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EnRoute 5 - EnRoute Software

1. Working with Files Page 59 Click on the Measure tool to activate the Precision Toolbar Select the icon for measurement type Segment Angle or Area 3 Using the snap tools will help you to easily select specific points in order to get accurate measurements 4 The Precision Toolbar displays the information for the function that you are performing In addition temporary dimensions are displayed showing the measurement 5 Right click in order to reset the measurement value If you click for measurements without resetting the new measurements will continue to be displayed Right click any time to reset and clear the displayed measurements 6 Changing from a length measurement to an angle measurement also resets the display G TAF Page 60 Working with Files 5 Creating Contours A selection of drawing tools is provided to allow you to create your design elements Design elements may be created interactively by clicking and dragging or they may be created precisely by entering desired values in the Precision Toolbars Line Polyarc or Bezier Curve Drawing a Line Menu Draw Draw Line Toolbar Construction Draw Polyarc Draw Line The Line tool draws a straight line segment connecting two points 1 Click and hold Polyarc 2 then select Draw line A 2 Click at the desired starting point then move the cursor to where you want the line to end and then click again Hold the SHIFT key down while drawing to force
2. e Scale to Height The new spin surface is scaled to match the height parameter as it is applied to the relief This allows you to create a surface and scale it in one step e Limit to Height The new spin surface is limited in height by the height parameter If a portion of the new surface extends above this height it is truncated before it is applied to the selected relief Relief Parameters The relief parameters of Height and Base are available when modifying a relief e Height This value defines the height if either the Scale to Height or Limit to Height relief option is selected e Base This value allows you to define a base height that can be added to the revolved surface as it is applied to the selected relief Spin Angles The Start Angle and Finish Angle define the portion of a complete 360 degree spin surface that will be completed A complete revolution would have a start angle of O degrees and an end angle of 360 degrees A half revolution would use a start angle of 0 degrees and an end angle of 180 degrees The following top view of a mesh object illustrates the start and finish angles This object used a start angle of 45 degrees and an end angle of 135 degrees Revolutions and Extrusions Page 237 tee ea a E nd An g le Start Angle In addition to defining the start and end angles using the dialog the Spin tool also allows you to interactively define this angle by clicking and dra
3. 3 To create a contour from one of the highlighted outlines click on the design and drag the new contour away 4 Right click to release the Weld Jigsaw tool Page 126 Arranging Contours Using the Cut by Line Tool Menu Transform Weld Cut by Line Toolbar Object Edit Weld Cut by Line The Cut by Line tool allows you to cut closed contours into multiple closed contours AC 1 Click Weld then Cut by line ba 2 Click and drag to create your cutting line 3 Right click to release the tool The Cut by Line tool operates differently when used on multiple contours that are selected This is because when you select a group of contours they are automatically grouped into containers and holes When you use the Cut by Line tool this grouping is respected The following images show two contours that are cut first without being selected and second while selected The first example creates four separate contours while the second example creates just two new contours gt Arranging Contours Page 127 Nest Tool Menu Transform Nest Nest Toolbar Object Edit Nest Nest Nesting in EnRoute has been redesigned in order to do a better job of centralizing the nesting tools location to implement several new capabilities and to hopefully simplify the whole nesting process The follow major changes were implemented e Two new nesting algorithms were implemented providing several new nesting options e Co
4. Climb This is the opposite of conventional The tool will move against the direction that the tool is turning For an exterior cut this is ina clockwise direction When a tool begins and ends its cut it is sometimes desirable to have it move into and out of the cut away from the actual finished edge The entry and exit provide the means to do this Each of these may be specified separately you can have an entry that is an arc and an exit that is a line It is also possible to specify either an arc or line as being 3D With an entry this means that the tool will start at the surface depth and progress down to the cut depth over the length of the entry The exit does the same thing only in reverse It starts at the end of the cut and progresses up to the surface over its length With an arc the arc becomes a helical arc if it is set to 3D If you specify an entry and or exit as a line and then enter an angle of 0 0 degrees the entry exit will follow the toolpath even if the toolpath turns over the length of the entry exit This can be useful if toolpaths are close together and you want to make sure they don t interfere Page 148 Working with Toolpaths 3D Toolpaths The diagram below depicts how the dimensions of the entry and exit are specified Radius Length yw Angle This option designates whether this cut will be a 3D pass or not A 3D toolpath may be created using a conic engraving or t
5. Nest This tool is used to automatically nest the objects on the plate according to selected parameters Dynamic Nest This tool allows the user to specifically place the objects on the plate Nest Report This tool will activate a detailed nesting report that is displayed using your default browser Scale Toolbar Scale Distort X Ac Oe es Scale This tool is use to interactively scale an object Distort This tool lets you stretch an object disproportionately Patch Distort This tool allows selected objects both contours and reliefs to be distorted by defining the shape of a container for the selected objects Add Noise to Objects This tool allows the user to parametrically distort selected contours and reliefs in order to introduce affects ranging from subtle to dramatic Page 42 Toolbars and Command Icons Fill Toolbar x Island Fill This tool is used to create Island Fill toolpaths eo Spiral Fill This tool is used to create toolpaths in a spiral pattern Draw Lines Toolbar Draw Lines X fo 3 F Draw Line This tool is used to draw a line between two specific points Draw Polyarc The new Polyarc tool allows you to construct a series of lines and arcs D to form a new contour ji Draw Bezier Curve This tool allows you to draw precisely curved lines Extend Trim Toolbar P Extend Contour This tool is used to extend an open contour either intera
6. Processing a Job Starting from Scratch These steps assume that you are setting up the ATP from the start and have not yet performed any Layer Mapping and have not set any of the other parameters in the ATP a Ls 2 Define strategy templates If you are a new EnRoute user this will likely take some trial in EnRoute based onthe and error on your part to determine the machining machining operations and operations you will typically use tools you typically use 3 Setup the EnRoute Tool EnRoute is supplied with a default tool library that you will Library to include the tools likely modify to meet your needs you will use with your ATP machining 4 Configure the Machine This will likely include configuring your tool changer and or Setup parameters in drill bank to match your machine configuration EnRoute so that they match your actual machine configuration 5 Start the ATP You are now ready to set up the ATP 6 Goto the Setup tab and set the Active Design Application Go to the tab for P Prior to this you should have created job output from your etc and select As File Automatic Toolpaths Page 397 List for the job you would like to process 8 Go to the Define Layers Now we need to set the layers and strategies we will use to tab in order to define the process the job Layer Mapping 9 Click on the Use KCDw This will extract all of the layer names from the DXF files in or other application
7. me Help Application Method to modify the selected relief Using Bitmaps Page 303 The Application Method defines how the bitmap will be applied to the relief surface Typically you will select either the Add a or Subtract a method in order to apply either a positive or negative version of the bitmap The Height parameter defines the maximum height of the bitmap as it is applied The following simple example illustrates the process of applying a bitmap to a relief 1 First create the relief that you want to add the bitmap to and also import the bitmap file into your drawing In this case we have created an ellipse as the relief and have imported a bitmap of a brick wall that will be used as a texture Position the bitmap on top of the relief With both the relief and the bitmap selected choose the Apply Bitmap tool by selecting Surface Apply bitmap a Choose the Application Method and the Height In this case choose Add and define a Height of 0 20 Click Apply This image shows a rendered perspective view of the results aeeauw Page 304 Using Bitmaps Using a Mask When you apply a bitmap to a relief you may not always want to apply the bitmap to the entire relief EnRoute provides a method for masking the bitmap so that it applies only to the desired portion of the relief Any contour that is not part of the relief boundary or that does not have toolpaths applied to
8. R Cut Ctrl X Shortcut Menu Right Click Define Layers F7 Rotate Shift F7 Delete Del Save Ctrl S Exit Alt X Scale Shift F6 Group Ctrl G Select All Ctrl A Help F1 Simulate 2D F8 Machine Drivers Setup F6 Tool Library F5 Material Library F4 Undo Ctrl Z Mirror Shift F8 Move Shift F5 Ungroup Ctrl U New Ctrl N View Toolpath F9 Thickness Open Ctrl O Zoom In Ctrl Paste Ctrl V Zoom Out Ctrl K Perspective Top View F12 Zoom Plate Ctrl P Toggle Precision Input Center F2 Keyboard Shortcuts Page 401 Page 402 24 Index 2D output simulation 307 editing 84 3D Meshes 277 trimming 90 apply meshes to relief 280 Bitmaps 303 create mesh with EnRoute tools 278 Bridges 142 faceted 280 deleting 181 import 3D mesh objects 278 displaying 25 smooth 280 inserting 181 using a mask 282 Build Parameter 351 3D Sufaces Calculator 58 Introduction 213 Centerline 266 3D Surfaces Toolbar 36 Chamfer Tool 263 3D Toolpaths 149 213 353 363 baroque carve 274 3D toolpath example 359 centerline dialog 211 3D toolpath strategies 353 chamfer centerline 270 3D toolpath strategy parameters 354 chamfer example 213 apply overcut 354 chamfer parameters 266 apply to surface 354 miter and centerline 266 Carve into surface 354 standard chamfer 263 engrave example 370 standard dialog 265 finish pass example 368 wizard prompts 268 key 3D toolpath concepts 357 Chamfer Toolbar 40 overlap 358 Circles roughing pass example 366 by center and point 6
9. Select reliefs to merge with the base relief This image shows the result of the merge action This image shows the merged relief along with the original star relief The Merge Relief tool can merge reliefs of different resolutions and reliefs that have been rotated and scaled without any problems Page 296 Modifying and Combining Reliefs Combine Reliefs Menu Surface Combine Reliefs Toolbar 3D Surfaces Merge Reliefs Combine Reliefs Use the Combine Reliefs tool to combine one or more selected reliefs The example below demonstrates three separate reliefs combined into one relief in two different ways 1 Select the reliefs to be combined Hs 2 Click and hold the Merge Reliefs Icon ito open the flyout toolbar 3 Click on the Combine Reliefs Icon Pe A Ww Eee If the reliefs overlap they will combine to create one relief with one contour If one of the reliefs is completely enclosed within another it will create a hole in the relief Extracting Slices Menu Surface Extract Slices Toolbar 3D Surfaces Merge Reliefs Extract Slices The Extract Slices tool allows you to cut the relief into layers Use this tool to stack your material to create large objects For example if your material is 1 5 inches and the object that you want to create is 4 inches you can cut your relief into 3 slices and then stack the material to create the object Extract Slices Dialog R
10. T Copy Ctrl C The Copy command is similar to the cut command except it places a copy of the selection into the clipboard Paste Ctrl V The Paste command takes information that is stored in the Windows Clipboard and places it in the currently active design file Delete Use this tool to delete the selected objects Undo Ctrl Z Use the Undo command to reverse your most recent actions The Undo command may be chosen as many times as needed to undo previous editing operations up to the first operation in the editing session If you load a file and make a number of editing changes to it EnRoute will allow you to Undo all of the changes Redo Shift Ctrl Z Redo command to reverse any operation changed by the Undo command You can continue to select the Redo command until all of the Undo operations have been reversed Zoom Toolbar foom x Aaah amp amp amp 00 o A 1 1 all r d Page 30 Zoom Window Use the Zoom Window command to magnify a selected area The Zoom Window command is different than the Zoom Out and Zoom In commands in that you can specify a particular area for the zoom to cover Zoom In Ctrl I Use the Zoom In command to zoom up or magnify the current window Zoom Out Ctrl K Use the Zoom Out command to zoom straight back Zoom to Plate Ctrl P Use the Zoom to Plate command to magnify to the extent of the plate size Zoom Previous This command will ret
11. The Extrude dialog provides two sets of parameters depending on whether you have selected the option of creating a mesh object or any other application method for modifying an existing relief If you select an application method for modifying a relief the following dialog is presented Relief parameters Relief Options L P Miter Option E Noma Height 0 3000 2 Scale 100 2 Miter Select the contours to be extruded C Scale to height a ia B C Limit to height Be 0000 Soo Fe gt r x A Extrude Contours Scale and Rotation Wizard prompts Application Method to modify the selected relief Profile Placement If you select the Application Method for creating a mesh object the dialog is changed to allow you to enter the proper parameters for the mesh and shown below Mesh Parameters Pa Miter Option DN E Extrude Contours M Miter Select the contours to be extruded Slices 12 l Scale 1 00 a e gga B sakh 2 Rotations 000 1 al P Scale and Rotation S Profile Placement Wizard prompts Application Method to create a mesh object Revolutions and Extrusions Page 247 Application Method All of the options for applying the results of the extrude operation are the same as the options described in the chapter on relief creation The options for Add Subtract Merge Highest Merge Lowest and Replace all apply to the situation where the revolution is to be applied to an existing relief For this to be
12. The following graphic shows some simple 2D artwork that is used to create the relief example To repeat this example you can create an ellipse and some contour artwork similar to the fleur shown in this example 1 Create your 2D artwork In this example create an ellipse and center artwork like the fleur The ellipse is approximately 8 inches tall by 6 5 inches wide 200mm x 116mm Page 224 Creating Reliefs 2 Select the ellipse and offset it with a 0 5 inch a inline and a 0 01 inch outline y 3 Select the original ellipse This will be used to create the base relief 4 Click on the Create Relief icon or select the Surface 3D Surfaces x menu and Create Relief ERI DU EE TEE F AL E 5 Select the Flat relief option oo 6 Select the Add option 7 Define the parameters to he CL COO Height 0 00 Base Moral De x 0 00 and Resolution 100 C Constant height ee 0000 al and select the Normal C Scale to height relief type Limit to height Resolution 100 8 Click Apply to get the following result Click the Rendered Icon to toggle to the rendered view of the relief on and off 9 Now select the relief and the two offset ellipses that were created in Step 2 Toggle the rendered view off in order to select the ellipses Creating Reliefs Page 225 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Page 226 Select the Round relief o
13. Weld offsets If checked overlapping offsets will be welded together to form a single toolpath group If cleared overlapping offsets will be left the way they are Sharp When toolpaths are offset from square corners they are naturally rounded Working with Toolpaths Page 141 corners Inlay With Bridges 7 Click OK This does not affect the squareness of the corner and it generally allows for smoother movement of the machine If this option is checked the toolpath offsets form square corners It is generally not recommended to choose this option If checked the toolpath defines either the socket for an inlaid piece of a different material if the toolpath is set to Internal or the cut that will separate the inlay itself from the plate if the toolpath is set to External Because a round bit is being used to cut out both pieces both the male and female toolpaths need to take into account the dimension of the tool This changes the shape of the toolpath particularly in corners If this option is checked the Inlay Gap parameter displays This parameter indicates the size of the gap that will exist between the inlay and its socket Bridges are small tabs of material that are left connecting parts which would otherwise be completely severed from the rest of the design After the job has finished cutting the operator can then manually cut the bridges to remove the part from the rest of the plate If this box is ch
14. a This option is most effective when it is used to modify an existing relief It can be used when creating a new relief but the effect will be the same as the Add option When it is used to modify a relief the new portion of the relief only modifies the existing relief where it is higher than the existing relief This is best illustrated with a simple example as shown in the following image In this example the top letter was created using the Merge Highest option Notice that it is the same as if it was created using the Add option The bottom portion of the image shows same result an existing elliptical relief that was modified using the same contour The key thing to notice is that the relief was only modified where the relief created by the new contour was taller than the existing relief Note that if you are creating a new relief the Add Merge Highest and Replace options will all create the Creating Reliefs Page 219 Merge Lowest The Merge Lowest option is similar to Merge Highest except that a relief is only modified where the new relief is lower than the existing relief This option is a little less intuitive than the Merge Highest option Essentially wherever a relief would not be modified by a Merge Highest option it would be modified by a Merge Lowest option The following graphic demonstrates how a contour can be used to modify an existing relief using this option The top portion of
