The following sections detail the conditions under which a setup is appropriate for various types of operations on various types of milling and turning machines. These sections say that a setup axis “would (if used) render accessible a GCD for an operation” as shorthand for the following:

This section has the following subsections:

Since a non-rotational setup axis points in the direction from which the tool approaches (when the part is oriented as specified by the setup axis), a non-rotational setup axis generally would (if used) render a GCD accessible for an operation when the following holds:

For example, a non-rotational setup axis would (if used) render a planar face accessible to a facing operation if the setup axis is normal (unobstructed) to the planar face.

The table below (which is essentially the same as the table in GCD Accessibility and Tool Orientations) shows when a non-rotational setup axis generally would (if used) make a GCD accessible for some basic types of machining operations on a 3- or 4-axis mill:

 

 

See also Multiple Approach Surface Finishing.

Note also that a 4-Axis mill that supports machining while its rotational axis is turning can face a curved wall provided that the curved wall is convex.

On a 4-axis mill, the spindle is perpendicular to the axis of rotation, so a rotational setup axis is perpendicular to the direction from which the tool approaches. This means that a rotational setup axis on a 4-axis mill generally would (if used) render a GCD accessible to an operation if the following holds:

For example, a rotational setup axis on a 4-axis mill would (if used) render a planar face accessible to a facing operation if the setup axis is perpendicular to some tool orientation that is normal (unobstructed) to the planar face.

The table below indicates when a rotational setup axis generally would (if used) make a GCD accessible for some basic types of machining operations on a 4-axis mill:

 

 

See also Multiple Approach Surface Finishing.

Like a 4-axis mill, a 5-axis mill can rotate the part. A 5-axis mill can also tilt the part or the spindle up to a maximum tilt angle, which is specified by the machine attribute maxTiltAngle.

On the 5-axis mill machines currently supported by aPriori starting point VPEs, the spindle is parallel to the axis of rotation, when the machine table or spindle is not tilted. So a setup axis on a 5-axis mill generally would (if used) render a GCD accessible to an operation if the following holds:

For example, a setup axis on a 5-axis mill would (if used) render a planar face accessible to facing if the setup axis is within maxTiltAngle of some tool orientation that is normal (unobstructed) to the planar face. The table below shows when a rotational setup axis generally would (if used) make a GCD accessible for some basic types of machining operations on a 5-axis mill:

 

 

See also Multiple Approach Surface Finishing.

Note also that Ruled Curved Surfaces can be Side Milled by aPriori’s supported type of 5-Axis Mill provided that the maximum inclination of the ruled surface does not exceed the maximum tilt angle.

On a 3-axis lathe, the spindle of the live tooling (mill cutters that can be mounted to the machine and spun by independent motors) can be either perpendicular or parallel to the machine’s turning axis. This means that a turning axis on a 3-axis lathe generally would (if used) render a GCD accessible to an operation if the following holds:

For example, a turning axis on a 3-axis lathe would (if used) render a planar face accessible to a facing operation if the turning axis is perpendicular to some tool orientation that is normal (unobstructed) to the planar face. The table below indicates when a turning axis generally would (if used) make a GCD accessible for some basic types of machining operations on a 3-axis lathe: