Machining Node Process Setup Options
Following are the process setup options for the Machining node (right click the Machining node in the Manufacturing Process pane, and select Process Setup Options…).
• Ignore Machine Spindle Limit: specifies wheter to apply an upper bound on tool speed, based on the machine property Spindle Speed. See Adjusted Feed and Speed. By default the bound is applied. Check the checkbox to ignore the limit.
• Ignore Machine Power Limit: specifies wheter to apply a cut time adjustment based on the machine property Spindle Power. By default the adjustment is applied. Check the checkbox to eliminate the adjustment.
• General Routing Strategy: indicates the part setup and operation sequencing strategy in effect. The strategy can impact the number of times a part is setup and therefore greatly affect the cost of the part.
The default policy is specified by the cost model variable defaultMachiningStrategyMode; in starting point cost models, the default strategy is Rough/Finish Each Setup --> [Heat Treat]. In this strategy, it is assumed that all possible roughing and finishing operations are performed on each setup, prior to any optional Heat Treatments which may occur post-machining.
To override the default, select one of the following options:
o All Rough Setups --> [Stress Relief] --> All Finish Setups --> [Heat Treat].
In this strategy, all features are roughed from all setups required, and then the part is re-setup for finish machining. When you choose this strategy, the number of setups is increased and each setup contains either only roughing or only finishing operations. Note that choosing this strategy does not automatically include a Stress Relief process in the routing, but represents a common use-case for using such a machining strategy. Automatic inclusion of Stress Relief processes can be configured if desired; please consult aPriori Support or aPriori Professional Services if interested.
o [Heat Treat] --> Rough/Finish Each Setup (matl hardness change)
Use this strategy when the material being machined has been heat treated so that its hardness is greater than the hardness specified in the aPriori materials list. For example, if a part is cast, and then heat-treated and subsequently machined, the increased material hardness impacts all machining operations. For this strategy, you also should set the machining process setup option Material Hardness Achieved Through Heat Treatment in order to specify the increased material hardness. aPriori then adjusts machining feeds and speeds for all machining operations, so that cycle time computations properly account for the impact of Heat Treatment.
o All Rough Setups --> [Heat Treat] --> All Finish Setups (matl hardness change)
In this strategy, all features are roughed from all setups required, and then the part is re-setup for finish machining. Choose this strategy when the part is heat treated subsequent to rough machining but prior to finish machining. In conjunction, also set the machining process setup option Material Hardness Achieved Through Heat Treatment in order to specify the increased material hardness. aPriori then adjusts machining feeds and speeds for the finishing operations, so that finishing cycle time computations properly account for the impact of Heat Treatment.
• Rough Milling Aggression Adjustment Dial: specifies the percentage by which to adjust the aggressiveness of rough milling in order to, for example, trade shortened tool life for decreased cutting time. The value is the percentage by which to increase rough milling tool speed (see Adjusted Feed and Speed). Negative values decrease aggressiveness. For example, a value of 25 increases speed by 25% (adjusted speed = 1.25 * initial speed), and a value of -25 decreases speed by 25% (adjusted speed = 0.75 * initial speed). The default value is 0. Enter a value greater than or equal -99.
• Rough Material Removal Approach: specifies one of the following approaches:
o Roughing - High Feed/High Speed
o Roughing – High Volume Milling
o Roughing – aPriori Traditional (default)
The approach is used (along with tool diameter, tool series, and material cut code) in order to interpolate feed and speed (and various other tool properties, such as cut depth) from the lookup table tblMilling. See Interpolated and User-specified Feed and Speed.
• Hole Bottom Geometry Interpretation: By default in starting point VPEs, the cost model does not interpret CAD-modeled hole bottom geometry literally; it assumes that hole bottoms are conical in shape, regardless of how they are modelled in CAD. That is, by default in starting point VPEs, the cost model assumes that the actual hole bottom is produced by the tip of a standard drilling tool, and that no milling operations are required to achieve the desired shape.
VPE administrators can customize this default with the cost model variable flatHoleBottoms. Users can override the default behavior on a part-by-part basis with this setup option. The setup option has two possible settings:
o Flexible: This is the default. Hole bottoms are not interpreted literally. Milling operations are not assigned to the hole-bottom surfaces. The hole is assumed to be made by a drilling sequence alone.
o Literal: Hole bottoms are interpreted literally. Milling operations are assigned to the hole-bottom surfaces, if necessary.
• Material Hardness Achieved Through Heat Treatment. Specifies the material hardness subsequent to heat treatment. Enter a value using the Brinell scale.
