2D Machining Strategies

Complete 2D Machining

In addition to 3D Machining Strategies, Prospector™ a complete suite of 2D Machining Strategies to address all your machining requirements.  

Read more about all the machining strategies in Prospector by downloading Machining Capabilities: An Overview

2D milling and hole making programs can be created using data from a solid modeler or 2D detail drawings or 3D wireframe data.  The CAD tools integrated into Prospector allow for profiles and point data to be developed to augment the CAD model to facilitate programming.

Pocketing

• Zig-Zag and spiral clearing options.
• Unlimited number of islands and sub-pockets each with separate height/depth and draft.
• Choice of contour or helical ramp or specify off the part or pre-drilled holes for Z-level transition.
• Cusp height of fixed step down option.
• High speed machining option to smooth interior corners.

Profiling

• Full complement of cutting styles to address open and closed conditions.
• Variable radius circular leads for smooth lead-in and lead-off of the part.
• Multiple passes option to walk the cutter into the stock.
• Overlap and extension option to maintain sharps and prevent cusp formation.
• Cusp height and fixed step down.
• Radial cutter compentation (G41/G42) with optional lead-in approach.

Face Milling

• One-way or zig-zag cutting style.
• Step-down feature for multiple passes.  Step down for final pass configured separately to produce the best finish possible.
• Cut direction and start quadrant controls.
• Configurable lead-in and lead-out distances from the part.

Thread Milling

• An alternative to tapping that can be particularly useful in cases where larger diameter holes are involved or when working with difficult materials. Other benefits include:

  • Produces threads with excellent form, finish, and dimensional accuracy.

  • Eliminates the possibilities and consequences of tap breakage.

  • Precise thread depth control.

  • One tool for through or blind holes.

  • One thread mill can produce varying thread diameters of the same pitch.

  • Smaller machines can produce larger threads because less spindle torque is needed.

  • No reversal of the spindle required.

• Support for NPT/NPTF and UN/UNC/UNF threads.

• Support for multiple passes to to walk the cutter into the stock to form the thread for very hard materials.

• Radial cutter compensation (G41/G42) support.

• Configurable helical lead radius and angle.

• Optimized sorting of multiple holes to minimize machine time.

Helical Drilling

• Helical drilling is a machining strategy for making holes with milling cutters. This is a useful machining technique for creating larger size holes where the use of large drills may not be appropriate due to the hardness of the materials o because of insufficient machine horsepower.   Holes are created by one or more sets of concentric helical cutter paths.

• Straight or drafted holes.

• Optimized sorting of multiple holes to minimize machine time.

• Configurable step down and step over.

Hole Making Operations

Feature-Based Hole Making

Feature-based hole making identifies 2D or 3D hole types in the job. The set of programs to fully machine the feature are automatically generated based on a predefined set of rules defined in the PowerSource database.

• 2D Feature Support:

Simple Hole	Counterbore
Tapped Hole	Counterbore Tapped
Contersink	Countersink Tapped

• 3D Solid Model Feature Support:

Through Hole	Blind Hole
Through Counterbore	Blind Counterbore
Through Countersink	Blind Countersink

• Automatic depth calculations for 3D features.

• Optional layer and color filters assist locating features.

• Graphic verification of feature selection.

• Tool changer support option when programs are combined.