15. 0 00 Spindle 18000 inmin Inf min in min SEC ae ak ae ae ade rpm Select the Climb direction Direc rectori Conventional Climb Page 364 3D Toolpaths 10 The toolpaths for the 3 8 inch tool are shown here Me AN h foo f Aap MASI A ine Hel an ne 5 a Han W AN VZ i tithe a SME TL Lt te i AN NS WINS a SS 11 This image shows a rendered view of the step rough toolpath using the 3 8 inch tool 3D Toolpaths Page 365 Roughing Pass The next step in defining the toolpaths for this relief is another roughing pass The second cut to add is another rough cut The purpose here is to create a surface that is closer to the finished surface than the step rough One disadvantage of a step rough is that it creates a surface with ledges that may be too tall for the finish tool we will use A standard roughing pass will create a relatively smooth surface 12 Select the Island Fill Strategy and a 1 4 inch end mill tool for this cut Select the following Island Fill Parameters Apply to Relief Apply to Surface Optimization standard Apply Overcut Apply to relief G Overcut amount 0 50 Apply to surface W Carve into surface E Apply Overcut z Overcut amount T Surface 0 00 Deve Final depth 2 00 Offset from surface 10 Step Rough unchecked Surace Final Depth Offset from surface dP aie Step Rough Overlap 75 Corner tags checked Fill An ov
16. 3 4 5 Click on the Radius Dimension Icon Click on the contour Drag the mouse to the position you want to place the dimension information Click to place the dimension You can then go on to create the next dimension or right click to exit the tool Diameter Dimension Tool Menu Draw Dimension Diameter Dimension Toolbar Construction Dimension Diameter Dimension 1 2 Click on the Diameter Dimension Icon Click on the contour Creating Contours Page 81 3 4 5 Drag the mouse to the position you want to place the dimension information Click to place the dimension You can then go on to create the next dimension or right click to exit the tool Leader Dimension Tool Menu Draw Dimension Leader Dimension Toolbar Construction Dimension Leader Dimension Click on the Leader Dimension Icon 2 Click on the contour 3 Drag the mouse to the position you want to place the Leader lines 4 Click to place the line Using the Text tool you are able to place the text on this line if you choose to 5 Youcan then go on to create the next dimension or right click to exit the tool Page 82 Creating Contours 6 Contour Editing Editing Points on a Contour The Edit Points tool allows you to manipulate lines curves and points in contours To edit a contour 1 From the Draw menu select Edit Points re 2 Select the contour Notice that as you place the cursor over a segment
17. 8 After completing the configuration of the drill bank click on OK to close this dialog When you click on OK to exit the Machine Drivers dialog the drill bank configuration you defined will be saved in the driver configuration file After you define the layout of your drill bank you can disable the drill bank in the driver without deleting the layout Then when you enable the drill bank again the parameters you defined before will still be present It is important to verify that the driver you are using is capable of using a drill bank Not all the drivers have been modified to enable them to issue the correct output commands If you are unsure please check first with the manufacturer of your machine and then with SA International technical support if necessary to find out whether your driver is capable of using drill banks Editing the Material Library Menu Setup Material Library Toolbar Libraries Material Library The Material Library command is used to define the cut speeds for the different types of materials wood metal etc that you are routing or engraving When you use the Define Plate command you can select a Material Type to be associated with the plate The software will then update the plate information to include the cutting speeds associated with the material you select Material definitions are written to the MaterialLibrary ini file located in the folder where the software was installed Some machines and or drive
18. Spiral Fill Toolpaths Menu Toolpath Spiral Fill Toolbar Toolpath Hatch Fill Spiral Fill The Spiral Fill strategy is essentially the same as the Island fill except that it creates a spiral pattern for filling the selected contours This can be very useful for certain design elements but it is typically only useful for objects that are round or near round On round contours it allows the toolpath to be created as a single toolpath This eliminates the need for the tool to step in after every trip around The advantage is that this is more efficient and it can also improve the aesthetics of the tooling marks that are left on the milled surface On objects that are not round the toolpath must stop where it intersects the edge of the part which requires the tool to lift up and then move to the next portion of the toolpath This could require many more tool lifts than would be necessary using either a standard Hatch or Island fill Page 160 Working with Toolpaths Uff a Drill Tools Menu Toolpath Drill Toolbar Toolpath Drill 7 4 m a y pi L par i _ _ HEE 4 T ne I fi Drill points are similar to toolpaths but they are not the same Many CNC machines are able to respond differently to drill commands than they do to standard toolpath commands For this reason the software creates drills as a different type of object so that when this information is sent to the machine
19. The Standard Chamfer works by first adding a height to a relief that is equal to the height of the profile and then removing material around the perimeter of the relief that is the shape of the profile An analogy for this method would be to visualize the result created by passing a hand held router with a shaper tool around the edge of a block of wood The following image illustrates how this might look using a common bit shape Chamfering Page 263 Before using the Chamfer tool this relief was a flat relief with zero height The shape of the profile used to create the relief is shown below This profile which is just an open contour in EnRoute demonstrates the general shape with the high point on the left side and the low point on the right side that is used for most chamfer operations Notice that in the corners the profile is cut off very similar to what would happen in the hand held router analogy As long as the relief is wider than the chamfer profile the full width of the profile is applied As the profile is passed around the perimeter of the relief or the perimeter of the selected closed contours it is possible that one side might cut off the other side leaving only a partial profile This can create an attractive effect or you may see that you need to modify your profile to keep this from happening The following graphic illustrates how this works Page 264 Chamfering Step 1 The height of the profile is added
20. Wavelength 3 0 Horiz Amplitude 2 0 Vert Amplitude 01 Offset 0 2 Noise checked The seed contour used was a straight line contour The toolpaths were cut with a 90 degree conic tool Texture Tools Page 339 Wave Texture 1 The parameter for this texture are Overlap 1 0 Wavelength 3 0 Horiz Amplitude 1 5 Vert Amplitude 0 2 Offset 0 7 Wave checked A straight line contour was used as the seed contour and a 1 inch Ball End tool was used to cut the toolpaths Wave Texture 2 The parameters for this texture are Overlap 0 1 Wavelength 2 5 Horiz Amplitude 1 0 Vert Amplitude 0 2 Offset 0 5 Wave checked A straight line contour was used as a seed contour and a 90 degree conic tool was used to cut the toolpaths Page 340 Texture Tools Rapid Picture Tool A photograph can be used along with the Rapid Texture tool In this tutorial we will demonstrate the use of photo images used to create a lasting remembrance using the rapid picture tool Selecting a Photo In this example a black a white photo was used We have found that a color picture usually works best because the tone of the picture is not as uniform as a black and white photo So some changes were made to the photo in Corel Photo Paint to enhance to quality of the original photo Below the first picture is the original the second picture is the one that was used in this example We tried to create m
21. aia This will open the Precision Toolbar 2 Select Path Copy S 3 Select the object to copy Then select a contour for the path by clicking on it A preview will show on the screen as you enter information into each of the parameters in the Precision Toolbar 4 Enter the Number of copies The spacing will be adjusted accordingly Enter the Radius of the arc 6 Enter the Offset Percentage Use Offset if you want the original contour offset from the Starting point of the path contour The percentage is based on the spacing 7 Check Align to Path to rotate the copies to match the direction of the path 8 Select one of the following copy placement options Contour Editing Page 101 Hold Enter the number of copies and the spacing will Number be calculated to keep them evenly spaced Hold Enter the desired spacing and the program will Spacing calculate how many copies will fit in the path All Corners Copies will be placed at both inside and outside corners along the path Inside Copies will be placed only at inside corners on the Corners path Outside Copies will be placed only at the outside corners Corners on the path 9 Click the reference grid button that corresponds to the corner side or center point that will be used to position the contours along the arc 10 Click the reference grid button that corresponds to the corner side or center point that will be used to position the contours along the arc 11 Cli
22. contour After grouping contours together you can also Ungroup them to return them to their original state This tool is used mainly as a convenience when you are working on intricate designs 1 After creating a number of contours select them Notice that the contours are automatically sorted when they are selected 2 Click on the Group Icon T After selecting the contours you want to group you can press Ctrl G to group them Now when you change the size of the group or move it around it will be treated as a single object If you select any part of the group to work with you will be selecting the entire group You can use the control points or handles to scale the entire group as a unit To separate the group into its component contours simply select the group and click on the Ungroup Icon or press Ctrl U ia Moving Scaling and Rotating Objects EnRoute provides several methods for interactively and precisely moving scaling and rotating objects It is important to be able to quickly move and scale objects in the drawing but it is equally important to be able to position and size objects very precisely EnRoute s tools meet both of these needs Arranging Contours Page 107 Moving and Scaling Interactively Within EnRoute s standard interface it is possible to move and scale objects simply by selecting them and clicking and dragging For creative design work that doesn t necessarily require pre
23. contour offset toolpaths Bridges are placed after the toolpath has been created Fine tool for routing offsets A fine tool can be used in the Routing Offset strategy in order to allow inside corners to be cut out using a smaller tool than is used to cut the object out This allows sharper inside corners to be created without having to use a smaller diameter tool to cut a part out Extend arc as an arc The user now has the option of extending arc segments as either a continuation of the arc or as a line segment G code import This is primarily for troubleshooting and possibly as a help for certain small cutting adjustments Align bottom of relief or selected 2D object to the top of the plate This is helpful when working with reliefs allowing the user to position the relief back in the standard position for editing Import rou files using layers Import an EnRoute drawing into the current drawing maintaining the layer structure of the imported drawing Improved cutting estimation tool The new tool creates a detailed cutting report and displays it as a page in the user s active web browser Sharp Corners for Engrave and Routing Offset EnRoute implements the ability to create sharp external corners using conic tools in the Engrave and Routing Offset strategies For certain applications the sharp corners look more natural and fit the design better In the engrave strategy this is presented as an option and with rout
24. height resolution revolutions revolve example rotating scaling shape beveled flat round smoothing reliefs spin tool sweep two rails 316 319 317 344 336 66 66 18 30 17 151 231 218 218 219 220 220 219 303 263 286 215 286 246 289 290 232 290 285 286 216 217 218 216 217 224 221 223 222 221 221 229 233 287 287 216 216 215 289 235 253 wizard prompts Relief Edit Tools Relief Toolbar Reliefs using bitmaps Rendered View of Toolpaths Return height Reverse open Contours Revolve Angles for Revolution revolve dialog revolve example revolve tool wizard prompts Right click menu Rotate rotate interactively rotate tool rotate with precision input center Routing offset templates Routing Offset Toolbar Routing Offset Toolpaths Rulers Save Scale reference line scale 1 dimension scale 2 dimensions scale 3 dimensions scale tool scale with precision input center scaling interactively scaling line scaling objects Scale and Rotation Scale Toolbar Scaling Reliefs Screen refresh Scroll bars Setting the Toolpath Order Settings Toolbar Shape Wizard Shortcut menu Shoulder Shrink Simulate 2D Simulating Output Simulate 2D Simulate 3D Simulate Ortho Single Fillet 2932 349 42 303 373 73 97 229 231 230 233 229 232 24 107 116 116 109 144 38 140 11 56 114 112 112 112 112 109 108 114 107 248 42 288 17 12 205 31 75 24 147 350 307
25. process e The Enhanced Corners option emphasizes creating a contour with distinct sharp corners It also provides a number of additional parameters that affect the vectorization process e The Enhanced Curves option emphasizes using arcs to provide a best fit of the vectors to the original artwork 3 Check the Auto cleanup box if you want the software to attempt to automatically simplify the contours it creates Set Tolerance to the size of the smallest features on the bitmap that you want the software to keep See Cleaning Up Contours for details Contour Editing Page 103 Cleaning Up Contours Menu Draw Cleanup Toolbar Contour Editing Cleanup selected contours The Cleanup tool automatically simplifies the selected contours so that they use fewer segments to achieve the same effect This makes it easier for the software to create toolpaths and reduces the chances for the toolpath creation process to fail because of some odd configuration in the geometry 304 Segments 65 Segments 1 Select the contour ep Set Tolerance to the size in inches of the smallest features you want the software to keep 2 Select Cleanup 4 Higher Tolerance settings will cause the contour to be simplified more but they will also change the appearance of the contour more 5 Click OK Page 104 Contour Editing 7 Arranging Contours Selecting Contours To select a contour click on its edge You can also select mul
26. select the manufacturer of the machine from the Manufacturers list 3 Click on the arrow on the right end of the manufacturer listing to open a list of their available machine drivers 4 Select the machine you want to add to the active drivers list from the list of machines Click OK Removing an Active Driver To remove a driver from the list of active drivers 1 Click on the Active Drivers button at the bottom of the Machine Setup dialog 2 Select the driver in the Active Drivers list 3 Click the Remove button 4 Click OK Removing a driver from the Active Drivers list does not delete it from the Manufacturers list Page 196 Configuring the Software Configuring a Tool Changer To set up a tool changer 1 Click the Auto tool changer check box in the machine parameters list of the Machine Setup dialog The Number of Tools and Edit Tools parameters appear after the Auto Tool changer box is checked 2 Under Edit Tools click on the Click to Edit text to open the Tool Changer Definition window Tool Changer Definition 1 7476 End Mill 2 f End Mill 3 144 End Mill Add Tool Empty Turret To add a tool to the list of tools in the turret 4 Select the tool that is in the position you want the new tool to occupy Click Add Tool The new tool is added to the list in the selected location and the existing tools are moved down to make room for it 6 Using the pull down list for the new tool select the
27. star Align the objects to o I center 2 2 Select the Create a Relief Icon 3 Click the Add icon to select that option 4 Select the Rounded option 5 Select the Limit to height Application method Pio Height 0 3000 9 4 C Constant height Base p 0000 Define Height 30 f Scale to height Base 0 00 f Limit to height Resolution 100 Resolution 100 6 Enter the angle parameter as 45 00 Click Apply Angle L 7 This is a rendered top view of the object 3D Toolpaths Page 359 8 Select the relief and hold the Shift key and select the star Select the Add Icon By selecting both the relief and the star this tells EnRoute to apply the star to the relief rather than creating a new separate relief for the star 9 Select the Beveled option 10 Select the Limit to Height application Method fan Height 0 3000 C Constant height Baze o 0000 Define C Scale to height Height 30 Limit to height Resolution 100 5 Base 0 00 11 Enter the angle parameter as 45 00 Angle 45 0000 4 12 The rendered view should look similar to this 13 Select the relief Click and hold the Align relief icon Select the Align all reliefs to top of plate option 14 This will move the relief into the plate vertically The front view shows the vertical placement of the relief in the plate Page 360 3D Toolpaths You may also place the relief i precisely by p