• Machining Automation Level: indicates how aggressive aPriori should be in the assignment of machining operations to GCDs, and how much user intervention aPriori should anticipate.
Select one of the following options:
o Fully Automated: aPriori anticipates less user intervention in costing. In this mode, aPriori aggressively tries to assign operations to each GCD, even if it means using relatively more setup axes (see Working with Part Setups and SetupAxis GCDs) and assigning relatively difficult, less efficient operations. GCDs that cannot be otherwise assigned a finishing operation are assigned General Mill Finishing.
o Semi-Automated: aPriori anticipates user intervention after costing in this mode. This is a less aggressive mode in which aPriori assigns only relatively easy-to-perform, efficient operations to each GCD, using only principle and user activated setup axes (see Working with Part Setups and SetupAxis GCDs). If a GCD cannot be assigned an operation, it is left uncosted and appears as a Feature to Review in the Manufacturing Process pane and the Heat Map. See Semi-automated Costing for more information.
• Allow the Use of Flat End Mill Contouring Where Possible: If a Contouring operation is selected for a Planar Face, Curved Wall, or Curved Surface GCD, this option allows for the use of flat bottom, bull nose end mill tools to perform the Contouring operation, rather than a ball mill, typically resulting in an improved chip-making cycle time. You can enable this technique with this setup option. The technique is disabled by default.
If enabled and selected, the technique uses a pass step of 5% of the selected tool diameter. The cost model variable flatEndMillContouringStepoverPercentage controls this default.
• Allow the Use of Flank Milling: Flank Milling allows for the use of a simultaneous 5-axis side milling technique for CurvedSurface GCDs with a Ruled parameter of true, as well as for partially undercut Planar Faces and Curved Walls. You can enable this technique with this setup option. The technique is disabled by default.
• Allow the Use of Corner Rounding Tools: Special corner rounding tools are not used by default. You can enable their use with this setup option.
• General Mill Finishing Operation Cycle Time: Set this higher for a larger penalty for problematic surfaces. Set this to 0 to allow aPriori to generate its best estimate of cycle time for all features. The default setting is the value of the cost model variable minGMFCycleTime (0 in starting point VPEs).
• Specify General Milling Speed: how fast the tool turns in unit distance per unit time; that is, the speed at which a point on the outer edge of the tool moves along the circular path around the center of the tool. This value is used for all turning operations, unless overridden by one of the following setup options:
o Specify Cutting Speed for Contouring (see below)
o Specify Cutting Speed for Facing (see below)
o Specify Cutting Speed for Side Milling (see below)
o GCD-specific setup option (see Setup Axes and Operation Feasibility)
The value of this option is used (along with feed, tool diameter, and cutting width) to determine area removal rate (see General Area Removal Rate in Working with the Heat Map). See Operation Cycle Time and Cut Time Calculations for more information on how speed contributes to cutting time.
Note that this value is adjusted to compensate for various factors, including machine spindle speed limitations and stock hardness. The value is also adjusted by multiplying by the cost model variable millSpeedAdjustment. The adjusted value is used to help determine area removal rate.
Select one of the following options:
o Use Default Milling Speed Settings: aPriori determines the milling speed for each operation and surface by interpolation from data tables based on tool series, tool diameter, and material cut code--see Tool Selection.
o Override Milling Speed: enter a speed in meters per minute to be used for all milling operations on all surfaces (unless overridden by a GCD-specific setup option –see Surface Finishing Milling Options).
• Contouring Area Ratio Threshold: specifies the threshold at which 3-Axis Mill contouring is considered difficult, for the purposes of operation assignment in Semi-automated Machining mode (see Semi-automated Costing. If a GCD’s surface area, as a fraction of the total surface area of the current part, is greater than this threshold, contouring is considered difficult. In Semi-automated Machining mode, difficult contouring is considered infeasible for the GCD.
Select one of the following options:
o Default Value: 0.001, in aPriori’s baseline VPEs. Administrators can override this default value with the cost model variable contouringAreaRatioThreshold.
o User Override: enter a value between 0 and 1.
• Specify General Turning Speed: turning speed in unit distance per unit time. This value is used for all turning operations, unless overridden by the setup option Specify Rough Turning Speed (see below) or by a GCD-specific setup option—see Surface Finishing Milling Options. The value is used to help determine cutting time.
Note that this value is adjusted to compensate for various factors, including machine limitations and stock hardness. The value is also adjusted by multiplying by the cost model variable turningSpeedAdjustment. The adjusted value is used to help determine cutting time.
