Final Pass / Last Side Step

Add another machining lane to improve the boundary quality of the machined area. In general, depending on the strategy involved, this parameter is called Final Pass or Last Side Step.

When parallel machining, this parameter is called Final Pass and ends the toolpath with a lap around the outer boundary, removing the cusps between the parallel lanes.

When spiral machining, this parameter is called Last Side Step (a milling lane before the final pass) but the concept is similar; an extra pass is added to machine away the cusps in the material, reducing the load on the cutter during the final pass.

Final Pass: In parallel machining.

Last Side Step: In spiral machining.

The Final Pass parameter appears in the Tool Trajectory section for the Facing, Rough Parallel, Volume Pocket (Spiral Milling), and Finish milling procedures (the latter when the parameter Machining Method or Horiz. Machining Method = Parallel).
See Final Pass below.

The Last Side Step parameter appears in the Tool Trajectory section for the Rough Spiral procedure. See Last Side Step below.

Final Pass
Last Side Step

 

Final Pass

In parallel machining, this parameter is used to add a Final Pass to remove the cusps between the parallel lanes.

The Final Pass parameter appears in the Tool Trajectory section for the Facing, Rough Parallel, Volume Pocket, and Finish milling procedures (the latter when the parameter Machining Method or Horiz. Machining Method = Parallel).

The following options are available.

Note: Depending on the selected procedure, some of the options below may not appear in the parameter table.

None

Do not define a final milling motion. This option is available in the Finish parallel procedures.

 

All Around

Perform a final pass of the milled area - all around the boundary. This option is displayed in the Facing and Finish parallel procedures and the Rough Parallel procedure.

In the Rough Parallel procedure, All Around is the only option available and an additional parameter is displayed - Margin for Final Pass.

In the Facing procedure, All Around is performed but the option name is not displayed and an additional parameter is displayed - Margin for Final Pass.

Margin for Final Pass

Define the margin amount where the parallel machining stops before the final pass. This parameter defines the amount of material that will remain for a final milling motion.

The following dropdown list of options is available:

Optimized The margin value is optimized by the system. This is the default option.
User-Defined

The margin value is user-defined. If this option is selected, an additional parameter is displayed - Margin Offset. See the description below.

On Pencil Lines

Perform a final pass of the milled area - on pencil lines (only along boundaries with other machined surfaces and not air boundaries). This option is available in the Finish parallel procedures.

Examples:Examples:

In the image below, the green faces are part surfaces and the orange faces are overlap surfaces. All motions beyond the part surfaces are, in this case, air extensions.

When a check surface is added and the overlap surfaces are redefined, the check and overlap faces trim the motions to avoid gouges, as expected.

When trying to add a final pass (other than On Pencil Lines) around the check surfaces, a message is displayed indicating that this type of final pass cannot be generated around the ends of the extension motions because all these points are in the air. The message also prompts you to use the On Pencil Lines option, which is generated only along boundaries with other machined surfaces and not air boundaries.

In the image below, the On Pencil Lines final pass is generated only at the foot of the check surfaces and not on the overlap surfaces.

 

Margin Offset

A user-defined margin amount where the parallel machining stops before the final pass. This parameter defines the amount of material that will remain for a final milling motion.

Default = 0.1*clmssr. Minimum value = 0, Maximum value = tool diameter.

This parameter is displayed in the Finish parallel procedures and the Rough Parallel procedure (the latter when the options All Around > Margin for Final Pass = User-Defined are selected - see above).

 

Last Side Step

In spiral machining, this parameter is used to add a Last Side Step (a milling lane before the final pass) to machine away the cusps in the material, reducing the load on the cutter during the final pass.

The Last Side Step parameter appears in the Tool Trajectory section for the Rough Spiral and Volume Pocket (Spiral Milling) procedures.

The following options are available:

Standard

Do not define a pre-final milling motion.

Example:Example:

 

Reduced

Perform a reduced pre-final pass of the milled area.

Example:Example:

The first offset is created according to the value of the displayed Margin for Pre Final Pass. The second offset is created from the Pre-Final Pass (i.e., the Side Step value).

If this option is selected, an additional parameter is displayed - Margin for Pre-Final Pass. See below.

Pre-Final

Perform a pre-final pass of the milled area - all around the boundary.

Example:Example:

The first offset is created according to the value of the displayed Margin for Pre Final Pass. The second offset is created from the Final Pass.

If this option is selected, an additional parameter is displayed - Margin for Pre-Final Pass:

Margin for Pre-Final Pass

Define the margin amount where the spiral machining stops before the pre-final pass. This parameter defines the amount of material that will remain for a pre-final milling motion.

 

On Pencil Lines

Perform a pre-final pass of the milled area - on pencil lines (only along boundaries with other machined surfaces and not air boundaries).

The parameter Margin for Pre-Final Pass is displayed; see the parameter description under All Around above.

 

Some functionality may be dependent on the product package. Contact your Reseller if you require a license.