28. 04 O E Align Bottom Use this command to align the bottom of objects that have been selected O Align Top Use this command to align the top of objects that have been selected Do Align Centers Vertical Use this command to align the vertical centers of selected objects c Align Centers Horizontal Use this command to align the horizontal centers of selected objects o Align Left Use this command to align selected objects to the left side o gt Align Right Use this command to align selected objects to the right side Weld Toolbar Weld x kay D Ia pp BR Weld Joined This is the most commonly used method for welding objects It works by combining overlapping objects into one object by creating a new object that is defined by the outer perimeter of the overlapping objects Weld Common This tool is used to define a new object based on overlapping contours The new contour is defined by the perimeter of the overlapping portion of the contours gal G Weld Subtract Weld Subtract subtracts from the object that was selected first using all subsequently selected objects Jigsaw Weld This is a design tool used to create a shape in which both open and closed contours may be used in the creation process It is an interactive tool By moving the cursor into different areas on the screen EnRoute looks for closed shapes that can be formed by overlapping contours Cut by Line The Cut by Lin
29. 2 VA E n d M i 0 06 Engrave Engrave 2 e Router Offset Parameters D e pt h m 5 0 External male Internal female E External checked Weld offsets n z Sharp comers E i Inlay E Zz ith bridges Click OK With brid m 23 An Engrave toolpath is also added to this same contour in order to put a Strategy OK beveled edge on the design ns gt 1 90 Deg Conic Engrave 0 2000 Edit Plan Click on the Engrave icon ay y eH Available Tools Sort tools by Ee E nte r pa ra m ete rS i Description Tool Type Engave __Delete Too Tool 7 0 06 Engrave 3 pee 9 0 C O n IC To O 0 02 Engrave Engrave 2 D e pt h 2 0 Engrave Parameters 3D engrave toolpath IV 3D Engrave toolpath checked Serie Internal female Wwe Internal checked as i Click OK 24 Use the Simulate Ortho tool to create a rendered view of the toolpaths that you have created Click on the Simulate Ortho icon aa 25 You are now ready to cut your project Page 348 Texture Tools 20 Relief Edit Tools The Relief Editing tools provide a quick and simple method for editing any relief surface using tools that are similar to bitmap painting tools This provides another powerful creative tool for relief creation There are five new tools to use to edit your existing relief or to use to create a new relief using the mouse to draw a free
30. 4 Click on the Move button Guidelines may also be moved interactively by simply selecting the guideline with the mouse left click hold and drag to the desired location If the lock guides option has been enabled this interactive method does not work Getting Started Page 15 Rotating a Guideline Menu View Edit Guidelines Activate the Guidelines dialog 1 Click on the Next button until the guideline is highlighted in blue 2 Enter the angle in degrees you would like the guideline to be rotated to in the Angle field 3 Click Rotate 4 Click Done Locking Guidelines Menu View Edit Guidelines The Lock Guidelines feature prevents guidelines from being moved or edited by accident Guidelines may be added while the guidelines are locked but may not be deleted moved or edited 1 Activate the Guidelines dialog 2 Check the Lock Guides box 3 Click Done Hiding Guidelines Menu View Edit Guidelines The Hide Guidelines feature allows you to hide the guidelines without actually deleting them While this feature is enabled no guidelines will be displayed the Snap to Guidelines feature is disabled 1 Activate the Guidelines dialog 2 Check the Hide Guides box 3 Click Done Changing the View The commands available in the View menu and the Zoom toolbar allow you to zoom in and out to get a closer look at part of your design or see the whole thing The zoom commands do not change the size of any part of your de
31. 4500 in Actual step 0 2000 In 3 The Clean pass is shown in green This will allow you to have a straight outside edge Working with Toolpaths Page 183 Another use for this tool is to use the distort toolpaths tool on the toolpaths that have been applied to a relief to create a hand carved look to the finish 1 A rounded relief was created Island Fill toolpaths were applied In the parameters the Vertical Amplitude was adjusted Wavelength 1 0000 a Horz Amp 0 1000 Jitter 0 1000 l Vert Amp 0 2000 A Apply Close 2 Click onthe Apply The toolpaths will be distorted vertically in the Z plane also m iN N ii Hy This is a rendering of the toolpaths that were distorted on a relief You can come up with many different textures simply by changing the parameters of the distortion Page 184 Working with Toolpaths Deleting Toolpaths Menu Toolpath Delete Toolpaths Toolbar Toolpath Delete Toolpath The Delete Toolpaths tool allows you to delete all the toolpaths in a toolpath group The original contours in the toolpath group will remain To delete a toolpath 1 Select the toolpaths you want to delete 2 Click Delete toolpaths W Project Toolpaths Menu Toolpath Projecting Toolpaths to a plane Toolbar Output Project Toolpath This tool provides a method for tipping toolpaths vertically It is useful for cutting non horizontal surfaces and is likely most useful
32. 7500 in fe erection Y direction Miscellaneous Priority The Priority determines the order in which the toolpaths are ordered using each of the five Priority options These items may be placed in the desired order by clicking on the item to be moved and then clicking and dragging on the item to move it When the output is created the toolpaths are ordered working from the bottom item in the list up to the top Priority item For a given output file the toolpaths are ordered five times so for the list in the dialog above they would be ordered first based on the order of the Layers and then based on the Pass depths then based on the sorted Objects then based on the Strategy Order and finally based on the Tool Order The result of this process is that the toolpaths will always be ordered to match the order of the top Priority item They will be ordered to match the order of the second Priority item to the extent that it is consistent with the Tool Order and so on down the Priority list This means that the top items have the most impact on the order of the toolpaths The following simple example illustrates the concept of the Priority Ordering of toolpaths using numbers to represent toolpaths Page 388 Automatic Toolpaths The following numbers are unordered The numbers aren t repeated and they are either big numbers or small 5 8 3 9 2 7 1 4 6 The numbers are first ordered based on their numeric se
33. As amp Oo T ae gr e A z a Bites did Muat i h ar ddla er x 5 6864 y 4 6193 20 0000 Size x 0 0000 y 0 0000 z 0 0000 Getting Started Page 9 Working with Views To maximize a view double click on the name of the view that appears in its upper left corner Double clicking on the name a second time returns you to the four view layout You can also toggle between the top view and the perspective view using the F12 key Menus All tools and options are available by selecting them from the menus at the top of the screen File Edit View etc Click on the Menu name to open the menu Toolbars In addition to locating the tools through the menus you can also find the tools readily available on the toolbars Some of the toolbars contain flyout Toolbars The flyout Toolbar is a group of tools that share the same space on a toolbar the entire group of tools fly out when you press and hold the first tool A small yellow triangle in the lower right corner identifies the first tool in a fly out toolbar Hiding and Displaying Toolbars Menu Setup Toolbars The user has the option to turn off some or all of the toolbars associated with this program If there is a check mark in front of the toolbar s name the toolbar is turned ON Resetting Toolbars Menu Setup Toolbars Reset to Defaults Select Reset to Defaults if you would like to set the toolbars back to their original position Using Toolbar Flyout Menus
34. Contour Editing x EAP Ma E p Many toolbar icons have a small yellow triangle in their lower right corner indicating that a flyout menu for the tool exists A quick click on the toolbar icons will activate that particular tool Click and hold for a short time in order to access the flyout menu containing several more tools SAPP If you click on the edge of a flyout menu and drag it the menu will tear off and form a floating menu Edit contours x Ar ery Page 10 Getting Started The original flyout menu will still be there the floating menu is a duplicate Rulers Menu View View Ruler Rulers appear along the top and left side of the main screen to help you measure and align contours Rulers can be activated for the top right and front views from the View menu The rulers can be very helpful in keeping track of where you are in a design as you move around in the design during the design process The rulers are also a handy way to bring guidelines into the work area by just clicking on a ruler and dragging the guideline into the design Displaying and Hiding Rulers Menu View View Ruler To show or hide the rulers from the View menu point to View Ruler and click Top Right or Front view Changing Units Menu Setup Preferences Units tab To change the units used for all the drawing elements in your design from the View menu click on Preferences and choose the Units tab Select the uni
35. EnRoute creates a nesting summary document that allows users to track the efficiency of the nest and also to track their material utilization for job cost tracking Dimensions Creation of different plates on different layers using non rectangular shapes This allows users to define different material sizes in one drawing and to also utilize remnant contours as their plate definitions This is a productivity tool that will make the plate definition more useful for users during the design process Daisy chain cutting for no lift cutting option This provides a method for reducing the number of tool lifts during cutting To accomplish this the tool modifies the location of start points in order to minimize the amount of cutting required between parts Rendering and simulation enhancements EnRoute includes a new rendering option that improves the OpenGL rendering to better utilize graphic card hardware This speeds up and improves the rendering process This can be seen both in normal 3D rendering and will also be an improvement to the simulation process Single stroke fonts EnRoute now includes single stroke fonts that can be used just the same as other font styles in EnRoute These fonts are intended for use primarily for marking purposes using an Engrave toolpath strategy Relief distortion allowing existing reliefs to be modified to follow a path This is a way to distort existing reliefs It can be used as a creative tool and
36. Inthe Precision Toolbar enter the number of rows and columns of copies desired and the space between the rows and columns A preview of the copies will be shown in pink If you have one or more contours that must be copied so they fill up your whole piece of material For example a 4 x 8 sheet Simply check the Fill Plate Box The selected contours will be copied to fill the entire plate You do not need to fill in the number of horizontal or vertical copies The spacing between the contours is based on the spacing between the rows and columns that have been defined 4 Click Apply to place the copies Page 98 Contour Editing This is an example of an array copy to fill the plate with 10 horizontal spacing and 10 vertical alae PPY PPVP PPVS Menu Draw Multicopy Toolbar Contour Editing Multicopy The Arc Copy tool takes an existing contour or set of contours and creates a series of duplicates spaced out along the curve of an arc The arc of copies that is created is defined by the radius and angle of the arc the number of copies that are spaced along that angle and the positioning point that will be used to position the copies on the arc on 1 Click the Multicopy Icon ain This will open the Precision Toolbar E Select Arc Copy 3 Select the object to copy A preview will show on the screen as you enter information into each of the parameters in the Precision Toolbar once you have selected the object to copy 4
37. Plate This tool will automatically position and scale a relief so that it fits vertically within the defined plate in your active drawing Apply Draft angle to Relief This function allows you to add a draft angle to your relief Create a Mesh surface from Relief This tool allows for the creation of a mesh surface from a relief b E D P 9 Offset Relief Surface Offsetting a relief surface can enhance EnRoute s applications for mold making Itis also an interesting creative tool and can be used to improve the effects achieved with Rapid Texture Dimension Toolbar Dimension x SO Sa Single Dimension This tool allows you to determine the dimension between two i selected points ey Angle Dimension This tool allows you to determine the angle of two selected points Radius Dimension This tool allows you to determine the radius of a selected circle Toolbars and Command Icons Page 41 ae Diameter Dimension This tool will determine the diameter of a selected contour Leader Dimension This tool allows you to place a leader arrow in the selected location of the drawing Relief Toolbar Merge Reliefs This tool is used to merge one relief to another Combine Selected Reliefs This tool will combine two or more selected reliefs Extract a slice from a relief This tool allows for a section of the relief to be extracted from the relief Nest Toolbar Nest x B ok
38. Simulate to tool change This will play the simulation until the tool is finished Simulate rewind In the simulation tool this is the function to rewind the simulation to play it again Single Fillet This tool is used to interactively place a fillet into a select area of a contour Slant Text Select this option to change the slant of the characters A positive value will cause the letter to lean towards the right while a negative value will make the letter lean back or to the left e ily la 5 Smooth mesh to relief This option implements a means of smoothing out the facets of the mesh to provide a smoother finished surface when applying the mesh to the relief O Page 50 Toolbars and Command Icons Smooth Relief Edit Tool This tool has a smooth shape to use when editing the existing relief Sphere Sphere shaped mesh found in create primitive objects Subtract relief This option is used to create a recessed relief P O Text Height Select this tool to change the height of the text objects Text position on contour Select this tool to determine which side of a line or curve the selected text is to be placed Mn Text Spacing Select this tool to change the spacing between the text objects A positive value will increase the spacing a negative value will decrease the spacing between characters Text Width Select this tool to change the width of the selected text objects 4
39. Simulation tool so that the effect of any change may be viewed Previewing Output Page 191 After any ordering changes are made be sure to click on the Update Order button so that the changes are reflected in the output and simulation 4 Click Done to end the simulation Be sure to activate the Rendered View icon D Image with rendered view activated Image without rendered view activated Page 192 Previewing Output 10 Configuring the Software Configuring Machine Drivers Menu Setup Machine Setup Toolbar Libraries Driver Setup The Machine Drivers dialog is used to select the appropriate driver for your machine and to configure it if necessary to adjust specific parameters The drivers will typically be located in a folder called NDrivers located in your program folder The driver configuration files have a CNF extension along with a driver file with the same name with either a PST or DLL extension Any changes you make to the driver configuration parameters are saved in the CNF file After a driver for your machine is configured it is not typically necessary to make changes to the driver configuration unless something changes The exception to this may be changes to the tools loaded in your machine s tool changer if it is configured with one To set up a machine 1 Click Driver Setup ba Machine Drivers el Curent Driver Precis S100 7 o Ko Cancel o terms Current ae Un
40. Slices m2 a S elect the first rail ajl ea ho a Ej Bassa g Stacks 112 a 4 x 7 x Wizard prompts Mesh Parameters Application Method to create a mesh object Page 256 Revolutions and Extrusions Application Method All of the options for applying the results of the sweep two rails operation are the same as the options described in the chapter on relief creation The options for Add Subtract Merge Highest Merge Lowest and Replace all apply to the situation where the swept surface is to be applied to an existing relief For this to be possible it is necessary to select the relief to be modified before starting the Sweep Two Rails command The right most application method option ge allows you to create a mesh object with the Sweep Two Rails command As shown in the dialogs above when this option is selected the parameters required for the command are different than when a relief is to be modified When this option is selected the parameters change providing space to enter the number of slices and stacks that will make up the new object These are described below and the rest of the command is the same whether you are modifying a relief or creating a new mesh object Relief Options These options function similar to how they work in the relief creation tool In this case you have three options Normal Scale to Height and Limit to Height e Normal The new surface is created just as the sele
41. The following image shows a large relief 3D mesh of a lion Using 3D Meshes acts as the mask All three of these elements are part of the selection Page 282 Wh HN arag With these selected execute the Apply Mesh command to add the mesh to the relief The result is shown in the next image Using 3D Meshes Page 283 After adding some borders to the relief to complete the design you see a perspective view of the relief in the next image You can see how the use of the mask made it simple to incorporate only the portion of the mesh object that was needed Page 284 Using 3D Meshes 17 Modifying and Combining Reliefs Introduction After you have created a relief EnRoute provides many tools that allow you to modify it to fit the needs of your design This chapter provides descriptions of the tools that are available for modifying reliefs as part of your design process Selecting Reliefs To select a relief click on the contour that defines its perimeter You can also select multiple reliefs using one of the following methods e Hold down the SHIFT key and click on the reliefs one after the other e Click and drag to draw a selection box around the reliefs Cutting Copying and Pasting Reliefs One handy aspect of reliefs in EnRoute is that they exist in the same workspace as all of the other EnRoute object types This means that they can be treated in much the same way as any other EnRoute object Cutt