Select one of the following options:
o Use Default Turning Speed Settings: aPriori determines the turning speed for each operation and surface by lookup in data tables based on tool series, tool diameter, and material cut code.
o Override Turning Speed: enter a speed in meters per minute to be used for all turning operations (unless overridden by the setup option Specify Rough Turning Speed or a GCD-specific setup option).
• Easy Side Milling Length to Diameter Ratio: specifies the threshold at which 3-Axis Mill side milling is considered easy, for the purposes of operation assignment in Semi-automated Machining mode (see Semi-automated Costing). If side milling a GCD requires a tool whose length-to-diameter ratio (length divided by diameter) exceeds this threshold, side milling is considered difficult. In Semi-automated Machining mode, difficult side milling is considered infeasible (tool selection fails) for the GCD.
Select one of the following options:
o Default Value: 3, in aPriori’s baseline VPEs. Administrators can override this default value with the cost model variable easyL2DRatio.
o Override Easy Side Milling Length to Diameter Ratio: enter a value greater than or equal to 0.01.
• Maximum Side Milling Length to Diameter Ratio: specifies the threshold at which side milling is considered infeasible. If side milling a GCD requires a tool whose length-to-diameter ratio (length divided by diameter) exceeds this threshold, tool selection fails, and the GCD may be assigned to a multi-approach sequence or to General Mill Finishing.
Select one of the following options:
o Default Value: 8 in aPriori’s starting point VPEs. Administrators can override this default value with the cost model variable difficultL2DRatio.
o Override Maximum Side Milling Length to Diameter Ratio: enter a value greater than or equal to 0.01.
• Specify Drilling Speed: how fast the tool turns in unit distance per unit time. This value is used for all drilling operations, unless overridden by a GCD-specific setup option—see Surface Finishing Milling Options. The value is used to help determine area removal rate (see Area Removal Rate in Working with the Heat Map).
This value is adjusted to compensate for various factors, including machine limitations and stock hardness. The value is also adjusted by multiplying by the cost model variable drillSpeedAdjustment. The adjusted value is used to help determine area removal rate.
By default, aPriori determines this value by interpolation from data tables based on tool series, tool diameter, and material cut code.
To override the default, use the following option:
o Override Drilling Speed: enter a speed in meters per minute.
• Specify Cutting Speed for Contouring: how fast the tool turns in unit distance per unit time; that is, the speed at which a point on the outer edge of the tool moves along the circular path around the center of the tool. This value is used for all contouring operations, unless overridden by a GCD-specific setup option—see Surface Finishing Milling Options. The value is used (along with feed, tool diameter, and cutting width) to determine area removal rate (see Contouring Removal Rate in Working with the Heat Map). See Operation Cycle Time and Cut Time Calculations for more information on how speed contributes to cutting time.
Note that the value of this setup option is adjusted to compensate for various factors, including machine spindle speed limitations and stock hardness. The value is also adjusted by multiplying by the cost model variable millSpeedAdjustment. The adjusted value is used to help determine area removal rate.
By default, aPriori determines the milling speed for each surface and operation by interpolation from data tables based on tool series, tool diameter, and material cut code (see Tool Selection).
To override the default, use the following option:
o Override Cutting Speed for Contouring: enter a speed in meters per minute to be used for all contouring operations on all surfaces (unless overridden by a GCD-specific setup option).
• Specify Cutting Speed for Facing: how fast the tool turns in unit distance per unit time; that is, the speed at which a point on the outer edge of the tool moves along the circular path around the center of the tool. This value is used for all facing operations, unless overridden by a GCD-specific setup option (see Surface Finishing Milling Options). The value is used (along with feed, tool diameter, and cutting width) to determine area removal rate (see Facing Area Removal Rate in Working with the Heat Map). See Operation Cycle Time and Cut Time Calculations for more information on how speed contributes to cutting time.
Note that the value of this option is adjusted to compensate for various factors, including machine spindle speed limitations and stock hardness. The value is also adjusted by multiplying by the cost model variable millSpeedAdjustment. The adjusted value is used to help determine area removal rate.
By default, aPriori determines the milling speed for each surface and operation by interpolation from data tables based on tool series, tool diameter, and material cut code (see Tool Selection).
To override the default, use the following option:
o Override Cutting Speed for Facing: enter a speed in meters per minute to be used for all facing operations on all surfaces (unless overridden by a GCD-specific setup option).
