CREATING FeatureMILL2.5D FEATURES


FeatureMILL 2.5D Features

FeatureMILL2.5D includes the following features for part creation.

Holes - Counter-bore, counter-sink, tapped or other types of holes

Pockets - With an unlimited number of islands at a variety of heights

Grooves - Engraving, OD, ID and face grooves

Bosses - Unlimited number of bosses at a variety of heights

Thread Milling - OD or ID threads

You have the option to apply draft angles, chamfers and bottom radii to the walls of any milled features. These can be manufactured using flat end, ball end or tapered tools. Also you can quickly create radial, linear, rectangular and point list patterns of features by entering a few additional dimensions.

Manufacturing Details

FeatureMILL 2.5D Features

Feed Rate Optimization

Tool load can vary throughout a toolpath due to increased depth or width of cut. FeatureMILL2.5D's feed rate optimization minimizes these variations by automatically adjusting feed rates based on tool load. In the following graph, the white curve shows the original tool loads and the black curve shows the loads after feed rate optimization. FeatureMILL2.5D's feed rate optimization minimizes and evens tool wear, and provides faster running programs.

Manufacturing Details:

Numerous milling and drilling options are included with FeatureMILL2.5D.

  • Ability to. rough using cutter comp
  • Multiple roughing and finishing diameters can be set for face features
  • Bottom leave allowance and bottom finish allowance on semi-finish pass
  • Multiple region support for solid stock to eliminate cutting air
  • Chamfered, counter bore, counter-sink, tapped, counter-drilled, reamed holes
  • Multiple roughing tools (larger to smaller) for fast material removal
  • User definable milling tool holders
  • Minimize retracts or tool changes
  • Tool life management
  • Precise tolerances
  • Extensive drilling and milling macros
  • Part line programming
  • A variety of toolpath options
  • Trochoidal toolpath for simple slots and grooves
  • Climb / conventional milling
  • Pre-drilling, helical or zig-zag approach
  • Peck drilling
  • Pilot drilling
  • Arc / line approximation for toolpaths
  • Multiple stepover types
  • Cutter comp or part line paths
  • Machining time estimates
  • Inch and metric dimensions
  • Version 2008 is here!
Offset Milling Uni-directional Milling Zig-zag Milling Multiple Tool Reset Milling

FeatureMILL2.5D Improvements (2008 Version)

bullet point More predefined thread shapes

bullet point Ability to define your own custom thread database

bullet point Default retract distance for hole canned cycles

bullet point Support for left-handed tapping and milling, with any tool

Tooling Improvements

Tool Panel Screenshot

bullet point Specify operation type per tool – rough or finish, rough and finish, rough and semi-finish, ream, etc.

bullet point Ability to specify coolant type per tool – flood, mist, coolant3, coolant4, etc.

bullet point Tool handedness – left or right-handed

bullet point Specify feeds and speeds per tool – profile cuts, slotting cuts

 

Find out about High Speed Machining & Advanced Production