*Requires MILLING (LEVEL-1) & TurnING (LEVEL-1) at minimum…

 POLAR & CYLINDRICAL MILLING

Drives one rotary and two linear axes to achieve 3-axis toolpath. It extends GibbsCAM’s standard 3-axis milling functions for use on machines with a rotary axis to enable wrapped geometry, cylindrical and polar rotary milling, and rotary repeats. On mills, rotation is typically around the A or B axis, while on mill-turns C-axis motion replaces Y-axis motion. This C-axis motion can also be applied to the face of a mill-turn part. Input may be “at” or “wrapped” wireframe geometry.

Wrapped geometry is at 2D geometry, displayed and machined as if wrapped around a cylinder. Geometry may be created in “at” or “wrapped” mode and toggled between at and wrapped representations. With this option, all 2D mill processes - contour, pocket, drill, etc. - may be applied to a cylinder. The tool is kept on the centerline of rotation; as a result, there is no control of wall angles or tool engagement. This option also adds the rotary repeat function to milling processes. Output for long, multiple rotations is on a single line of G-code. Post processed output can support a control’s cylindrical and polar interpolation functions. This option is ideal for parts defined by “at” geometry, for rotary part features created by the tool’s shape, (such as simple grooves or pockets not needing wall control), and for machines without a Y axis.

RADIAL MILLING

Drives one rotary and three linear axes to achieve 4-axis toolpath. It provides a roughing and a finishing mill process for off -centerline “Y-axis” rotary machining, allowing control of wall angles and tool engagement. Input is 3D wire- frame geometry extracted from solids or created by other means, to drive and orient the tool. Optionally, surfaces may be used to orient the tool and limit toolpath. Tool orientation control includes cutting with the side or bottom of the tool, using a surface or two curves to control tilt, following one curve at a specified lean angle, or using progressive tool lean. Toolpath is usually segmented, but can be optimized for helical motion.