42. The geometry in the DXF files is separated onto different layers based on what type of machining will be required Shapes to be cut out will go on a layer geometry for dados will go on different layers and drill points on different layers This arrangement of geometry on specific layers can be customized to match very specific manufacturing methods but after it has been specified for a given Page 382 Automatic Toolpaths method it likely won t change The Layer Mapping in EnRoute s ATP provides a method to synchronize the toolpath creation to match the geometry in the DXF files As an example if the rectangle that represents the perimeter of a part is placed on a layer called Cutout the ATP should be configured to look for the layer Cutout and then to create a routing offset toolpath using the desired EnRoute Strategy This is where that happens First activate the Define Layers tab by clicking on it The layers table will initially be blank What is needed is to create a list of layers that corresponds to the layers included in the DXF files of the jobs to be processed Then Strategies will be assigned to these layers When the job is processed these Strategies will be applied to all of the geometry that resides in that layer in each of the DXF files Define Layers Tab 2 Automatic Toolpath Setup C Program Files EnRoute 3 AutoTP AAStandard atp loj x Define Layers Ordering and Nesting KCDw Setup Design Use
43. This will start the simulation and allow it to play until the end bt Next Lift This will advance the simulation to the next tool lift gt 2 Next Tool This will advance the simulation to the next tool change 4 Done End This will end the simulation and close the Simulate 2D dialog 3D Toolpaths Page 373 Order Order This button displays a Toolpath Ordering dialog that is identical to the one in the Output dialog Changes in Priority Ordering Tool Strategy and Sort Method may all be accomplished directly in the 2D Simulation tool so that the effect of any change may be viewed After any ordering changes are made be sure to click on the Update Order button so that the changes are reflected in the output and simulation 3 Click Done to end the simulation Be sure to activate the Rendered View icon o Image with rendered view activated Image without rendered view activated Page 374 3D Toolpaths 22 Automatic Toolpaths Introduction The EnRoute Wood version of EnRoute provides Automatic Toolpath ATP capabilities that allow you to process parts contained in external DXF geometry files This type of geometry is commonly generated by design applications that serve industries such as the cabinetmaking and furniture making industries EnRoute s Automatic Toolpath capabilities provide an efficient way to process large numbers of parts as part of a Nested Based Manufacturing NBM process This chapter
44. a default spindle speed that is used if no spindle speed is Speed provided in the output file Page 194 Configuring the Software Feed These are the feed rates that the machine moves in the X and Y axes There are values specified for both Within the material and Above the material The first refers to cut speeds while the tool is actually cutting material and the second refers to feed rates as the tool is moving between toolpaths after it has lifted out of the material Plunge These are the speeds that the machine moves in the Z axis either as it is moving down into the cut or moving up out of the cut Dwell It is sometimes desirable for the tool to remain in one position for a short period of time after it has plunged to a depth This allows the tool to remove chips properly before it begins its cut Driver Units These are the units that are expected by the machine controller for any values it receives As described above these values are most often defined by the machine manufacturer and should not be changed by users unless you know for sure that the change is appropriate The values are specified for Length Speed and Time If you make changes to these values and then decide that the changes are not correct you can click on the Use defaults check box to return the values to their original values Communication The communication parameters are used when the software is used to Parameters send output directly to
45. a machine These values are configured to match the parameters specified for communicating with the machine These parameters specify how information regarding distance and angles is converted into machine movements Please note that many machine controllers are not designed to receive files directly from the software If you are not sure how to communicate directly with your machine check with the manufacturer to find out what communication parameters are appropriate and whether it is possible to send files using this method Do Not Change these values unless you know for sure that the changes are correct If the values are specified incorrectly it will make it so that output will be misinterpreted so that distances and speeds will not be correct 4 Click OK Configuring the Software Page 195 Selecting Active Drivers The list of active drivers in the Current Driver list should list all of the machines commonly used with the software at your location Adding an Active Driver To add a machine to the list of active drivers 1 Click on the Active Drivers button at the bottom of the Machine Setup dialog Set Active Drivers Manufacturers Active Drivers Messer Precix 9100 MimakG MultemGC GCode Mimaki Hulticarn 2D Mint MulticamPlasma GCode MottonM aster MothikistrFag MSyS2103 HultermGC Ma ulticarn Path Multem aw Remove Driver Path C EnRiouted BetaSNOrvers 2 Inthe Active Drivers dialog
46. amount of cleanup work you l A Carsiinc A want to do and the length of time AA TT you have to run the job Values of 75 coarse to 95 fine are typical The higher the overlap the more time the job will require to run We suggest that you experiment by running the same relief at different overlaps to get a feel for the time and texture Ni I f 3D Toolpaths Page 369 Engrave Toolpaths on a Relief This next example shows the application of 3D toolpaths applied directly to a relief 1 Inthis example the plate size is 4 x 6 x 1 The object is a 4 x 6 inch rectangle 2 Select the rectangle Create a relief Ta using the following parameters ME EE Add to relief Rounded relief Normal da oo Resolution 100 f Normal Angle 50 degrees z sant ela Base o oo al Limit to height Resolutions 100 Angle 50 0000 3 The results should be similar to this perspective view image 4 Move the relief into the plate Select the relief Click and hold the Align relief icon Select the Align all reliefs to top of plate option 5 A Add a text object to the design O 2 Center the text object with the relief Page 370 3D Toolpaths Select both the relief and the text object Select the Engrave toolpath icon ie a 90 Deg Conic Engrave O 1000 Add a Conic Tool with a Depth of 10 Select the following Engrave Parameters 3D Engrave toolpath 30 engrave toolpath In
47. and extrusions to create meshed objects and modify selected relief surfaces Chamfer This icon activates a toolbar allowing the selection of different chamfering tools The Chamfer tools allow you to modify reliefs by applying profiles that can range anywhere from a simple rounded edge all the way to an intricate profile that changes the whole relief Apply Mesh This icon activates a dialog designed for the application of 3D meshes to reliefs Meshes are made up of triangles of varying sizes that define their surface Page 36 Toolbars and Command Icons eo Apply Bitmap This icon enables a dialog used to apply bitmap images as a method for modifying relief surfaces The application method defines how the bitmap will be applied to the relief surface Merge Reliefs This tool allows you to merge one or more reliefs with a base relief This allows you to create portions of a relief separately and then merge them together to create the final surface Modify Relief Click and hold this icon to activate a toolbar that provides tool options that allow you to modify reliefs to fit the needs of your design Align Reliefs This icon can be used to activate a toolbar that presents a number of different options for aligning the reliefs in a selection The first icon is used to align all reliefs to the bottom of the plate The additional icons in this toolbar provide other alignment options Create Primitive Objects The Primitives to
48. and the preview window EnRoute x Brick Texture Notes This is a simple Bricks and Mortar texture that can be applied to reliefs There are parameters to set the size and position of the bricks Additional parameters allow you to set the roughness of the bricks and mortar as well as introducing some distortion into the brick pattern Parameters Position Position of the texture Scale The texture is scaled by this value Use this one along with Brick Size and Mortar Size to get the effect that you want The roughness and distortion of the bricks and mortar will also be scaled when you use this pararneter Brick Size Nominal dimensions for the bricks Actual size of bricks is determined by the combination of Brick Size and Scale parameter Mortar Size Nominal dimensions for the mortar Actual size of mortar is determined by the combination of Mortar Size and Scale parameter Jitter Strength of the distortion added to the brick pattern Higher Jitter value will produce more distortion Use this in combination with Twist parameter to define distortion Twist This determines the tension in the distortion pattern Higher values here make the distortion pattern smaller and tighter Use this in combination with the Jitter parameter to define distortion Brick Rough Strength of the roughness applied to the bricks Mortar Rough Strength of the roughness applied to the mortar Notes If you get a combination of parameters
49. applied to the relief the results are correct The following image shows a front view that includes a relief and four mesh spheres that are located at different positions in the z axis A perspective view of the relief shows the results of applying these objects to the relief using the Add option Using 3D Meshes Page 281 BADD Dei A Sy IT Ax BODEN Xe AAACN ee NENAS sy eb ee PDD DATA STAD Dae AANT wy A DA TARA i SINAN Whe BEY ie Rar DA DA ADA A SER ADs ANA SEED ERREEN ar a A A ARAR S BRAVIA Meth LESION TAGE APE DN ASKIN E J DDD A RET TS AN imam BOND ADDO POA RU eee Diy KAKARA AANS a te sis SOA uence ERC SERRE e pna Dai oh oy Si p ie A BOUNDED E VNA SDD a0 Et oE EI a A RA a ae PDX se sien Fih x af I i eo SX abs Relief surface eas aaa ral Bas Wh A TORNA A NONAS piii ike j A ag fi te Front View showing vertical position of meshes and relief Perspective view of the relief after meshes were added can be accomplished by using a mask A mask is just a closed contour that is selected along with There may be times when it is desirable to use just a portion of a mesh object in your design This the relief and the mesh object when the Apply Mesh command is started Using a Mask and a smaller elliptical contour which J
50. at 0 00 the drill points will be centered on the corners of the plate Inset Y The vertical inset from the corners of the plate Add Copies X Enter a number here to create additional drill points spaced evenly between the corner drills in the horizontal axis Add Copies Y Enter a number here to create additional drill points spaced evenly between the corner drills in the vertical axis 5 Add additional drill cuts using other tools as necessary All cuts will share the same drill point coordinates 6 Click OK 7 If you checked the By Graphic box click with the mouse to place drill points on your design Right click to release the tool If the By Graphic box was cleared a single drill point will be created at the specified coordinates Saving Strategy Settings as a Template To save the current settings as a template 1 Click the Save as button 2 Type a name for the template and click OK Loading Strategy Settings from a Template To load the settings previously saved as a template select the template from the Strategy list Page 168 Working with Toolpaths Editing Drill Cut Parameters The drill cut parameters are very similar to the cut parameters in the other strategies with a couple of key differences They are all the same within the different Drill Strategies The following sections identify the unique cut parameters for the drill Diameter by tool vs Exact diameter If the Diameter by tool option is selecte
51. bit smaller than the size of the material that you will be working with This allows for the edges of the material to be trimmed so that you can assure a continuous pattern Size 5 x 5 This is the size of each panel Wave Length 5 0 Horizontal Amplitude 0 6 Vertical Amplitude 0 3 Offset 0 4 Rows 2 Columns 2 This represents the number of panels required for the finished area Page 332 Texture Tools 5 Once you have entered the parameters click on the Preview button The preview will be drawn on the screen You can get a good idea of parameters that you have set The green represents the contours that will be created The pink and yellow represent the contour that outlines the Re one eg sa a panels that you have created i ee e A 6 Click Apply to place the contours ee F You will notice the contours are continuous over the length of the i RANNA ANN panels The next step is to apply toolpaths and then cut the panels To do this there are some things that you need to consider The size of the plate will need to reflect the size of the material that you will be cutting the panels from Each of the panels will need to be individually cut because of the uniqueness of each panel We suggest that you create layers for each of the panels You will need to take care in labeling the panels when placing them on the layers because when you install the panels you will need to know w
52. by itself and a different tooloath based on a group of contours which includes the first contour you will need to make two copies of the contour one to use by itself and one to use as part of the group When this is necessary it is helpful to keep the individual contour and the group of contours on separate layers in order to avoid confusion Strategy When creating a toolpath you must choose a strategy which determines the type of toolpath the software will generate fill engraving slot etc Each strategy has its own set of parameters which define virtually every aspect of the toolpaths that are created such as tool type depth overlap direction and speeds Because the strategy completely determines the appearance and shape of the final toolpath the software always refers to the toolpath by the strategy that was chosen not as a toolpath Plan The plan is the set of all of the different strategies contained in any one toolpath group Cuts Each toolpath strategy is made up of one or more cuts For instance a fill might have a Rough cut a Fine cut and a Clean cut Each cut uses one specific tool as well as the parameters associated with the type of cut it will be making Working with Toolpaths Page 139 Plan Strategy and Cut Templates At each step in the toolpath creation process it is possible to define and save a library of templates that can be used to automate the process A cut template saves the parameters as
53. complete the line segment You are now ready for the next segment RER Al Constructing an Arc Segment following are the steps required to create an arc segment With an arc segment EnRoute is trying to get enough information to define the arc As soon as enough information has been defined then the arc is created You can use many different combinations of information start point direction radius center point sweep angle and end point to define the arc The key is to remember that you are always trying to define enough parameters to allow the arc to be finalized The following examples demonstrate how arcs can be constructed in different ways Page 62 Creating Contours Example 1 Activate the Arc Mode If this segment is the first segment in you Polyarc contour then either snap click to the correct location in the drawing or define the correct x and y coordinates in the toolbar in order to start the segment Then define the next position for the endpoint of the arc The endpoint allows the arc to be constructed because the arc is assumed to be tangent to the previous segment If it s the first segment then the tangent is assumed to be 0 degrees With the endpoint and the tangent known the rest of the arc parameters can be calculated and the arc constructed R AL You are now ready for the next segment IS Example 2 Activate the Arc Mode if necessary If this segment is the first segment in you P
54. created with that geometry Example Select the remnant contour and click on the m Create Plate from Selected Contour Q Create Summary A summary report will be generated if the option is checked Step Angle When using the Shape nester this option allows you to specify the angle in degrees that the objects are allowed to rotate when nesting Allow Rotate This allows the objects to rotate when using the Block nester Create Common Line When using the Block nesting tool users can choose to create a contour that can be used for common line cutting This is useful for cutting rectangular parts because it prevents double cutting of the parts Example This is an example of the common line cutting feature 1 Select the objects to be nested and click on the Nest Icon This will open the nest dialog 2 Click on the Block nesting icon This will change the dialog to present only the options that are available to the block nester 3 In this example we changed the Quantity to 2 while all of the objects were selected This will nest 2 of each object The Gap is set at 25 because we will be using a 1 4 inch tool to cut the pieces 4 Select the Create common line checkbox 5 Click Apply Page 130 Arranging Contours pi Quantity 2 al Gap 0 2500 al Mest originals Allow Rotate Al Priority Order 5 al Margin 0 2500 al Multiple sheets We Create common line Create remnant Create summary This imag
55. degrees Copies This option is not implemented at this time Leave it at 1 Hold Output If you are sending the output to a machine through the Output Control Center this option tells the OCC to hold the output in a queue so that you can send the queue of jobs to the machine when you are ready Outputting the Design Outputting the Design to a File To output the design to a file 1 Click To File 2 Inthe standard Windows Save As dialog that opens specify the file name for the output file and click OK Outputting the Design to a Machine To output the design to a machine click To Machine The design will be created as a job in the Output Control Center queue for the selected machine Page 210 Output to Machine Using Output Control Center to Manage Output The Output Control Center OCC is used to communicate and manage your plotter engraver and large format printer files ia Pile Es File Queue Job Help x ule a Jobs of Larken_3D on COM2 on Local Job Status Size Date Time Computer 3D on COM2 yf Done Ef Hendrick_TC on com2 Ef Multicam_3D on COMI Ff Dahigren_SDWitharcs on COM The left side of the dialog displays the queues for all of the machines that have been set up Clicking on the plus sign next to the queue expands it to show the Done queue for that machine When you select a queue from the left side the right side will display any jobs that are queued to be sent to this m
