Tool Selector Overview

You use EdgeCAM Tool Selector to identify the best tools for machining a pocket feature, and assign these
tools as properties of the feature. The best tools for roughing and rest-roughing the pocket are identified.

Please note:

It is assumed that the pocket feature will be machined entirely using roughing and rest-roughing
techniques.

The tools are chosen from the sequence's toolkit.

Tools are selected from slot drill,endmill, bullnose and ballnose tool types.

To be considered for selection, tools must have an 'Insert Link' specified (Technology tab). For solid
tools, select from the 'Solid Tool' insert category.

If there is no 'Depth of cut' set for the insert/material combination, this is assumed to be equal to the
tool radius. There must also be a full set of speeds/feeds applicable to the combination.

You can only select tools for closed pockets and open pockets that have been closed by Feature
Finder.

You can select tools for multiple features at once. The tools then produce the fastest machining time
for all the features; they may not be the best tools for any individual feature.

You can specify an offset from the feature's profile that you intend leaving on the part. This is then
taken into account in the tool selection.

You cannot use Tool Selector with superseded features.

Material details and job information (if specified) will be read from the EdgeCAM .ppf file.

The results of the selection are reported in the Feedback Window.

The most efficient machining times are reported. (This is only approximate as it assumes machining
methods that you might not use in practice.)

No account is taken of wall thickness, surface finish requirements, tolerances, rigidity of
material/machine, holding methods or tool life. Each feature is treated in isolation with no reference to
surrounding geometry.

1

EdgeCAM User Guide

Tool Selector Overview

You use EdgeCAM Tool Selector to identify the best tools for machining a pocket feature, and assign these
tools as properties of the feature. The best tools for roughing and rest-roughing the pocket are identified.

Please note:

It is assumed that the pocket feature will be machined entirely using roughing and rest-roughing
techniques.

The tools are chosen from the sequence's toolkit.

Tools are selected from slot drill,endmill, bullnose and ballnose tool types.

To be considered for selection, tools must have an 'Insert Link' specified (Technology tab). For solid
tools, select from the 'Solid Tool' insert category.

If there is no 'Depth of cut' set for the insert/material combination, this is assumed to be equal to the
tool radius. There must also be a full set of speeds/feeds applicable to the combination.

You can only select tools for closed pockets and open pockets that have been closed by Feature
Finder.

You can select tools for multiple features at once. The tools then produce the fastest machining time
for all the features; they may not be the best tools for any individual feature.

You can specify an offset from the feature's profile that you intend leaving on the part. This is then
taken into account in the tool selection.

You cannot use Tool Selector with superseded features.

Material details and job information (if specified) will be read from the EdgeCAM .ppf file.

The results of the selection are reported in the Feedback Window.

The most efficient machining times are reported. (This is only approximate as it assumes machining
methods that you might not use in practice.)

No account is taken of wall thickness, surface finish requirements, tolerances, rigidity of
material/machine, holding methods or tool life. Each feature is treated in isolation with no reference to
surrounding geometry.

How to use EdgeCAM Tool Selector

To assign tools to features:

Switch to Manufacture mode.

1.

If you are not sure, check that the Machining Sequence has a job assigned to it. You might need to
edit the sequence to assign a job (use the Job Data tab).

2.

Show the Features Window.

3.

Select one or more features that you want to select tools for.

4.

Right-click on a selected feature and in the subsequent shortcut menu click Select Tooling. The
EdgeCAM Tool Selector dialog opens.

5.

Check that Job and Material are correct. .You might have to close the dialog to change these, before
re-opening the dialog.

6.

Note Min Diameter and Max Diameter; these are for information only, and are derived from the
characteristics of the feature. Note the indication of the part file 'Units' (IN or MM).

7.

Optionally, click in the Offset box and type in an offset. This is an offset you will be specifying when
roughing the feature, and will be taken into account in selecting the tooling. Enter this in the part file
units.

8.

Optionally, in the Roughing Tools Available select some tools that you want the assignment to be
made from (Without a selection the tools will be chosen from the entire list.) You can use standard
multiple selection techniques.

9.

Click the Process button.

