Axis Angle Optimization

The need to optimize the 5X toolpath angles exists in axes with hard machine limits. Continuous axes, either cyclic or resettable, do not need that type of optimization, since they can rotate indefinitely in any direction.

Consider an axis with hard limits, between -1000 to +1000 degrees. And assume that the toolpath includes 4 full CCW rotations of this axis, starting from zero angle.

A simple toolpath will start at angle 0, and will grow the angle until the +1000 limit is reached (since 4 rotations require 1440 degrees). Then, the cutting will have to be stopped, the tool will have to be lifted up, and the machine will have to be rotated back in order to continue the toolpath.

An optimized toolpath will start at angle -720 (equivalent to 0), and will freely continue to +720, achieving a non-interrupted toolpath and better surface quality.

GPP2 will always look for the best angle to start each 5X segment, so that the number of interruptions will be minimized. The GPP developer does not need to do anything in order to make this happen.

This will only happen on axes with hard angle limits. For a resettable axis with the same -1000 to +1000 soft limits, the angle will simply be reset (For example, from 1000 to 280) without any interruption in the cutting operation.