Contour Manager (NC): Contour Creation - Chamfer Detect

Access: Open this function from one of the following locations:

Select the By Criteria option in the Contour Manager. Then select the dropdown option Chamfer Detect from the Sets - Create and Edit dialog.
Select the Chamfer Detect option in the Contour Manager.

Automatically detect sharp edges as candidates for chamfering ("Imaginary" chamfers) as well as "Designed" chamfers, based on parameter settings. The detected geometry is then automatically used as input for the chamfering toolpath.

The Chamfer Detect option is displayed for the procedures: Chamfer Open Contour and Chamfer Closed Contour.

The image shows chamfers automatically detected for machining.

Additional contour definition parameters are displayed in the graphics window for greater control over the contour creation.

These parameters can either be set from the By Criteria dialog or from the parameters displayed from the Chamfer Detect option.

Contour Manager > By Criteria:	Contour Manager > Multi Contours Selection:
Criteria dialog for selecting contours with Boundaries = Chamfer Detect:	Auto Chamfer Detect, minimum parameters displayed:	Auto Chamfer Detect, all parameters displayed:

Parameters:

Climb

Select the cutting mode toggle option Climb / Conventional:

Climb	The cutter will be on the left side of the cut contour when facing the direction of the cutter movement. Example:Example:
Conventional	The cutter will be on the right side of the cut contour when facing the direction of the cutter movement. Example:Example:

Notes: The Climb/Conventional parameter sets the parameter of each created contour as follows:

In Chamfer Open Contour:
- If Climb, the Milling Direction = Left, Direction = Chaining Order.
- If Conventional, the Milling Direction = Right, Direction = Opposite to Chaining Order.
In Chamfer Closed Contour:
- If Climb, the Direction = Chaining Order, if Conventional the Milling Direction = Opposite to Chaining Order.
- If the contour is CW, the Milling Side = Outside. If CCW, the Milling Side = Inside.

Search for Imaginary Chamfers

Set the chamfer search mode from the dropdown list. This parameter obtains its initial value from the Contour Represents parameter in the Tool Trajectory branch of the parameter table for the Chamfer Open Contour and Chamfer Closed Contour procedures. However, the value in the graphics window can be changed via the dropdown list.

For additional information see the Contour Represents parameter.

Search for Imaginary Chamfers	Cut chamfers that are not in the design. The system detects sharp corners (according to the search criteria) and ignores designed chamfers. This is the default option. Note: When using this option, material is removed from a part even if the part was defined in the NC Setup and if the Parts Safe Milling option was set to Active. The Imaginary Chamfer option ignores this setting to mill into the designed part.
Search for Chamfer Geometry Top	Chamfer according to the upper contour.
Search for Chamfer Geometry Bottom	Chamfer according to the lower contour.

Example:Example:

The image below left shows chamfers designed into the part and also chamfers that are to be milled using the Imaginary Chamfer Corner option. Examples of the Top and Bottom Chamfer Geometry contours are also shown. The image below right shows the chamfered results.

Faces Grouping Max. Gap

Create Contour geometry based on this Max. Gap value.

This maximum gap value is used to analyze the groups of selected faces and create the required geometry. This parameter is used to group faces according to the defined Max. Gap value (the selected faces are grouped considering the gaps between them).

In the example below, there are two groups of faces separated by a gap of 1.5 to 2.3 millimeters. In this example, the Faces Grouping Max. Gap parameter = 1mm, hence the two groups.
Example:Example:

If the Faces Grouping Max. Gap value is changed to 2.5 (greater than both gap values), the boundary segments that were before on both sides of the gap no longer exist. All faces are now grouped in one group.
Example:Example:

See the note below regarding this parameter.

Contours Creation Max. Gap

Create Contour geometry based on this Max. Gap value.

This maximum gap value is used to analyze the edges of the selected faces and create the required geometry. This parameter is used to concatenate the edges to one or more segments, according to the defined Max. Gap value.

In the example below, there are two gaps along the contours (0.1 and 0.3 millimeters wide). In this example, the Contours Creation Max. Gap parameter = 0.02mm, which is smaller than any of the gaps.
Example:Example:

If the Contours Creation Max. Gap parameter is gradually changed to be greater than any one of the existing gaps (0.2, 0.4, 2 and 2.5), you will notice that the gaps in the contours close one after the other. The contour changes immediately when the changes are done, as the Preview mode is automatic.

See the note below regarding this parameter.

