CAM Adaptive

CAM Adaptive CAM Adaptive

Menu location

CAM  Adaptive

Workbenches

CAM

Default shortcut

None

Introduced in version

-

See also

None

Description

The CAM Adaptive CAM Adaptive command creates clearing and profiling Toolpaths. The operation varies cutter engagement so that the material removal never exceeds a maximum value. It is found on the New Operations toolbar and in the CAM menu; its tooltip reads "Adaptive clearing and profiling".

Usage

Usage instructions for the Adaptive operation are presented here.

Basic Operation

  1. Press the CAM Adaptive Adaptive icon, or select CAM  Adaptive from the top menu.

  2. Choose the Tool Controller and coolant mode on the Tool Controller tab.

  3. Set Start depth, Final depth, Step down and Finish step down on the Heights tab together with Clearance and Retract heights.

  4. Configure settings in the Operation tab:

    1. (See the Properties → Adaptive section below.)

    2. Set the Step Over value as a percentage of the diameter of the Tool Bit.

  5. If you wish to preview the result before accepting the settings, click Apply

  6. Click OK button to confirm and generate Toolpaths.

The Extensions tab works as for Pocket Shape; extensions enlarge the clearing region beyond the selected faces. Extension entries whose name starts with Avoid_ are excluded from the region instead.

introduced in 1.1: With Model Aware Experiment enabled and no Base Geometry selected, the operation roughs the entire Job Model from the Stock outline, detecting overhangs and machining each region only at the depths where it is accessible. Without the experiment, Base Geometry is required and a warning is shown otherwise.

introduced in 26.3: Check Use rest machining to skip regions already cleared by earlier operations of the Job.

Preliminary Notes About Adaptive Clearing

  • Depending on the size and complexity of the area for the operation, is might be better to not recompute the operation after every property change; rather, consider:

    • deactivate the operation with the CAM OpActiveToggle Active toggle tool, make your changes to the operation’s properties, then click the CAM OpActiveToggle Active icon again to re-activate the operation - which triggers a recompute internally.

  • The CAM Adaptive Adaptive operation might contain a few bugs yet to be clearly identified. Please report bugs and issues in the CAM forum.

  • All Tool Shapes may not be respected with this operation; the Adaptive engine works with the Tool Bit diameter only. Check the FreeCAD forum for further details.

  • Should you choose to run the path simulator in the CAM Workbench, it only uses the standard end mill to simulate Toolpaths. Therefore, you will not see tool-shape-specific material removal. Material removal is shown using the end mill shape.

  • introduced in 26.3: Lead-in start points that would cause short slotting moves near inside corners are rejected automatically, so the configured stepover is respected.

Properties

Note: The names of some Properties in this list differ a little from the same settings used in the Task Window Editor.

Adaptive

  • Finishing Profile: (hidden, default True) Take a finishing profile pass at the end of each layer.

  • Force Inside-Out: Force plunging into material inside and clearing towards the edges

  • Keep Tool Down Ratio: (Retract threshold in the task panel) Maximum length of a keep-tool-down link compared with the direct distance; longer links retract to Clearance Height (default 3).

  • Lift Distance: How far the Tool Bit is lifted for rapid linking moves over cleared regions; if the link is not clear the Tool Bit rises to Clearance Height.

  • Model Aware Experiment: introduced in 1.1 Respect 3D geometry and prevent cutting under overhangs (enables adaptive roughing of the whole model).

  • Operation Type: Type of adaptive operation: Clearing (default) or Profiling

  • Order Cuts By Region: introduced in 1.1 Order cuts by region instead of by depth (only visible with Model Aware Experiment).

  • Side: (Cut region in the task panel) Cut Inside (default) or Outside of the selected shapes.

  • Step Over Percent: introduced in 26.3 (formerly Step Over) Percent of Tool Bit diameter to step over on each pass (0.1-100, default 20); fractional values allowed.

  • Stock To Leave: (Radial stock to leave in the task panel) How much stock to leave on the walls (i.e. for a separate finishing operation).

  • Tolerance: Influences calculation performance vs stability and accuracy; larger values compute faster, smaller values give more accurate Toolpaths (default 0.1).

  • Use Outline: Use only the outer wire of the selected faces, ignoring holes.

  • Use Rest Machining: introduced in 26.3 Skip regions already cleared by previous operations.

  • Z Stock To Leave: introduced in 1.1 Stock to leave on the floor (only visible with Model Aware Experiment).

Hidden properties Stopped, Stop Processing, Adaptive Input State and Adaptive Output State are used internally to cache results and support the Stop button; do not edit them.

Adaptive Helix Entry

  • Helix Cone Angle: Helix cone angle in degrees; negative values are reset to 0.

  • Helix Max Diameter Percent: introduced in 26.3 (replaces Helix Diameter Limit) Maximum (and nominal) helix entry diameter as a percentage of the Tool Bit diameter (default 100).