56. e Save Current Parameters to Preferences P Click here to save the current parameters to the Preferences You can also access the Ordering Options table from the 2D Simulation and Ortho Simulation tools This allows you to make changes to the ordering options and then immediately see how they will affect that final output Changes you make to the ordering options in 2D Simulation and Ortho Simulation will be carried over to the Output dialog Setting the Priority Clicking on the Priority button displays the Priority Order list which lists the following parameters that can be used to sort the cuts in the design Tool The type of cutting too used to make the cut Object The object that the cut forms a part of An object in this context means a separate piece that will be cut from the plate Strategy The strategy to which the cut belongs Bundle The bundle to which the cut belongs Bundles are groups of toolpaths that make up a cutting pass Pass The cutting pass to which the cut belongs For example if the priorities are in the order listed above the cuts will be sorted first by the type of tool they use then by the individual contours to which the cuts of each tool type belong Reordering the Priority List Entries Entries in the list can be reordered by dragging them up or down in the list Click on the row header on the left edge of the entry to select it then drag the entry up or down by the header Setting the Prio
57. either represented as lt active application gt or lt KCDw gt and should be interpreted to mean that any of the design applications can be inserted into these references Overview of the ATP Process When DXF files are created in the design applications supported by EnRoute different types of machining operations are separated onto different layers in the DXF files The geometry on all the layers in a file represents a single part and all of the machining such as drilling milling and cutting that is to be performed on that part In order to process the part the ATP needs to be instructed about what operations Strategies should be applied to each layer of geometry in each DXF file When EnRoute processes a part it uses this mapping of toolpath Strategies to apply toolpaths to each piece of geometry in the part After all the parts have been imported and had toolpaths applied they are nested together onto sheets and then machining output files are created based on the ordering and output preferences defined At first this process may appear to be rather complicated but the nice part is that after you have defined the desired parameters for Layer Strategy mapping ordering and output they can be saved in an ATP configuration file Then when it is time to process another job the ATP file can be opened to recall all of the desired settings As few as three mouse clicks can be required to process a job that may contain dozens of parts The f
58. el 3 Inthe Island Fill dialog select the desired tool from the Available Tools list and click Add Tool The Sort tools by list determines the parameter that is used to sort the Available Tools list It can also filter the tools that are displayed so that only a certain type of tool is visible The first tool in the list is always defined as the Rough tool and it is typically used as the main cutting tool Any additional tools serve as Clean tools primarily used as a final pass to clean up cutting marks from the Rough tool or to fit into areas that the Rough tool couldn t 4 Inthe tool listing that appears in the list of cuts at the top of the dialog set the Depth of the Cut Page 158 Working with Toolpaths It is possible to enter fractional values such as 1 2 in order to let the program calculate the decimal equivalent That way it isn t necessary to remember that the decimal equivalent of 3 16 is 0 1875 5 Add additional cuts using other tools as necessary 6 Set the Island Fill parameters Inlay This defines whether this strategy is part of an inlay project If this fill will be used as the female part of an inlay project it is necessary for the software to modify the toolpaths to compensate for the dimensions of the tool Also you will need to define the inlay gap which is the spacing between the male and female portions of the inlay A gap is needed to allow the two parts of the inlay to fit together The screen i
59. for routing offset and fills Use this tool to change the height or angle of existing toolpaths Project Toolpaths Dialog Vertical Rotation Rotation Edge vertical angle 0 0000 al Apply f Angle f Height p Vertical height o 0000 al Close Apply across selection al Help Vertical Rotation The toolpaths can be tipped vertically Angle Check this to set the angle Height Check this to set the height Apply across selection Use the entire selection to define the rotation plane Rotation Edge Select the starting side to tip the toolpaths Vertical Angle The degree of the angle to assign to the toolpath Vertical Height The height of the toolpath angle Working with Toolpaths Page 185 Page 186 Working with Toolpaths 9 Previewing Output Simulating Output in 2D Menu Machining Simulate 2D Toolbar Output Simulate 2D The Simulate 2D tool allows you to preview the output of your toolpaths in the order they will be sent to the machine This allows you to review the output before cutting it to make sure that the toolpaths and their order are correct To simulate output of your design in 2D 1 Click Simulate 2D La Previewing Output Page 187 Simulate 2D K gt gt pt PE ae Done Current Tool 1 6 Ball End Long Tool Lifts Curent Depth 0 6300 Tool Changes 2 Inthe Simulate 2D dialog use the controls provided to play the simulation The controls are s
60. for your machine and specific activities You may define speeds for different types of materials wood metal etc that are to be routed or engraved When the Define Plate command is used there is the option to select a material type to be associated to the plate Speed settings can be set for the materials you use most often so that EnRoute will apply these parameters to new toolpath strategies jobs without having to re specify them each time Tool Library F5 The Tool Library command is used to define routing and engraving tools used with the toolpath commands The tool geometry entered for each tool is used to generate toolpaths Toolbars and Command Icons Page 31 Driver Setup F6 This icon will bring up the parameters for the currently a active driver Each driver parameter may be edited and then saved back to the driver configuration file All of the drivers that have been installed on the computer are available to be selected as the active driver Output Toolbar Output x W E a E B e Generate Output This is the main icon used to send toolpath output either to a ia file or directly to the machine In this dialog the user defines how the information is to be sent how the toolpaths are ordered as they are output and which toolpaths are included Automatic Toolpath The EnRoute Wood version of EnRoute provides T Automatic Toolpath ATP capabilities that allow you to process parts contained in external DXF geomet
61. gt six4 Ea p ee e not assigned Clear Layers a Strategies have not bee n m apped Load Process Active to th e l aye rs Save Process Files Save As Process KCDw Close Map Strategies The next step is to select the Strategies to assign to each layer Remember that strategy templates are saved using the Strategy dialog in EnRoute Strategy templates can be saved for every type of toolpath that can be created by EnRoute After a Strategy Template has been saved it is then available to the ATP to be specified in the ATP Strategy Mapping table Router Offset xj Strategy 7 OK Tool Type Depth Cancel b 1 31 4 End Mil Rough 0 5000 S Click the Save as button in the Strategy dialog to save the active Avelable Tock aan Ado Strategy as a vailable Tools ort tools by i Description Tool Type Type x __Delete Tool tem plate This 3 16 End Mill End Mill Clear saved template can then be used by the ATP 0 2mm End Mill End Mill Wiluna End Mill A 1 4 End Mill End Mill M Router Offset Parameters External male Internal female Weld offsets Sharp corners Inlay With bridges 99 451 Page 384 Automatic Toolpaths Strategy Use the Strategy template dropdown to review the names of the saved strategies and to Rout Dado T025 D0375 Door Bore T0375 D050 A Rout Drawer 10187
62. hand design The same basic concept of Add Subtract Merge Highest Merge Lowest and Replace are used in combination with the shape of the tool specified Edit Relief Toolbar Menu Surface Relief Edit Toolbar 3D Surfaces Edit Selected Relief These tools are found in the Surface Menu under Relief Edit or in 3D Surfaces Toolbar by selecting the Edit Selected Relief tool 2 al BR BB Radius fo 2500 ae a Aya Angle 45 0000 al Fade Shrink a apu Cear Use spline Close iw Build surface Parameters Fz Smooth Relief Edit Tool This tool is rounded at its tap and base so it works well to gently modify a relief surface Bevel Relief Edit Tool The bevel shape on this tool is great for adding details to your surface B Dome Relief Edit Tool This tool has an arc shape Poo B Flat Relief Edit Tool This is good for interactively adding a specific amount to S your surface 4 Blended Relief Edit Tool This tool is used to blend the surface It will even out the surface within the selected radius Radius The radius specifies the size of the tool Angle This is the angle from the edge of the tool to the center This is used to define the height of the edit tool Height This specifies the height of the flat tool Relief Edit Tools Page 349 Use Spline Build Surface Fade Shrink Apply Clear Close If this option is checked when you click and drag the mouse to edit the relief EnRoute
63. into arcs 1 Select the contours 2 From the Transform menu select Convert Selection to Arcs E Reverse Open Contours Menu Transform Reverse open Contours This tool reverses the direction of an open contour The direction of the contour is indicated by the direction of the arrow head on the contour To display this option go to the Setup Menu Preferences View Setup and check the box for Open contour direction To reverse the direction of the contour 1 Select the contour tf The example below shows that the arrow of the first line segment was pointed to the right After it was selected and reversed the arrow is showing to direction to the left 2 From the Transform menu select Reverse open contour Contour Editing Page 97 Creating Multiple Copies of a Contour Array Copy Menu Draw Multicopy Toolbar Contour Editing Multicopy The Array Copy tool produces multiple copies of the selected contour ordered into a specified number of rows and columns with a specified spacing For example if you need to cut out several copies of the same contour it is a simple task to create those copies at the desired spacing on the sheet using this tool oor oor 1 Click on the Multicopy Icon gt This will open the Precision Toolbar pg m Fill Plate Horizontal vertical m Apply a bte Ez Sq sa Rows 1 _ Close lt gt Columns 0 5000 Z 0o00 ac 2 Select Array Copy 3
64. is a simple Bezier curve drawn in the EnRoute 2 Select the ellipse contour and create a 100 dpi rounded relief using an angle of 30 degrees 3 Select the relief and the clipart and then select the Chamfer Centerline icon As or select the Surface menu and then Chamfer Chamfer Centerline 4 Click on the Add icon to select that option 5 Select the Normal application method 6 Define Height 0 30 and Base 0 0 Chamfering Page 273 7 The wizard is prompting to select the chamfer profile contour Click on the open profile contour to select it 8 Click on the Execute button to 9 The following shows a rendered top view of the resulting relief Baroque Carve Chamfer Menu Surface Chamfer Baroque Carve Chamfer Toolbar 3D Surfaces Chamfer Centerline Baroque Carve Chamfer The Baroque Carve Chamfer tool can be used to create the look of wood carving The tool allows you to use a different profile shape for the outside and the inside of the contour The following example shows the steps involved in creating a relief surface using the Baroque Chamfer tool First create the 2D artwork In this case that includes a 5 inch square The primary artwork includes some fancy 2D clipart that is commercially available Page 274 Chamfering 2 The open contours will be the profile for the outside and inside chamfer Itis a Outside Inside simple Bezier curve drawn contour conto
65. it can also be used to modify a relief to follow a specific path For example modify a rectangular design to follow a curved path Relief offset to enhance mold making and for other effects Offsetting a relief surface can enhance EnRoute s applications for mold making It is also an interesting creative tool and can be used to improve the effects achieved with Rapid Texture Page 2 Welcome Contour noise distortion One of the criticisms of CNC machining particularly in creative applications is that the parts are too perfect and look like they were cut on a machine EnRoute includes a tool that allows you to distort contours by defining distortion parameters This can be used to introduce small distortions to contours so that they don t look too perfect It can also be used as a design tool to change contours more dramatically Toolpath noise distortion This is a similar tool to the contour distortion but it is applicable to toolpaths The cool thing about this is that it allows you to introduce variations into the surfaces you cut which allows you to achieve a more hand cut look to your pieces File preview Files saved in the EnRoute 5 have a preview created so that the next time the file is opened a preview is available in the Open File dialog This makes it easier to identify the correct file to be opened Bridges on open contour offset toolpaths It is now possible to manually place bridges on open
66. it can be used as a mask It is only necessary to select the masking contours along with the relief and the bitmap when you activate the Apply Bitmap function You will notice that the masking contours are automatically sorted into groups of containers and holes and when the bitmap is applied only the portion of the bitmap that is inside the mask will be applied The following image shows a relief that had a bitmap texture applied using letters as a mask Using Bitmaps Page 305 3D Effects using Bitmaps It is possible to create realistic 3D effects using bitmaps but this requires bitmap images that are created with this in mind Remember that when a bitmap is applied the colors and shading in the image are what control how the bitmap modifies the relief In a grayscale image the different shades of gray on the scale from white to black define the height of the bitmap The Height parameter that you define provides the overall height of the bitmap With a grayscale image white colors would be applied at this Height value and then the shades of gray would be shorter down to black which has no effect on the relief The following image shows an example of a grayscale drawing that was created in order to have the proper effect on a relief You can see that the lightest shades in the waves will be the tallest parts of the bitmap Since the fish is a little darker it will be less tall and the background is black so it won t affect the r
67. liable for any damages including infringement lost data lost profits cost of cover or other special incidental consequential or indirect damages arising from the use of the program however caused and on any theory of liability This limitation will apply even if SA International Inc or an authorized dealer or distributor has been advised of the possibility of such damage SA International Inc MAKES NO WARRANTY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WITH RESPECT TO THE SOFTWARE AND DISCLAIMS WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE SA International Inc does not warrant any drivers for plotting scanning or either devices These drivers are provided for our customers as a Service only and were developed using information provided to us at the time by the equipment manufacturers SA International Inc is not responsible for any typographical errors in the software or in the documentation 6 General If you are a U S Government end user this License of the Software conveys only RESTRICTED RIGHTS and its use disclosure and duplication are subject to Federal Acquisition Regulations 52 227 7013 c 1 ii This License will be construed under the laws of the State of Pennsylvania except for that body of law dealing with conflicts of law if obtained in the U S or the laws of jurisdiction where obtained if obtained outside the U S If any provision of this License is held by a court of compe
68. more than necessary In looking at these before and after images of the toolpaths you will notice that the Daisy Chain process has connected the individual toolpaths from the separate objects It has also moved the start points as necessary to minimize the movement of the tool within the material During the Daisy Chain process it may still be necessary for the tool to lift out of the material in order to reach parts that can t be reached otherwise or to maintain a reasonable distance between parts and within the material This method was created primarily for use with Plasma cutting machines With these machines the cutting tip on the torch is a consumable part that is used up more quickly when the cutting torch is started and stopped for each part For these tools it is often more cost effective for the cutting to continue between parts Working with Toolpaths Page 153 Creating Hatch Fill Toolpaths Menu Toolpath Hatch Fill Toolbar Toolpath Hatch Fill The Hatch Fill strategy can only be used with closed contours The Hatch Fill Strategy is used to create toolpaths to mill a surface down to a defined depth using toolpaths that move back and forth across the area to be milled This option is used most often to mill out larger areas of material that typically don t have a lot of thin sections but it can be used on any artwork Types of Cuts There are three types of cuts that can be defined in the Hatch Fill Strategy the F
