Drilling Recognition
The feature described in this page is currently in preview mode and is made available to collect feedback, user cases, and insights from users. This is an early version of the functionality, and it may undergo significant changes, improvements, or refinements based on the feedback received.
Please note that the feature may not be fully stable or complete, and its behavior or functionality may differ in the final version. Use it at your own discretion and feel free to share your thoughts, suggestions, or issues directly with me.
Furthermore, feedback is needed to understand the actual interest in this feature so that I can focus or not on the development of one functionality over another.
from version 5 build 341
Overview
This feature introduces an advanced functionality designed to significantly streamline and accelerate the creation of the machining operations.
By leveraging the existing 3D model data, the feature automatically identifies and processes drilling operations, reducing a lot the need for manual input and reducing the time required to insert and manage machining operations in your project.
Example usage
The component below is a great example of where this functionality proves to be extremely useful.
There are multiple holes aligned along five different directions.
If we were to create these manually, it would require setting up five separate setups (assuming the use of a standard 3-axis machining center) and defining at least ten or more operations to configure everything correctly.
With this feature, however, the process is significantly simplified.
It automatically recognizes the perforations and their orientations, eliminating the need for manual setup creation and operation definition.
To open the feature detection screen :
- From main menu , click > [Feature Recognition]
- Open [Find Features] menu
- Click [Scan drilling features]
After 3D model elaboration, the holes are recognized and inserted in a treeview, grouped by setup and hole type.
It's possible to switch the machining direction if the default one is not correct.
It's also necessary to indicate the general hole machining kind (tapping, reaming, boring) since it's not technically possible to get this information from the model.
Setup machine definition
If there are no setup created in the project, a setup will be proposed for the single direction.
It's possible also define the machine type.
In this case I click on [Edit] button first proposed setup to edit the property.
Select [3+2 Axis mill] as machine type.
Define the main direction by click on [Pick setup main direction] and the planar front face of the part.
Since I selected a 3+2 Axis mill , a half sphere is visualized to indicate the possible compatible hole directions.
Press [OK] to return to feature recognition screen.
At the moment I'm writing this doc page it's missing the support other machine kind as lathe and 4 axis mill. send me an email if you need them shortly.
You can note the setup are now 3, since 3+2 axis mill support also different direction.
The drilling grouped has been updated with this new information.
The default direction of this 2 hole it's wrong.
I'm working to improve the recognition of correct drilling operation.
For now flip the direction with the 2 sided arrow button.
After flipping the hole direction , the drilling grouping it's updated automatically.
You can see an unique setup , containing all the drilling hole.
At this point press [Generate!] to create the actual setup and operations.
As you can see in the image below, the setup and all related operations will be created in the project.
