Partmaker Tech Note 041999: Automatic Z-Depth Extraction: File Dialog Box Choose Z - Demo - DXF As Shown Below

PartMaker® Tech Note 041999:
Automatic Z-Depth Extraction

PartMaker for Mill versions 3.4.5 and higher include Automatic Z-Depth Extraction.
This feature allows the importation of Z-Depths when importing .DXF files into
PartMaker. PartMaker will automatically apply these imported Z-Depths to their
respective part features. A .dxf file called z_demo.dxf with Z-depths included comes
with PartMaker Mill versions 3.4.5 and higher. This Tech Note will describe how to use
this feature in PartMaker.
1. Open PartMaker. From the File menu, select Import DXF File. In the Import DXF
File dialog box choose z_demo.dxf as shown below.
3. After doing so, go to CAD mode by clicking on the CAD/CAM s switch. The
screen should appear as shown below”
PartMaker Tech Note 1

Using Z-Depth Extraction
4. Once your screen appears as above, go to the Setup dialog box by selecting Setup
from the View menu. (You can also use the Shortcut to the Setup dialog icon.) In
the setup dialog, set your Part Boundaries to the following parameters: X1: -3, Y1: -
3, X2: 3, Y2: 3. Set the height to thickness of the initial stock of 1.65. When
finished, the dialog should appear as below:
You could have figured out the depth (the Height parameter (H)) using the Automatic Z-
Depth extraction feature. To do so, just double click on the outside line of the part while
in CAD mode. In doing so, you will see the Line Info dialog open. Click the Depth
Info button to go to the Depth Information dialog. Here the Bottom Z field represents
the depth of the part. This sequence of steps is shown below.

Using the Automation Features of PartMaker Z-Depth Extraction

Feature to Automate Programming of Profiles in z_depth.dxf
1. In CAD mode, double click on the top line of the triangle to access the Line Info
dialog. In the Line Info dialog, click on the Depth Info button to access the Depth
Information dialog. In the Depth Information Dialog, click the Pre-set Group
Parameters button to apply this depth to the Profile Group.

2. Deselect the top line of the triangle by clicking your cursor anywhere in the Face
Window. Click the CAD/CAM switch such that you are in CAM mode. From the
Part Features menu select New Profile Group. Click the Select Tools button and
rename the group to Triangle. When you have done so, your dialog should appear as
below:
After having done so, click the Leads In ! button and enter a value of 2 for the Line
Length as shown below and then click OK. Click the Apply button and Close the
Profile Group Parameters dialog.
3. Next, assign this part feature to the geometry by selecting the Chain Profile Icon and
clicking somewhere on the perimeter of the triangle. After having done, choose

Verify Work Group Tool Path from the Part Features menu to see the tool path.
Select Hide Work Group Tool Path after you are satisfied with the tool path you
created.
4. Return to CAD mode by clicking the CAD/CAM switch. Select the large circle to
which the endpoints of the triangle are tangent. With the circle selected, from the
Edit menu, select Divide Equal to divide the circle into two halves in order to
prepare it for being milled.
Double-click on the upper arc to access the Arc Info dialog. From here, click the
Depth Info button to access the Depth Information dialog. As you did in Step 1
above, click the Pre-set Group Parameters button to apply this depth to the Profile
Group. Once you have done so, click anywhere on the screen to deselect the circle.
Click the CAD/CAM switch to return to CAM mode.
5. In CAM mode, select the new sample color of yellow from the color bar. From the
Part Features select New Profile Group. Click the Select Tools button and rename
the group to Circle. As in step 2, click the Leads In ! button and enter a value of 2
for the Line Length and then click OK.
6. Next, assign this part feature to the circular geometry by selecting the Chain Profile
Icon and clicking somewhere on the circumference of the circle. After having done
so, choose Verify Work Group Tool Path from the Part Features menu to see the
tool path. Select Hide Work Group Tool Path after you are satisfied with the tool
path you created.
7. Return to CAD mode by clicking the CAD/CAM switch. Double click on the
perimeter of the square tangent to the circle you just milled to access the Line Info
dialog. From here, click the Depth Info button to access the Depth Information
dialog. As you did in Step 1 above, click the Pre-set Group Parameters button to
apply this depth to the Profile Group. Once you have done so, click anywhere on the
screen to deselect the side of the square you have chosen. Click the CAD/CAM
switch to return to CAM mode.
8. In CAM mode, select the new sample color of green from the color bar. From the
Part Features menu select New Profile Group. Click the Select Tools button and
rename the group to Square_1. As in step 2, click the Leads In ! button and enter a
value of 2 for the Line Length and then click OK.
9. Next, assign this part feature to the square by selecting the Chain Profile Icon and
clicking somewhere on the circumference of the circle. After having done so, choose
Verify Work Group Tool Path from the Part Features menu to see the tool path.
Select Hide Work Group Tool Path after you are satisfied with the tool path you
created.