• Specify Cutting Speed for Side Milling: how fast the tool turns in unit distance per unit time; that is, the speed at which a point on the outer edge of the tool moves along the circular path around the center of the tool. This value is used for all side milling operations, except those overridden by a GCD-specific value—see Surface Finishing Milling Options. The value is used (along with feed, tool diameter, and cutting width) to determine area removal rate (see Side Milling Area Removal Rate in Working with the Heat Map). See Operation Cycle Time and Cut Time Calculations for more information on how speed contributes to cutting time.
Note that the value of this option is adjusted to compensate for various factors, including machine spindle speed limitations and stock hardness. The value is also adjusted by multiplying by the cost model variable millSpeedAdjustment. The adjusted value is used to help determine area removal rate.
By default, aPriori determines the milling speed for each surface and operation by interpolation from data tables based on tool series, tool diameter, and material cut code (see Tool Selection).
To override the default, use the following option:
o Override Cutting Speed for Side Milling: enter a speed in meters per minute to be used for all side milling operations on all surfaces (unless overridden by a GCD-specific setup option).
• Specify Rough Turning Speed: turning speed in unit distance per unit time. This value is used for all rough turning operations, except those that override this value with a GCD-specific setup option. The value is used to help determine cutting time.
Note the value of this option is adjusted to compensate for various factors, including machine spindle speed limitations and stock hardness. The value is also adjusted by multiplying by the cost model variable turningSpeedAdjustment. The adjusted value is used to help determine area removal rate.
By default, aPriori uses data tables to determine the turning speed for all rough turning operations (except those overridden with a GCD-specific setup option). The data table lookups are based on tool series, tool diameter, and material cut code.
To override the default, use the following option:
o Override Rough Turning Speed: enter a speed in meters per minute to be used for all rough turning operations (except those overridden by a GCD-specific setup option).
• Maximum Drill Size: maximum tool diameter for drilling operations. If a GCD requires a tool whose diameter exceeds this value, drilling is considered infeasible. By default, tool diameter for drilling is constrained only by the ranges supported by the available tool families. To specify a maximum, use the following option:
o Override Max Drill Size: enter a value in millimeters (or inches, if you have enabled English units).
• Maximum Bend Radius for Indirect Filleting: maximum fillet radius of a GCD for which indirect filleting is feasible. The default setting is the percentage of the part’s size specified for indirect filleting in the lookup table tblOperationSizeRanges (12% in starting point VPEs), or else the value of the cost model variable absoluteMaxFilletRadius (300mm in starting point VPEs), if that’s smaller. To override the default, use the following option:
o Override Maximum Bend Radius for Indirect Filleting: enter a value greater than or equal to 0.01 millimeters.
• Check for Fillet Direction: By default, for curved surfaces on a 3AL, feasibility for Indirect Filleting does not depend on the existence of an oblique tool approach to the fillet. By setting this option to true, you can override the default and specify that Indirect Filleting is feasible only if there is an Oblique or Oblique Obstructed approach.
• Maximum Radius for Rounding: maximum round radius of a GCD for which rounding is feasible. By default, the maximum round radius is the percentage of the part’s size specified for rounding in the lookup table tblOperationSizeRanges. To override the default, use the following option:
o Override Maximum Bend Radius for Indirect Filleting: enter a non-negative value in millimeters (or inches, if you have enabled English units).
• Facing Maximum Tool Count: By default in starting point VPEs, the total number of distinct tool diameters used for face milling the current part’s planar faces has an upper limit of between 4 and 6 (depending on part geometry--see Diameter Selection for Planar Face Facing).VPE administrators can customize the default limit with the cost model variable maxFacingToolsDefault. Users can customize or remove the limit with this setup option. Select one of the following options:
o Unlimited number of facing tools: in this case, potentially, each faced surface uses a distinct tool diameter.
o Limited number of facing tools: this is the default mode. Enter a limit greater than or equal to 2.
• Estimated Minimum Facing Diameter: By default, part-specific preferred diameters are spread out between the minimum and maximum preselected diameters, snapped down to the nearest industry-standard tool size (see Diameter Selection for Planar Face Facing). To override the default minimum part-specific preferred diameter, select the following option:
o Override estimated minimum: enter a value greater than or equal to 0.254mm.
• Estimated Maximum Facing Diameter: By default, part-specific preferred diameters are spread out between the minimum and maximum preselected diameters, snapped down to the nearest industry-standard tool size (see Diameter Selection for Planar Face Facing). To override the default minimum part-specific preferred diameter, select the following option:
o Override estimated maximum: enter a value greater than or equal to 0.254mm..