  • Helix Max Pitch: introduced in 26.3 Maximum descent in a single revolution of the entry helix; 0 disables the pitch limit.

  • Helix Max Ramp Angle: introduced in 26.3 (formerly Helix Angle) Maximum helix ramp entry angle in degrees (default 5°, clamped 0-90); 0 disables the limit.

  • Helix Min Diameter Percent: introduced in 26.3 Minimum acceptable entry diameter as a percentage of the Tool Bit diameter (default 10). The entry diameter is chosen automatically within this range.

Extension

  • Extension Corners: When enabled connected extension edges are combined to wires.

  • Extension Length Default: Default length of extensions (default half the Tool Bit diameter).

  • Extension Feature: (hidden) List of features to extend.

Base

Note: It is suggested that you do not edit the Placement property of path operations. Rather, move or rotate the CAM Job model as needed.

  • Placement: Overall placement[position and rotation] of the object - with respect to the origin (or origin of parent object container)

    • Angle: Angle in degrees applied to rotation of the object around Axis property value

    • Axis: Axis (one or multiple) around which to rotate the object, set in sub-properties: X, Y, Z

      • X: X-axis value

      • Y: Y-axis value

      • Z: Z axis value

    • Position: Position of the object, set in sub-properties: X, Y, Z - with respect to the origin (or origin of parent object container)

      • X: X-distance value

      • Y: Y-distance value

      • Z: Z-distance value

  • Label: User-provided name of the object (UTF-8)

Depth

  • Clearance Height: The height needed to clear clamps and obstructions

  • Final Depth: Final Depth of Tool Bit - lowest value in Z

  • Finish Depth: (Finish step down) Depth of the final cut; applied to every region separately, so Z Stock To Leave is often preferable.

  • Safe Height: (Retract in the task panel) The height above which rapid moves are allowed between locations.

  • Start Depth: Starting Depth of Tool Bit - first cut depth in Z

  • Step Down: Incremental Step Down of Tool Bit

Path

  • Active: Make False, to prevent operation from generating code

  • Base: The base geometry for this operation

  • Block Delete: introduced in 26.3 Enable the Post-Processor to add block delete commands

  • Comment: An optional comment for this Operation

  • Coolant Mode: The coolant mode for this operation: None, Flood or Mist

  • Cycle Time: (read-only) The cycle time estimation for this operation.

  • Locations: Base locations for this operation

  • Tool Controller: Defines the Tool Controller used in the Operation

  • User Label: User assigned label

  • Workplane: introduced in 26.3 The link to the Work Plane that the Operation works in. An Operation with no link works in the XY of the Job.

Note: Adaptive has no Start Point and no Linking group.

Op Values

These read-only properties hold values calculated by the operation. They are useful as sources for expressions.

  • Op Start Depth, Op Final Depth: the calculated default depths

  • Op Tool Diameter: the diameter of the Tool Bit

  • Op Stock ZMax, Op Stock ZMin: the Z extent of the Stock

Tasks Window Editor Layout

Descriptions for these settings are provided in the Properties list above.

This section is simply a layout map of the settings in the window editor for the Operation. The task panel has five tabs: Base Geometry, Extensions, Heights, Tool Controller and Operation.

Base Geometry

  • Add: Adds selected element(s) which should be the base(s) for the Toolpath(s).

  • Remove: Remove the selected item(s) in the Base Geometry list.

  • Clear: Clear all items in the Base Geometry list.

  • The drop-down and Import button copy the Base Geometry of another operation in the Job.

Extensions

See Pocket Shape for a description of the Extensions tab.

Heights

  • Clearance

  • Retract

  • Start

  • Step down

  • Finish step down

  • Final

Tool Controller

  • Tool controller

  • Coolant mode

Operation

  • Accuracy vs performance (Tolerance)

  • Force clearing inside-out

  • Cut region (Side)

  • Operation type

  • Radial stock to leave (Stock To Leave)

  • Step over (percent) and Step over (distance) introduced in 26.3 (the distance field is synchronised with the percent field from the Tool Bit diameter)

  • Use outline

  • Use rest machining introduced in 26.3

  • Lift distance

  • Retract threshold (binds the Keep Tool Down Ratio property; the button next to it toggles the value between 0 and the Tool Bit diameter)

  • Helix Parameters frame: Max pitch, Max ramp angle, Cone angle, Max diameter (%), Min diameter (%)

  • Stop: aborts a running calculation

Known Issues

If unwanted Toolpaths appear, try a small Stock To Leave (0.001 mm or more; the Tool Bit diameter can be reduced by double that amount to keep the Toolpaths exact) or adjust Tolerance. Report remaining issues on the CAM forum.

Resources

Scripting

See also: FreeCAD Scripting Basics.

import Path.Op.Adaptive as PathAdaptive

op = PathAdaptive.Create('Adaptive', parentJob=job)
op.Base = [(doc.Body, ['Face5'])]
op.OperationType = 'Clearing'
op.StepOverPercent = 25
doc.recompute()