69. no matter what size tool you use the parts will be the correct size You can also use this command to create inlayed objects Click and hold to open the flyout menu Daisy Chain This tool can be more efficient because it allows the cutting to be done without having to lift the tool out of the material as often Hatch Fill The Hatch Fill command is used to generate a series of toolpaths to remove an area or section of material Island Fill The Island Fill option is a series of inlines lines and arcs that are generated until the selected contours are filled Drill The drill functions provide tools for adding drill objects to the design Drill objects are a special type of toolpath group that define drill points that can either be created on their own or be created based on selected contours Drill points can be created in patterns such as arrays around a circle and along a path Multiple tools can be specified for any drill point Slot The Slot command is used to create a single line that the router will cut Engrave The Engrave command is used to generate a machine path on the Original contour to be engraved or to generate a 3D path without a fill Pyramid This type of toolpath strategy is used to create a positive bevel on the selected set of contours using a conic shaped tool It can also include a roughing pass to ensure that the pyramid tool will be able to complete its cuts and an offset toolpath to cut the
70. of the cabinet side to the pilot holes of the hinge plate Creating Contours Page 79 Shape wizards typically create their results within the current EnRoute drawing The Boxster provides the oe option of creating each part in its own drawing file in re order to facilitate the use of this wizard with EnRoute s Automatic Toolpath functions J Multiple Drawings Multiple Drawings When this is checked each part Exports No Expot will be created either in its own EnRoute drawing of in Filename Prefix joom its own DXF file Export As This provide three options No Export means the parts will be created in the active drawing EnRoute means the parts will be created in EnRoute Drawings and DXF will create separate DXF files for the parts The DXF option should be selected if you plan to process the parts using the ATP ok Filename Prefix When multiple drawings are created Cancel each drawing receives a name that is descriptive of the part The prefix allows you to add to the filename in order to distinguish your projects and to keep files from being overwritten Dimensions Menu Draw Dimension Toolbar Construction Dimension EnRoute contains a variety of dimension tools that you can use to display the measurements of lines and angles Using the available snap tools along with the dimension tools makes it easy to establish the dimensions of an object Single Dimension This tool allows you t
71. plunge rate rough shoulder spindle speed width Cutting order Daisy Chain Toolpaths Deleting bridges jobs strategies Deleting Contours Depth of cut Depth of toolpaths Designs 97 30 98 99 105 101 160 160 92593 141 190 53 29 105 127 355 139 145 154 148 144 181 174 179 157 160 152 176 140 150 207 148 148 148 154 154 146 148 145 147 148 147 207 153 181 212 178 106 141 146 150 155 25 closing creating drawing exporting importing opening saving Dimension Toolbar Dimensions angle dimension tool diameter dimension tool leader dimension tool radius dimension tool single dimension Direction arrows on toolpaths Distort Contours Done queue Draft Angle Draw Lines Toolbar Drill arrays templates Drill bank configuring Drill circles templates Drill corners templates Drill points along a contour templates drill cut parameters in centers of contours templates templates Drill Toolbar Drill Tools Driver Setup Dwell Edit Contours Toolbar Edit Relief Build Parameter Fade Parameters Shrink Edit Relief Toolbar Editing entry exit points Editing points Editing Points arc bezier curve insert corner tool 37 53 61 57 57 56 56 4 80 81 81 82 81 81 25 85 118 212 292 43 165 194 198 164 168 167 169 166 163 38 162 193 148 195 43 351 350 349 350 349 178 83 84 84 84 Page 404 line segment smooth approxi
72. process and it is important to always understand where you are in the process In the Design phase you are typically creating 2D contours for your design You might also be creating a relief surface Everything you do to define the geometry and surfaces of your design is part of the design process After completing the design you are ready to create the toolpaths for cutting out the design In this stage it is important to understand such things as the material you plan to use the tools you have available and the quality of the finish required on the cut edges and surfaces of the parts Output to the machine requires you to select the correct output driver and to make sure that the configuration in EnRoute matches your specific machine Basic Elements of EnRoute The main display area shows a view of the workspace It can display a Top Right Front or Perspective view of the workspace or all four views at the same time Although you will likely do the majority of your work in the top view it is often very convenient to be able to view contours and toolpaths from other views in order to see how they relate to each other zi 7 Y Fie Edt View Draw Transfonr Toolpath Machining Setup Window Solutions Help D S hsna KaR SHEKRBA EARD Layer 1 ad 4H R R R R R Q T R amp 0 bs 4 A R il h 2 ls k ls le i le ho l he ha l4 hs he it hy e a 9 yl gt Ls z Agr kS S a a A a 227 an 7 0 ae Se es ee a 14 yo
73. provides a description of EnRoute s Automatic Toolpath capabilities including a description of how to set up the required configuration settings how to set ordering and output preferences and then how to process files The following graphic shows a sheet of nested parts that have been processed using EnRoute Wood Ta EnRoute KCDw Output File k o x gB File Edit view Draw Transform Surface Toolpath Machining Setup Window Help la x Bese SB s oex MPQQHRKK FAnn Mana Pinca e gt o T 4 he a E te i E ie a amp R n e Q D Mh E 4 R Bat K 1e Y 9 Ge x yo 4 So gt Ga ay Te a m A b x0 0000 0 0000 20 0000 Size x 0 0000 y 0 0000 20 0000 Automatic Toolpaths Page 375 Design Application Support Several design applications are supported by EnRoute Wood and new application support is added based on requests from users manufacturers and customers The list of Supported design applications is continuously being updated to reflect new applications Editor s Note The graphics in this Automatic Toolpath discussion must often show a particular design application as the active application In the interest of simplicity KCDw was selected as the active application to show in most of these graphics This is not intended to offer a specific recommendation or to exclude any of the supported applications References to the active application in the text are
74. represent the major steps that were introduced in the ATP overview previously Initially many of the parameters in the ATP dialog are blank When a saved ATP parameter file is loaded this dialog is filled out based on the parameters in the ATP file The next several sections provide a step by step discussion of the process of defining the required layer mapping and other parameters required to successfully process parts using the ATP Dialog Tabs ey A a l Pree ae Pee Eat ae 2 eae TP AA L apm Kiger homey Jenal prt Li pie 4 a wt ow oF e EH Deni Arp Processing Buttons Processing Buttons There are seven buttons that are present all the time that the ATP dialog is active This is because these functions can be activated at any time These buttons are highlighted above Load This activates a load dialog for loading a saved ATP file ATP files may be located anywhere that is most convenient the same as standard EnRoute drawing files Save This allows you to save the current parameters into an ATP file If an ATP file has been previously saved or loaded during this ATP session the file will be saved without prompting you to identify where and by what name to save the file If the file has not been previously saved you will be prompted to name the file to save Save As This is the same as the Save button except that it always activates the save dialog to prompt you for a name under which to s
75. routing offsets at the end so that objects don t cut out before they have finished the other operations 19 Select the Sort Method Typically the Shortest option works fine 20 Set the Plate Size What size material are you going to use 96x48 97x 49 etc If you are processing output from a design application then the thickness parameter will be adjusted automatically 21 Set the Surface option Do you typically set the machine surface at the top or bottom of your material 22 Set the Grain Direction Typically leave it in the X direction 23 Set the Nesting Options Angle Step 180 or 90 Page 398 Automatic Toolpaths Multilayer checked Use Holes unchecked Gap 0 0 or some small number Margin 0 0 or some small number Position Button Bottom Left or Lower Left typically 25 Set the Output Options Check the appropriate options If this is the first time through you may not want to generate any output until you have reviewed a few jobs Because EnRoute creates an active drawing containing all the nested sheets it is easy to review the results of the processed job without having any other output created Just scroll through the layers to see the nested sheets 26 Set the Output Settings Tell EnRoute where to send the output 27 Set the Label Settings If you are creating label output choose a label design and a label format Remember that labeling is an optional feature 28 SAVE THE ATP FILE Be
76. saves the points and then uses them to define a smooth curve for the edit If it is unchecked then EnRoute uses the points it gets from the mouse directly without trying to smooth them If this parameter is checked each time that you drag the tool over an area of the relief the surface will be affected by the specific parameters of that tool and add to any prior movements of the mouse with that specific tool The fade parameter reduces the radius of the tool from the set size to zero within the stroke of the mouse movement This allows you to blend with the existing relief The shrink parameter affects the height of the tool parameters reducing it from the highest to the lowest within the mouse movement This also allows the tool to blend with the existing relief Click Apply to accept changes that have been made with an edit tool These edits can be reversed outside of the edit tool by using undo Click the clear button if you choose not to accept the changes made while using the edit tools If you change tools the change is accepted for the previous tool You can use the Undo tool if you do not like the changes to the relief that have been already been accepted Click close to exit the tool Fade and Shrink The fade and shrink parameters are used in conjunction with the Spline parameter Using these parameters will help to blend into the existing relief One thing to remember is that the larger the radius of the tool and the h
77. sections along the rails to the desired position 11 Click on the Execute button to 12 The following shows a rendered top view of the resulting relief This example demonstrates how the Sweep Two Rails command can be used to modify a surface to create an organic shape In this example with just a few more steps the leaf surface can be completed as shown in the following image Page 260 Revolutions and Extrusions Create a Mesh Surface The Sweep Two Rails tool can also be used effectively to create interesting mesh surfaces In the following example we create another leaf shape using a few simple contours 1 Create the 2D artwork This example requires four contours two for the rails and two for the cross sections In this example the two rail contours have been edited so that they have dimension in the z axis rather than being flat 2 Select the Sweep Two Rails rif icon or select the Surface menu and then Create Surface Sweep Two Rails 3 Click on the Mesh icon to select that option 4 Define Slices 36 and Stacks 12 5 The wizard is prompting to select the first rail Click on the left rail contour and then click the Next step icon _ P in the wizard x J Select the first rail Revolutions and Extrusions 6 The wizard will prompt to select l the second rail Click on the right select the second rall rail contour and then click the Next Step icon __ _ in the wizar
78. shape of plate can be defined simply by drawing a contour selecting that contour and clicking on the icon This feature can be used with the nesting feature when a remnant has been created By selecting that contour and clicking on the Create plate from selected contour icon the shape of that remnant will be the next plate This allows the user to easily utilize the leftover material for another part of the job Example This shows nesting the objects and creating a remnant from the remaining material Select that remnant contour and click on the Create plate from selected contour icon This will create the plate that represents the remaining material Any contour shape can be used with this feature Q Using Plate Templates Templates are used to store frequently used settings Selecting the template reloads the information saved in the template Saving a Template 1 Enter the desired information in the Define Plate dialog box 2 Click Save As 3 Enter the name of this template and click OK 4 This template will now be added to your plate template library Working with Files Page 55 Using a Template 1 Click on the Template list and the saved plate templates will be displayed 2 Select the desired template Opening a Design Menu File Open 1 Click Open lar or Ctrl O 2 Select the file format folder and the file that will be opened 3 Press Enter or click Open Preview Files With EnRoute 5 you
79. surface from relief This tool allows you to create a mesh from an existing relief 1 Select the relief 2 Click and hold the Smooth ie h a Smooth Icon Create Mesh from Relief icon then click on the Create mesh from relief icon 3 Enter the Mesh tolerance Poe in the parameters field and Mesh tolerance 0 0750 click Apply 4 The mesh will be created and placed in the same location as the relief Relief Relief and Mesh Mesh Modifying and Combining Reliefs Page 293 Offset Relief Surface Menu Surface Offset relief Toolbar 3D Surfaces Modify Relief Offset Relief Surface Offsetting a relief surface can enhance EnRoute s applications for mold making It is also an interesting creative tool and can be used to improve the effects achieved with Rapid Texture 1 Select the relief 2 Click on the Offset Relief Surface icon This can be found in the 3D Surfaces toolbar in the Modify Relief flyout toolbar It is also in the Surface Menu 3 This will open the Offset Amount dialog Offset Amount Offset Amount os Cancel 4 Enter the amount that you wish to offset the relief surface 5 Click Ok This will apply the offset to the surface of the relief The following images shows a relief before and then after the offset was applied Page 294 Modifying and Combining Reliefs Merging Reliefs Menu Surface Merge Reliefs Toolbar 3D
80. tell EnRoute where the output files should be placed and how they should be named The Output Path button activates a dialog for specifying the path to the output files This path is displayed to the right of the button The Output filename parameter serves as a prefix to the names of the output files It is a way to define filenames that are easily identifiable Output files are automatically named using the material name for the parts If the Output filename parameter is set then the material name portion of the filename is appended after this parameter As an example if the Output filename parameter was set to Smith0O1 and the material it was to be cut using is 3 4 Plywood then the output filename would be SmithO1_3 4 Plywood cnc Notice that the is replaced with _ since this is not a legal character in a filename Also the extension on the filename would be based on the active machine 2 Automatic Toolpath Setup C Program Files EnRoute 3 AutoTP AAStandard atp i 0 x Define Layers Ordering and Nesting KCDw Setup Design application KCDw X Output Options IV Create output files I Create printout of parts umun IV Create label output MOutput Settings Label Settings Dutput Path C dnefiles KCDW Label Design New Layout 4x3 Ids 7 r Label Format File LabelFormatCollection lfc v Output filename fsilent_1 Label Format Name 4x3 La
81. that are acceptable and want to make the brick pattern bigger or smaller use the Scale parameter to scale the bricks and distortion and roughness together With the use of distortion the brick texture can produce interesting patterns that look nothing like bricks and mortar Texture Tools Page 313 Example using the Brick Texture 7 In this example the brick texture is shown on 4 different shapes of reliefs Flat Rounded Beveled and Limited Height Create simple a simple ellipse shape and use the Multicopy tool to copy the shape Add the different relief shapes to the contour Select the reliefs and click and hold the Textures icon in the 3D Surfaces Toolbar This will activate the flyout menu Click on the Brick Texture Icon This will open the Precision Toolbar Select the Parameters Add to Relief In this example we simply chose the brick texture from the template QUOC La EnRoute saves the last texture that was used to be the icon in the 3D Surfaces Toolbar For example if the last texture you used was the Brick Texture then the brick icon would be the one in the 3D Surfaces toolbar and you would only need to click on the icon to activate the Brick Precision Toolbar This helps to streamline the creative process A ar Ba E GA i e a e a a i isi hei oh Bricks Texture Page 314 Texture Tools section Click on the arrow Template to open th
82. that the maximum height of the relief matches the Height parameter The Constant Height option works quite well with the Chamfer Centerline tool This is worth noting because the results you get by selecting the Constant Height option are often quite improved over the results without it The following image demonstrates the different results that can be obtained by choosing this option Normal Relief Constant Height Relief Relief Parameters As with all the other tools the Base parameter provides a means of adding on to the relief height to create vertical sides on the relief The Height parameter will be used every time the Chamfer Centerline tool is used The following table shows how the Height parameter is used with each of the Relief Options Height of the tallest point in the relief Constant Height Height of the relief in general Scale to Height Height of the tallest point in the relief In this case it gives the same results as the Normal option Limit to Height Maximum height of the relief Page 272 Chamfering Chamfer Centerline Example The following example shows the steps involved in creating a relief surface using the Chamfer Centerline tool 1 First create the 2D artwork In this case that includes an ellipse that is approximately 7 inches wide by 9 inches tall The primary artwork includes some fancy 2D clipart that is commercially available The open contour will be the profile for the chamfer It