10. Repeat steps 7 through 9, this time applying the procedure to the square just outside
the geometry in Square_1. However, name this profile Square_2. Remember to
change colors (use cyan here)!
Using the Automation Features of PartMaker Z-Depth Extraction

Feature to Automate Programming of Holes in z-depth.dxf
Just as you used the Z-Depth Extraction Feature to automate the programming of profiles
in z_depth.dxf, you can also use this features to further automate the programming of
holes. To do so, you follow largely the same procedure as the one above for profiles.
1. Again, begin in CAD mode. Double-click on the circle in the center of the part to
access the Circle Info dialog. From here, click the Depth Info button to access the
Depth Information dialog. Click the Pre-set Group Parameters button to apply
this depth to the Profile Group. Once you have done so, click anywhere on the
screen to deselect the circle. Click the CAD/CAM switch to return to CAM mode.
2. In CAM mode, from the Part Features menu, select New Hole Group. Here you
will need to correct the diameter to one inch. After having done so, click the Cycle
button to bring up the tool for the operation. When you are finished, the completed
dialog should appear as shown below:

Once you are satisfied with that your dialog looks like the one above, assign the feature
to the geometry by selecting the Chain Circle Icon and clicking on one of the four
circles in the corner of the interior rectangle on the part. Having done so, you can repeat
this procedure in order to machine all the holes on the part.
Note: When setting up your Hole Group, if you do not have a one inch drill in your
Tools Database, PartMaker will add one for you. If this is the case, you may get a
Warning dialog like the one below. This warning is telling you that the tool being used is
not long enough to calculate a hole this deep. To work around this problem, just go to the
Tools Data dialog and choose the Tool PartMaker created for you. Change the Length
parameter to a length greater than the required drilling depth.
Generating the Part Program

Once you have setup all you part features, from the Job Optimizer menu, select
Generate Process Table. After doing so, select Post Config File = ? to select the
appropriate machine for the job. Once having done so, select Generate NC Program
from the Job Optimizer menu. Once you have generated you NC program, click the
Verify Program button to verify what the part will look like in 3D.

Note: In order to program the part such that different tiers of the part come out in
different colors in NSEE verification, use alternate tools for each process. To do so,
setup two identical tools and alternate their use between the four profile groups. For
example, above we are using T011 for profiles. Setup another tool, say T012 and use it
in the groups titled Circle and Square_2, while using T011 in Triangle and Square_1.

Partmaker Tech Note 041999: Automatic Z-Depth Extraction: File Dialog Box Choose Z - Demo - DXF As Shown Below

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Partmaker Tech Note 041999: Automatic Z-Depth Extraction: File Dialog Box Choose Z - Demo - DXF As Shown Below

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PartMaker® Tech Note 041999:

Automatic Z-Depth Extraction

PartMaker Tech Note 1

PartMaker Tech Note 2

Using the Automation Features of PartMaker Z-Depth Extraction

PartMaker Tech Note 3

PartMaker Tech Note 4

PartMaker Tech Note 5

Using the Automation Features of PartMaker Z-Depth Extraction

PartMaker Tech Note 6

Generating the Part Program

PartMaker Tech Note 7

PartMaker Tech Note 8

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