Min. Contour Length

Contours smaller than the defined length will not be created.
Default = 0.

Min./Max. Circles Diameter

The diameter range values beyond which holes are not taken into account when creating contours.
Default Min. = Maximum Hole Diameter in the Preferences (NC > Drill > Tolerances).
Default Max. = 9999.

Min./Max. Ceiling Angle

The angle range values beyond which ceilings are not taken into account when the system searches for geometry from which to create contours.

If Min./Max. Ceiling Angle = 90°, then the system only detects ceilings that are parallel to the XY plane.
Example:Example:

Result when searching for Chamfer Geometry Top, Min./Max. Ceiling Angle = 90°:

The chamfer of the upper step is not detected, as the ceiling of the upper step is not parallel to the XY plane. The Min./Max. Ceiling Angle = 90° means that the system only detects ceilings that are parallel to the XY plane.

If Min. = 60° and Max. Ceiling Angle = 120°, then the system detects ceilings within that angle range from the parallel to the XY plane.
Example:Example:

Result when searching for Chamfer Geometry Top, Min. = 60°, Max. Ceiling Angle = 120°:

The chamfer of the upper step (with a ceiling of 95°) is detected together with the other ceilings that are parallel to the XY plane, as all the ceilings are within the defined range.

See Angle Limits, below.

Min./Max. Wall Angle

The angle range values beyond which walls are not taken into account when the system searches for geometry from which to create contours.

If Min./Max. Wall Angle = 0°, then the system only detects walls that are normal to the XY plane.
Example:Example:

Result when searching for Chamfer Geometry Top, Min./Max. Wall Angle = 0°:

The chamfer of the middle step is not detected, as the middle step is not normal to the XY plane. The Min./Max. Wall Angle = 0° means that the system only detects walls that are normal to the XY plane.

If Min. = 0° and Max. Wall Angle = 20°, then the system detects tapered walls up to 20° from the normal to the XY plane.
Example:Example:

Result when searching for Chamfer Geometry Top, Min. = 0°, Max. Wall Angle = 20°:

The chamfer of the middle step of 15° is detected together with the other walls that are normal to the XY plane, as all the walls are within the defined range.

See Angle Limits, below.

Min./Max. Chamfer Angle

The angle range values beyond which chamfers are not taken into account when the system searches for geometry from which to create contours.

If Min. = 44 and Max. Chamfer Angle = 46, then the system detects designed chamfers within the range of 44° to 46°.

See Angle Limits, below.

Notes:

The creation of some contours may be prevented if the Faces Grouping Max. Gap value is greater than the Contours Creation Max. Gap value. In this case, an appropriate warning message is displayed.
To hide or show entities that are already participating in NC contours, right-click in the graphics area and select the displayed popup option; Show entities already participating in NC contours or Hide entities already participating in NC contours. See Contour Popup Operations for additional information.

Angle Limits

The angle limits parameters and values that are displayed, depend on the Search for... parameter value.

Imaginary Chamfer:

Parameter	Default	Min.	Max.
Min. Ceiling Angle	60	45	120
Max. Ceiling Angle	120	60	150
Min. Wall Angle	-5	-45	45
Max. Wall Angle	30	0	60

Geometry Top:

Parameter	Default	Min.	Max.
Min. Ceiling Angle	60	45	120
Max. Ceiling Angle	120	60	150
Min. Chamfer Angle	Draft-1	10	84
Max. Chamfer Angle	Draft+1	11	85

Geometry Bottom:

Parameter	Default	Min.	Max.
Min. Chamfer Angle	Draft-1	10	84
Max. Chamfer Angle	Draft+1	11	85
Min. Wall Angle	-5	-45	45
Max. Wall Angle	45	0	60

In all cases, Min. Angle ≤ Max. Angle.

Draft is the conic angle of the cutter (for Conic cutters or Counter Sink cutters) or 45° otherwise.

There are three possible types of faces that can meet on a chamfer: Ceiling, Draft and Wall. The selected Search for parameter defines which two face types out of the three are used.

Approval Buttons

	OK: Accept the changes, perform the operation, and close the current dialog/task.
	Apply: Accept the changes, perform the operation, and keep the current dialog/task open.
	Cancel: Cancel all changes and close the dialog/task without saving the settings.

When either OK or Apply is clicked, the system creates 2D NC contours, parallel to the procedure’s XY plane; duplicated contours are not created. Edges that are not parallel to the XY main plane of the procedure's UCS are disregarded.