83. that the profile is to be scaled along the length that it is extruded If you don t want to scale the profile then define a value of 1 0 If you want to reduce the profile size by one half then define a value of 0 5 for the Scale factor The following image shows an object created using a circle extruded along the length of a semi circle The scale factor for this extrusion was 0 25 Page 248 Revolutions and Extrusions The Rotation parameter defines the number of times that the profile will be rotated as it is extruded A value of 1 0 will cause the profile to be rotated 360 degrees over the length of the extrusion This is illustrated in the following graphic that was created by extruding a square profile along a semi circle while rotating it one time Profile Placement The Profile Placement buttons fH allow you to position the extruded profile in nine different positions relative to the path Each button indicates a position on the selection of profiles that will be extruded This position is the location that the profiles will be places as they are extruded around the path If you select the lower left button then the lower left corner of the selected profile is where it is located as it is extruded around the path The following graphic shows a top view of set of simple extrusions that were each created using the same profile and the same path with just the Profile Placement button changing for each object The top view and rig
84. the tool on each pass To edit the parameters for a cut 1 Select the cut in the cut list and click on the ellipses in the Edit column 2 Edit the cut parameters 3 Click OK The following figure shows the Cut Parameters dialog for the roughing tool in the Routing Offset strategy Page 144 Working with Toolpaths Cut Definition OF Cut Templates Current Tool 3 8 End Mill Cancel tems Cure Value Gaveas Cut type Fill Library Depths Fill Passes Gl Hl 4 Feeds and Speeds Ce ll E Ent E sit Parameters Oper The cut parameters are organized into an explorer list Click on or H to expand or collapse an entry in the list To the left of the opened closed symbol is an indicator about the readiness of the parameter values in that category A green check mark indicates that the values are all legal A yellow symbol with a green X indicates that the values may not be entirely complete but that this won t stop the strategy from being created successfully A red symbol with an X indicates that one or more of the values in that category make it impossible to successfully create the strategy When the red symbol is displayed the OK button in the dialog box is also disabled Cut Parameter Definitions Current To change the tool that is defined for this cut select the new tool from the Current Tool Tool list Cut Type The cut type determines how the toolpath will be created relative
85. the active job so that you don t have to search them out button in order to find yourself what layers are used 10 Select a Strategy foreach These will be used to process the geometry on the of the layers corresponding layers in the parts 11 Select a Small Part Remember that you need to define the small part threshold Strategy for the cutout in EnRoute s preferences if you are going to use this layer s if that is desired 12 Define the Design If you would like EnRoute to automatically adjust toolpath Depth Use Depth depths based on the geometry depth in the DXF files define parameter for each layer the depth that the strategy was designed for and then check Use Depth 13 Select TP NT and OP for These parameters should be checked for virtually all each layer standard applications 14 Define a Default Strategy This probably isn t necessary for standard jobs and it could if you want one get you in trouble if a surprise layer shows up in a file 15 Click on the Ordering and Nesting tab 16 Set the Priority order you You likely want to have either Tool or Strategy at the top of want to use the Priority list 17 Define the Tool Order EnRoute extracts the tool list based on your Layer Mapping Generally move tools used for drilling and fills ahead of tools used for routing offsets 18 Define the Strategy Order These are the strategies that the Layer Mapping uses Typically you want to have the male
86. the spin is applied to a relief it is automatically smoothed and when you create a mesh surface the result is an object that can be modified further before applying it to a relief With some careful planning the spin tool can be used to create intricate and interesting surfaces Revolutions and Extrusions Page 235 Spin Dialog Selecting the Spin icon GI or selecting the Surface menu and then Create Surface and Spin will activate the Spin dialog This dialog allows you to select the appropriate options and parameters required to create the new surface The Spin dialog provides two sets of parameters depending on whether you have selected the option of creating a mesh object or any other application method for modifying an existing relief If you select an application method for modifying a relief the following dialog is presented Relief Options P a Relief parameters Spin Cont P i w pin Contours G Noma Height 0 3000 Start Angle 00000 Select the contours to spin C Scale to height 360 0000 2 janesu B f Limit to height Base 0 0000 End Angle 360 0000 _ lt gt rj x Angles for spin Pa N Wizard prompts Application Method to modify the selected relief If you select the Application Method for creating a mesh object the dialog is changed to allow you to enter the proper parameters for the mesh and shown below Mesh Parameters N i apin Contours clices R a Setinde oon a Select the contours to
87. then change the units and reopen the design This ensures the toolpaths will be converted properly Grid Tab The Grid tab allows the user to determine the view of the grid shown on the document page Using the grid is very helpful in determining the placement of contours There are two levels of the grid that may be enabled and adjusted to the layout of a particular project Show Grid Interval of the grid marks Style of grid marks Size Color Show grid in perspective View Setup Tab A checkmark in this box indicates the grid is turned on The distance between the grid marks Select None Cross Tick or Line Size of the grid marks in pixels Color of the grid marks Check this box to display the grid in the Perspective view The View Setup tab determines how information is displayed on screen Standard Items Plate Contours Contour Loops Gt paeen s sse IZ e N Eks a gt gt a Open Contour Direction Check this box to display the plate if any Check this box to display the contours Since contours are the main type of drawing element this is typically left on Sometimes it can be convenient to turn contour display off to review only the toolpaths Check this box to display contour loop indicators While converting a contour to a toolpath the software will try to detect loops in the contours If loops are detected and you choose not to proceed in which case the loops are automaticall
88. then the direction is relative to a line to the right creating Radius This is the length of the radius of the arc you are creating q Arc Center This is only available in arc mode and is the center of the arc you are cT Sweep Angle This is the sweep angle of the arc you are creating As you use the tool you see that only the options that are possible based on where you are in the command are available at any given time If you are in line mode then the arc parameters are disabled The idea with this tool is to construct segments one at a time and to use the method that fits the information you have available Construction of the segments can be done either interactively or by entering values into the available edit boxes in the Precision Toolbar This tool was designed to be used exclusively in the top view because you are creating arcs and EnRoute expects arcs to be planar in the x y plane Constructing a Line Segment following are the simple steps required to create a line segment Activate the Line Mode If this segment is the first segment in you Polyarc contour then either snap click to the correct location in the drawing or define the correct x and y coordinates in the toolbar in order to start the segment Then define the next position for the endpoint of the line The other option for the endpoint of the line is to switch to the direction mode and then define an angle and distance in order to
89. third click defines the angle and completes the rotation Arranging Contours Page 117 Distort Contours Menu Transform Distort Toolbar Object Edit Scale Taper Distort The Distort tool allows you to stretch an object disproportionately 1 Select the contour Click and hold the Scale Icon then click the Distort Tool A Click on one of the external selection handles and drag the mouse to the desired position Press Enter to accept the change Right Click to end the tool re o Y External Selection Handle Patch Distort Menu Transform Distort Patch Distort Toolbar Object Edit Scale Patch Distort This tool distorts selected contours or reliefs by defining a patch or grid or control points By moving the control points either together or separately you can introduce distortion into the selection This allows you to modify your selection to fit a specific path or shape a 1 Select the relief and click and hold the Scale Icon and then click on the Patch Distort 2 A grid will be placed over the relief Click on one or more selection points and drag to desired location Icon Page 118 Arranging Contours 3 This example shows the center selection points were moved 4 Click Enter to apply the change 5 Right click to end the tool Arranging Contours Page 119 Mirroring a Contour Menu Transform Mirror Toolbar Object Edit Mirror This tool reverses the sel
90. to Curves Shape Wizard Shape Wizards are tools in EnRoute that provide a method for creating objects using parameters rather than drawing them manually using EnRoute s drawing tools The created contours can range from relatively simple shapes to more complex parts that require several shapes Parameters can be saved so that getting back to the same parts at a later date is as simple as opening a saved template Click and hold the icon to open the flyout menu Click on the icon of the tool that you would like to work with This tool will then remain as the Shape Wizard tool in the Construction Toolbar for easy access Construction x ell G O A ALS MwA EEr There are currently 8 or 10 wizards available in EnRoute Since these can easily be added as plug ins the list of tools can change as new tools are added Two of the current tools are described in the following sections the simple Cone Wizard and the more complex Boxster Creating Contours Page 75 Cone Wizard Toolbar Construction Cone Wizard The Cone Wizard allows you to create precise cone shapes The Template feature allows you to save the different shape parameters so that you can quickly and easily call up the shape and apply it to your design x oe plate Position Copies Large Radius Apply I x foo a i Sf 20000 4 Close Save Delete y 4 0000 al Small Radius Length _ Cose 0 5000 al 3 0000 al 2 0000 al 1 Enter the parameter
91. to create a contour that is offset from the selected contour 1 Select the contour 2 Click the Offset Icon mi This will open the Precision Toolbar Page 94 Contour Editing Offset Outline Rounded Apply Humber i al Outline f Rounded 5 ose Amount 0200 al C Inline C Square Enter the number of Offset contours desired Enter the amount of the offset Select Outline or Inline Select Rounded or Square A preview of the Offset is shown on the screen o o o n e Click Apply to accept Partial Offset Contours Menu Draw Offset Toolbar Contour Editing Offset Contours Partial Offset This tool is used to create a contour that is offset from the selected contour 1 Select the contour 2 Click and hold the Offset Icon then click the Partial Offset Icon E This will open the Precision Toolbar Partial offset p Offset 0 5000 al Close E Select the square E or the rounded E offset icon 4 Click on the segment or segments that you wish to offset Hold the shift key to select more than one segment at a time 5 Enter the amount of the offset Click the mouse on the side of the segment that you want the offset to be placed Press Close to exit the tool Contour Editing Page 95 Merging Selected Open Contours Menu Transform Merge Selection The Merge Selection tool is used to join open contours together based on a definable tolerance This capability can be very useful if you are usin
92. tool Toolpaths for the Rough tool are only created if required by the Engrave cut Creating Pyramid Toolpaths Menu Toolpath Pyramid Toolbar Toolpath Pyramid The Pyramid Strategy allows you to create a beveled type of artwork that is also commonly referred to as chiseled or sculpted artwork The Pyramid Cut utilizes a beveled tool most commonly a conic tool to create the beveled effect This cut is unique in that it is necessary for the software to calculate the depth of cut based on the selected tool and the selected contours The cut depth is based on the widest stroke in the design The software then places toolpaths at the proper depth based on the maximum cut depth it calculates The finished result from this strategy can be very striking and it can be effectively utilized on very small pieces all the way up to designs that are several feet tall and wide Remember to check the Pyramid parameter for Move to bottom of plate in order for the Return Height to be created correctly 1 Select the contour you want the toolpath to follow 2 Click Pyramid a 3 Inthe Pyramid dialog select the desired tool for the pyramid cut from the Available Tools list and click Add Tool Only those tools that are capable of engraving including conic engrave and tapered tools may be defined as pyramid cuts The Sort tools by list determines the parameter that is used to sort the Available Tools list It can also filter the
93. toolpaths at all depths are displayed Default Depths Surface The toolpaths at the surface is displayed Final The last bottom toolpath is displayed Specific One of the specific depths assigned to the passes is selected for display depth Tools This option selects which toolpaths will be displayed based on the type of tool associated with the toolpath All Tools Toolpaths for all tool types are displayed Default Specific Only the toolpaths which use the selected type of tool are displayed Type Relief Tab Toolpath This parameter defines how closely 3D toolpaths follow their relief This value might Tolerance vary depending on the size and resolution of the reliefs The smaller the tolerance the more closely the toolpaths will follow the relief but this will also create more segments in the toolpaths and increase the size of the output files Getting Started Page 25 Relief Lighting You can adjust the lighting of the relief with these parameters j Vertical angle 16 i al ee Horizontal angle EI f al Start Points This tab allows you to define a preference for where start points are automatically located on Routing Offset toolpaths Long Edge This will locate the start point on the longest edge of the contour If Edge Midpoint is and Edge checked then the start point will be moved from the start of the long edge to its Midpoint midpoint Direction This option allows you to define a direction that E
94. type of tool that is loaded in that position in the turret 7 To edit a tool select a new type of tool from the pull down list To move a tool click twice on the gray row indicator to the left of the tool listing and then drag it to the new position in the list The numbering of the tools will be adjusted to reflect the new position 9 To remove a tool from the list select that tool and click Remove Tool 10 To remove all of the tools from the list click Empty Turret 11 When you have completed editing the Tool Changer Definition dialog click OK to save the changes or Cancel to discard your changes and go back to the Machine Drivers dialog Any changes you made to the number of tools in the turret will be reflected in the Number of tools parameter Configuring the Software Page 197 Configuring a Drill Bank To configure a drill bank 1 Check the Has drill bank parameter in the machine parameters list in the Machine Setup dialog 2 Click on Click to Edit to open the Define Drill Bank dialog Define Drill Bank Boring Machine _ lea a Spacing tolerance 0 0010 Optimization Method Is tandard Drill tool X ie Z Direction 1 4 Drill 0 00000 0 00000 0 00000 Z 1 4 Drill 1 25984 0 00000 0 00000 Z 1 4 Drill 2 51969 0 00000 0 00000 Y 1 4 Drill 2 51969 1 25984 0 00000 X 4 gt 44 gt lab 4 gt 4b 4b 4p 4 gt 4 4 a gt 3 Set Number to the number of drill tools that are prese
95. uses an end mill tool 4 Inthe tool listing that appears in the list of cuts at the top of the dialog set the Depth of the Cut It is possible to enter fractional values such as 1 2 in order to let the program calculate the decimal equivalent That way it isn t necessary to remember that the decimal equivalent of 3 16 is 0 1875 5 Add additional cuts using other tools as necessary 6 Set the Engrave parameters 3D Engrave Check to create the engrave cut as a 3D engrave toolpath If cleared the cut toolpath will be a 2D toolpath Remember that only tools capable of 3D engraving including conic engrave and tapered tools may be defined as 3D engrave toolpaths External or If the 3D option is selected for the engrave toolpath it is necessary to define Internal whether the toolpaths should pass to the inside or the outside of the contours in the selection Most typically the engraving toolpaths will be defined on the inside of the contours The following images show 3D toolpaths created on the inside and outside of a contour f grote N i E PA Pai Aa 3 i io w f 7 E a TE fJ o_o a ot Fin ET Internal External Because external 3D toolpaths require all objects in the selection to be combined into one toolpath group they are not compatible with other types of toolpaths in a contour If existing toolpath groups are included in the Page 172 Working with Toolpaths selection their toolpaths wi
96. window to the printer Exactly what is displayed on screen is what is sent to the printer Plate Select this option to pint only the plate 3 Click OK Setup Click the setup button to open the print setup dialog Calculator Menu File Calculator If you find the need for a calculator EnRoute provides quick access to the Windows calculator with a simple click on the calculator icon Page 58 Working with Files Snapshot Menu File Snapshot EnRoute has the ability to take a snapshot of the active view Cy 1 Click on the Snapshot icon Ei 2 Select the file type and location that you wish to save the file 3 Click the Save button The file format types that are available are listed here e Al e DXF e Flexi 5 8 e HPGL e CasMate e Stereolithograph e JPEG Image Measure Menu File Measure The Measure tool allows you to easily calculate angles segments and area of an object ae Segment length i Total length U HH Segment Length This tool will measure the distance between two points It will ae continue to add each selected segment to the total Angle Measure Tool This tool will calculate the degree of the angle between two be selected points on a contour or three selected points not on a contour E Area Measure Tool This tool will calculate the area of a closed contour If you select more than one contour it will also add the total area of the selected objects
