documentation and used in the CommonMath module inside the KBMRuleEvaluator project were incorrect, especially the arcsecant function (ArcSec). Those functions have been rewritten and all of the derived trigonometry and hyperbolic functions have been checked against multiple mathematical references and tested to make sure they are correct.
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Problem Fixes
The list below describes just some of the more general items that were fixed for ESPRIT 2010. In addition, many other, more detailed, items were fixed. Those items usually involved very specific combinations of settings that produced NC code that was not 100% correct. There was a problem assigning tool change comments such as TOOLCHANGECOMMENT and TOOLCHANGE2COMMENT to string variables. That has been fixed to work like other comments so that now any type of comment can be assigned to a string variable. There was a problem with calculating the metric value for RPMATCURRENTDIAMETER that has been corrected.
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Add-ins
The Feature Utilities Add-in is no longer necessary because of the improvements to Pocket Feature Recognition and the new ability to select and change the properties of sub-elements on chain features. The following add-ins were planned for retirement in ESPRIT 2010. However, in recognition of the high customer usage of these addins, we have decided that these add-ins will be maintained and supported contrary to our published ESPRIT 2009 Obsolescence List. EDM Features Add-in: maintained Group Manager Add-in: maintained Monster Add-in: maintained
API
The following cutting cycles are deprecated features of the API and are removed. espTechMillContour espTechMillPocket espTechMillPocket1 espTechLatheMillContour espTechLatheMillPocket espTechLatheMillDrill espTechLatheContour espTechLatheRough espTechLathePocket espTechLatheCopyRough espTechLatheBalanceRough espTechLatheGroove espTechLatheCutoff espTechLatheThread ESPRIT 2009 Generation Pocket Feature Recognition APIs. These will be available until the ESPRIT 2011 product. LicMan.lib security library, this will be replaced by new security system libraries.
Features
Pocket Feature Recognition
Prior to ESPRIT 2010 Pocket Feature Recognition would run the hole recognition in addition to the pocket command. In ESPRIT 2010 the user will have to run pocket and hole recognition as separate commands. Prior to ESPRIT 2010 Pocket Feature Recognition would run on wire frame geometry. In ESPRIT 2010 Pocket Feature Recognition will only run on solid models.
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Securit y
Demo Licenses: Anonymous, unlimited and unregistered demo use of the software is no longer possible. All installations will require registration and activation of the software before use of the software is granted.
Simulat ion
Comparison: Simulation function that would compare the stock against the target model. Last support version will be ESPRIT 2010. Simulation Parameters Options Simulation Type Rapid: Displays a rapid simulation of 3 axis milling. Last supported version will be ESPRIT 2010. Simulation Parameters Options Simulation Type Rapid Index: Displays a rapid simulation of multi-axis milling. Last supported version will be ESPRIT 2010.
Sur faces
The following commands on the FreeForm toolbar are obsolete. The functionality exists as part of the FreeForm Feature. Change Surface Element Type Change Surface Side Deselect Surface
S ystem
ESPRIT.RegistrationWizard.exe: System utility used during the installation to register add-ins, controls and dlls. Advanced users may have relied upon this utility to register their own add-ins. This system utility is no longer necessary.
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