The Combinations of Roughing Tools list is now built up. The 'solutions' (combinations of tools) are
arranged in the list machining time order. At the top is the fastest solution.

10.

If you want to assign the tools of the fastest solution simply click Close. (If you don't want to assign
this solution see below.)

11.

The procedure is complete.

To use solutions other than the fastest

Click on the '+' symbol of other solutions to see the tools within them. Review these tools.

1.

Once you have found a solution that you want to use, in the Roughing Tools available list select only
those tools that are in the solution (use the multiple selection techniques from step 9 above).

2.

Click the Process button.

You can repeat the three steps above as often as you like.

3.

Click Close.

4.

Notes

For multiple feature assignments, each feature is assigned the optimal tools for that feature; so each feature
may have a different combination assigned to it.

Once an assignment is made, this replaces any other tool assignments there may have been; the new tools
are not added to the existing ones.

Using the assigned tools

Whenever you want to see what tools were selected, so you can use them in your machining:

Show the Features window and select the feature.

Show the Properties window and note the tools in the 'ToolList'.

2

EdgeCAM User Guide

Tool Selector Overview

You use EdgeCAM Tool Selector to identify the best tools for machining a pocket feature, and assign these
tools as properties of the feature. The best tools for roughing and rest-roughing the pocket are identified.

Please note:

It is assumed that the pocket feature will be machined entirely using roughing and rest-roughing
techniques.

The tools are chosen from the sequence's toolkit.

Tools are selected from slot drill,endmill, bullnose and ballnose tool types.

To be considered for selection, tools must have an 'Insert Link' specified (Technology tab). For solid
tools, select from the 'Solid Tool' insert category.

If there is no 'Depth of cut' set for the insert/material combination, this is assumed to be equal to the
tool radius. There must also be a full set of speeds/feeds applicable to the combination.

You can only select tools for closed pockets and open pockets that have been closed by Feature
Finder.

You can select tools for multiple features at once. The tools then produce the fastest machining time
for all the features; they may not be the best tools for any individual feature.

You can specify an offset from the feature's profile that you intend leaving on the part. This is then
taken into account in the tool selection.

You cannot use Tool Selector with superseded features.

Material details and job information (if specified) will be read from the EdgeCAM .ppf file.

The results of the selection are reported in the Feedback Window.

The most efficient machining times are reported. (This is only approximate as it assumes machining
methods that you might not use in practice.)

No account is taken of wall thickness, surface finish requirements, tolerances, rigidity of
material/machine, holding methods or tool life. Each feature is treated in isolation with no reference to
surrounding geometry.

3

EdgeCAM User Guide

Tool Selector Overview

You use EdgeCAM Tool Selector to identify the best tools for machining a pocket feature, and assign these
tools as properties of the feature. The best tools for roughing and rest-roughing the pocket are identified.

Please note:

It is assumed that the pocket feature will be machined entirely using roughing and rest-roughing
techniques.

The tools are chosen from the sequence's toolkit.

Tools are selected from slot drill,endmill, bullnose and ballnose tool types.

To be considered for selection, tools must have an 'Insert Link' specified (Technology tab). For solid
tools, select from the 'Solid Tool' insert category.

If there is no 'Depth of cut' set for the insert/material combination, this is assumed to be equal to the
tool radius. There must also be a full set of speeds/feeds applicable to the combination.

You can only select tools for closed pockets and open pockets that have been closed by Feature
Finder.

You can select tools for multiple features at once. The tools then produce the fastest machining time
for all the features; they may not be the best tools for any individual feature.

You can specify an offset from the feature's profile that you intend leaving on the part. This is then
taken into account in the tool selection.

You cannot use Tool Selector with superseded features.

Material details and job information (if specified) will be read from the EdgeCAM .ppf file.

The results of the selection are reported in the Feedback Window.

The most efficient machining times are reported. (This is only approximate as it assumes machining
methods that you might not use in practice.)

No account is taken of wall thickness, surface finish requirements, tolerances, rigidity of
material/machine, holding methods or tool life. Each feature is treated in isolation with no reference to
surrounding geometry.

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EdgeCAM User Guide