97. would leave that width of material that would then be removed by the Clean cut The following toolpath images illustrate this concept Number of Steps Max Step Actual Step Shoulder Working with Toolpaths This is similar to the concept of Passes with cut depth except it is the diameter of the tool that controls the Number of Steps that is required for a given Width of Cut The Number of Steps is calculated automatically based on the Max Step value and the Width of Cut This is the maximum width of material that can be removed in one step It is based on the diameter of the tool being used The software automatically calculates this value to be 90 percent of the tool diameter The value can be adjusted so that it is smaller than this but this is the largest it is allowed to be The Actual Step is calculated based on the Number of Steps and the Width of Cut values This is an option that provides a way to create a step around the perimeter of the design The purpose of this option is to allow users to create a lip around the edge of the design that is most commonly used with the Inlay option with Routing Offsets and Fills Page 147 Feeds and Speeds Direction Entry Exit Parameters Any Clean Pass may be designated as a Shoulder but it must have a Width of Cut that is larger than 0 00 in order to be designated as a Shoulder When the Shoulder option is selected all Clean Pass cuts below it in the list w
98. 0 square in Medium size threshold 200 0000 square in OK Cancel After strategies have been mapped to each of the layers it is necessary to define several additional parameters in order to complete the Layer Mapping task These include Design Depth Use Depth TP NT NS and OP Although the representation of these parameters is a little cryptic the settings will likely remain the same for most of your jobs O x Automatic Toolpath Setup C Program Files EnRoute 3 AutoTP AAStandard atp Design Layer Name Strategy Small Part Strategy Depth PANEL Panel T0375 DO75 offset male not assigned 0 7500 IV ROUTDRAWER Rout Drawer TO1875 not assigned 0 2500 Vv DO25 island RABBETDRAWER Rabbet T01875 DO25 open not assigned 0 2500 V DRILLPILOT Drill Pilot T0125 D075 Drill not assigned i 0 7500 K Center BORE Door Bore T0375 DOS0 island not assigned 0 5000 V DRILLHINGE Drill Hinge T0125 DO4724 Drill not assigned gt 0 4724 A Center DRILLDRAWER Drill Hinge T0125 DO4724 Drill not assigned 0 4724 vi Center Add Layer Use Active Remove Layer Use Files Default Strategy Panel T0375 DO75 offset male X o Calas Use KCDw Load Process Active Save Process Files Save As Process KCDw Close Additional parameters in addition to the Strategies that must be defined for each mapped layer Design Depth Use Depth This parameter provides a way to utilize an
99. 0 0000 a S 45 000 a Close a ca T 0 Scale to height z ae N C Limit to height Resolution 50 5 a Help i i j Relief angle Application Method Relief Options Preview Relief Shape There are three basic shapes available to use for creating a relief They provide the starting point for creating all of the different surfaces available in EnRoute Round The round relief uses the relief angle to create a surface that is similar to a flexible surface that has been inflated It can be used by itself to create rounded organic shapes and it can also be effectively used to modify other surfaces Creating Reliefs Page 215 Beveled The beveled option creates a surface that is similar to the shape of a surface that is created by using Pyramid toolpaths EnRoute creates this type of surface by extending a flat surface up from the perimeter of the selected contour to the center of the shape where it meets a surface extended up from the other side of the shape This is a complex operation but EnRoute handles all of the computations and all that is required is to provide the angle of the surface Flat The flat option is used to create a simple flat surface This option is used primarily as a means of creating a surface that can then be modified using other relief tools such as the sweeping and extrusion tools By specifying a Height of 0 00 the flat surface is created at the height of the contours Ifa height i
100. 187 187 190 189 93 Index Page 407 Slot cuts templates Slot Toolpaths Smooth Snap snap to center of arc snap to endpoint snap to grid snap to guideline snap to intersection snap to midpoint snap to nearby contour snap to perpendicular point snap to tangent point Snaps Toolbar Snapshot Sort method Spin height control curve influence line mesh surface example spin angles spin dialog spin example width control curve wizard prompts Spindle speed Spiral Fill Toolpaths Stacks Stars Start points displaying Status Line Step Rough Strategies adding editing removing strategy templates Strategy Strategy order Support Services Sweep Two Rails sweep two rails dialog sweep two rails example Templates cut templates drill array templates drill circle templates drill corner templates drill point templates drill points along a contour 171 170 280 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 14 37 59 209 235 240 240 243 237 236 242 241 239 148 194 160 238 See polygons 25 11 356 177 177 178 140 152 139 209 6 255 256 259 55 140 150 165 164 168 163 167 drill points in centers of contours templates 166 island fill template 160 open contour offset templates 152 plan templates 140 178 plate templates 55 pyramid templates 176 routing offset templates 144 slot cut templates 171 strategy templates 140 Text 72 convert text objects to curves 75 editing existing text obj
101. 3 Place a check mark in the box of the tool library you wish to open 4 Select one of the following options e Select Open as a New Library box is selected the tools in the selected library will replace the current entries in the tool library e If the Add to current Library box is selected the tools in the selected library will be added to the current entries in the tool library 5 Click Open The default tool library is saved in a file called Toollibrary ini This library is automatically opened when EnRoute loads If you want specific tools to load every time then save these tools as entries in the default tool library Configuring the Software Page 203 Page 204 11 Output to Machine Setting the Toolpath Order Menu Machining Order Toolbar Machining Order The Toolpath Ordering dialog allows you to review and edit the order assigned to the toolpath groups in your project The toolpath order influences the order in which cuts will be made when the project is output Toolpath ordering a al Aale El T Cancel Use All 3 Manual Current Sort Method Shortest Ordering Toolpath Groups Manually To manually adjust the order of the toolpath groups 1 Click Order 2 Use the horizontal blue arrow buttons to select the toolpaths The selected toolpath is indicated with a bold red number 3 Use the vertical green arrow buttons to change the cut number of the selected toolpath 4 Wh
102. 4 2D simulation 307 output parameters 210 to a file 210 to a machine 210 Output control center 211 Output Toolbar 32 Overlap 157 358 Passes 146 Paste 30 Paste Contours 105 Path Copy 101 Pentagons See polygons Plan 139 editing 177 plan templates 140 templates 178 plate automatic fit 54 Plate 53 Creating Plate from Selected Contour 55 displaying 24 Plunge 195 Plunge rate 148 Points editing 83 Polyarc 61 constructing a line segment 62 construction and arc segment 62 Polygons drawing 71 Preferences 21 dimensions tab 26 display tab 23 general tab 21 grid tab 24 initialization tab 22 ordering tab 27 relief tab 29 start points 26 unit tab 23 view setup tab 24 Primitives 278 Print 58 Priority 208 Project Toolpath 185 Pyramid strategy cut parameters 176 templates 176 Pyramid Toolpaths 174 Quitting 28 Radiused corners 92 93 Rapid Picture Tool 341 Page 406 Index Rapid Texture Examples Rapid Texture Dialog Seed Contour Texture Examples Rectangles drawing by corners drawing by dimensions Redo Redraw Relief angles for revolution application method add merge highest merge lowest replace subtract apply bitmap example chamfer tool clearing reliefs create delete relief objects extrude tool fit relief to plate inverting mesh paramters mirror modifying and combining moving reliefs options constant Height limit to height normal scale to height relief dialog example relief parameters angle base
103. 5 D025 Save as Add Tool Available Tools Sort tools by Description Tool Type Type 7 Dette Tool_ select a template to Smm Drill Drill Clear activate 1 4 Drill Tool Drill 1 2 Drill Tool Drill i a Test drill Drill Island Fill Parameters Inlay iy Optimization Standard 7 Apply to relief 7 In the ATP dialog the saved Strategy templates are selected for mapping to each layer in the list Both a normal Strategy and a Small Part Strategy may be selected for each mapped layer The Small Part Strategy will be used for any parts that have a surface area that is less than a threshold defined by the user in the EnRoute Preferences dialog In order to select a strategy in a layer just click on the dropdown arrow on the right side of each strategy cell This will display a list of all eligible saved strategies The type of strategy is shown in parentheses next to each strategy name For example in the following screen capture the first strategy in the list is Panel T0375 DO75 offset male which tells us that this is a male routing offset strategy In this case the name of the strategy was used to provide some information about the tool and depth and its name was created to match the name of the layer it is to be assigned to There are many different strategy naming conventions that can be used and each user should arrive ata system that works best for their situation 2 Automati
104. 57 Creating Island Fill Toolpaths Menu Toolpath Island Fill Toolbar Toolpath Island Fill The Island Fill strategy can only be used with closed contours The Island Fill Strategy is very similar to the Hatch Fill Strategy The way that the two are defined is virtually identical The results however are quite different because of the pattern of the fill toolpaths that are created i Pa EEP r D E Island Fill Hatch Fill Island Fill vs Hatch Fill There are two main factors to be considered when choosing a fill strategy First select the strategy that will most efficiently mill the area to be milled Typically if you have a large open area a Hatch Fill will be most efficient On the other hand if you have a design that is made up of long thin sections an Island Fill will most likely work best The second reason for choosing one method over the other is based on whether the tooling pattern that will be left in the milled area is important As you work with these strategies you will see that each of them will create a different pattern and there may be times when this pattern is important in deciding which strategy is appropriate The best thing is to experiment with each and then decide for yourself which method works best in any given situation Creating an Island Fill To create a toolpath using the Island Fill strategy 1 Select the contour you want the toolpath to follow 2 Click Island Fill
105. 7500 Top Thick Thickness of material for the top of cabinet Top Thick 0 7500 Back Thick Thickness of material for the back of Back Thick 0 7500 al cabinet eso Edge Band Thick Thickness of the edge bank au z material used OK Cancel Sox Fixed Shelf The location of the shelf Shelf Gap The size of the gap between the shelf and the side of the cabinet moveable shelves Fixed Shelf 18 0000 a Number of shelves The number of shelves to be created for this cabinet Shelf Gap 0 1000 2 Hole Spacing The distance between the shelf holder NumberShelves 1 0000 4 holes vertically mazs a Hole Diameter Size needed for shelf hardware Hole Spacing Hole Diameter 0 1969 Y OK Cancel Creating Contours Page 77 BL Boxster J Double Door J Stacked Door lw Hinge Left Reveal 0 0625 al Hinge Relief 2 000 B Hinge Spacing 24 0000 al Ok Cancel A Boxster i oC fe Humber Drawers 0 a Top Drawer Height 8 0000 Bottom Drawer Height 8 0000 W Equal Drawer Height Box Material Thicknesss 0 7500 Bottom Thickness 0 2500 Box Side Clearance 0 2000 Bos End Clearance O00 Rabbet Depth 0 2500 al OF Cancel Page 78 Double Door 2 doors side by side Stacked Door 2 doors 1 over the other Hinge Left If checked the hinges will be on the left Reveal The measurement that the door is offset from the frame Hinge Relief The distance the fi
106. 8 routing offset example 372 by center and radius 67 step rough 356 by corners 68 step rough example 363 by three points 68 Aborting a job 212 Clean cut 155 Active drivers 196 Cleaning Pass 155 Align Reliefs Toolbar 40 Cleaning Up Contours 104 Aligning Contours 123 Climbing cuts 148 Alignment Toolbar 38 Close 57 Aluminum 144 Command Icons 46 Arc Copy 99 Communication parameters 195 Arcs Cone Wizard 76 by Center Radius and Angle 69 Configuring Machine Drivers 193 by center start and finish 69 Construction Toolbar 35 by three points 70 Containers and holes 105 converting to arcs 139 Contour Editing Toolbar 35 copying around an arc 99 Contour loop indicators 24 editing 84 Contours Array Copy 98 closed 140 Automatic cleanup 106 displaying 24 Automatic Toolpaths editing 83 Workflow 375 filleting 92 93 Automatic Toolpaths ATP 375 merging 106 Bezier curves merging open contours 96 converting to arcs 139 selecting 105 drawing 64 trimming 90 Index Page 403 Convert Curves to Arcs Copy array copy tool copy around and arc Copy Contours path copy Corner tags Corners corner tags filleting sharp Create Rendered View Creating new files Cut cut contours Cut by Line Tool Cut Definitions offset from surface Cuts clean climbing cut parameters bridges engraving entry exit points hatch fill island fill open contour offset pyramid cut templates determining cutting order direction dwell entry exit parameters fill fine passes
107. C ULATOR eri se ae ie Aa aa aa a ate Oe 58 SNAPSHOT a a e st a a a a e N 59 MEASURE at ce ee ea a ah eae 59 CREATING CONTOURS aeiia aana aaa aaa a aa aa 61 LINE POLYARC OR BEZIER CURVE sa ehna aana A OREA aAa 61 RECTAN eera a E E 66 CIR OEE Saen e a a ce 67 PAC E ENE AET E DE EAEE E E EAE EEE A E AE AAE 69 A a nT ee 70 GO C12 ene E A AA 71 E T ea a e a e E Seaucaceatinaiaesy 72 SHAPE WIZARD aciccctcevedcadliectececavcesnd cad svcSenwelenddae doeduaeuversdeiadoostaacedvesiuesdedranceees 75 ONE WIZARD cick nctcosctettics dechcntaes cues cnsbeeuelebiiee a a aeS 76 OPASNE e ee AE nC a Oe en Se 77 BUTS ELST CG Sennen er A Dn ene nt A Po MO ED 80 CONTOUR EDITIIN Gisiiccinctcdeaeeuaaiendesdecccecutectenatusccuvunvasalaanesinnduduaxseaugecuadeuees 83 EDITING POINTS ON A CONTOUR eccecceceececcecceceecueceececeeeuecesaeceecueaeeaeeueeeeaes 83 EXTENDING CONTOURS sirsie irena e lag elidel uecain a a a a aa 88 TRIMMING CONT OURS coreana a aara en l aa aa a ra a ai 90 FILLE TING CONTOURS rores Sach anent oceans autasacdscnenere cases 92 JOINING CONTOURS x reese cence peace e EA 94 OFFSET CONTOURS ws seetoncnenacsacsnecceczceessaneenss is eevenaenbenmuacionssuanserudeneeesueeness 94 PARTIAWORESET CONTOURS sence neces ecrerss once cetera OAR 95 MERGING SELECTED OPEN CONTOURS 0cceccecceceeceeceeeececeecececeeceeaecateneaess 96 EXPLODE SELECTED CONTOURS neia rec late cae ance ENER E AA 96 CONVERTING CONTOURS TO ARCS nnananananannnnnnnnnnnnn
108. Clicking on the Material list box will display the types of materials wood metal etc that are defined Selecting the Material Library button will allow you to create a new material type and the routing speeds associated with that material Click OK to accept Click Cancel to close this dialog Click Save As to save the current parameters as a template The parameters can then be reloaded from the library by selecting the template from the Template list Click to remove the plate that is currently defined You will be returned to the layout window and the plate will be removed The Material Library may be accessed from this dialog This allows you to define new material change information on previously defined material and save new or edited information set for specific materials See Editing the Material Library for details Creating a Basic Plate 1 Click the Define Plate icon E oe a N Enter the Width distance along the X axis Enter the Height distance along the Y axis Enter the Thickness of the material Enter values for Margin and Origin if desired Page 54 Working with Files 6 Choose a Material Type This is optional 7 Check to surface at the top or bottom of plate 8 Click OK to create the plate Creating Plate from Selected Contour zl With EnRoute 5 the user has the choice to create a plate that is not a rectangle This allows users to define different material sizes in one drawing Any
109. Conic tool Be sure to check the Follow contour parameter Engrave Parameters 3D engrave toolpath Follow contour il i External male T Internal female 7 Apply relief 7 Apply a Routing Offset toolpath to cut out the shape 8 The Simulate Ortho tool ce was used to simulate the look of the toolpaths You can see that the contours extended past the edge of the closed contour shape This allows the tool to reach all the way to the edge of the design Texture Tools Page 331 Creating and Cutting Continuous Panels EnRoute has the ability to create panels that continue the design of the texture over several panels One example of this type of panel application would be an entire wall that is designed to have a distinctive design EnRoute makes it easy to create a large Rapid Texture design and continue it seamlessly over several panels Following is a very simple example intended to illustrate how to make a continuous surface over several panels 1 Make the size of the plate the same size as the area that you are applying the textured panels to 2 Make the size of the panels a little smaller than the size of the material that you are working with 3 Create the seed contour In this example the plate size is 9 x 9 The sizes of the panels are 5 x 5 4 When you are creating panels you need to determine the size of the panels that you want to create It is usually just a
110. Curve Control curve Just the profile Revolutions and Extrusions Page 241 Modify a Relief Surface This section provides a table with the steps necessary to create a spin surface using the option of modifying an existing relief 1 Create the 2D artwork In this example create a circle and a contour you want to use as the profile for the spin 2 Select the circle and use it to create a flat relief 3 Select the relief and then select Spin 5 or select the Surface menu and Sy ag R ty then Create Surface Spin he 4 Click on Add to select that option 5 Select the Normal application method re 6 Define a Start Angle of 0 0 and an End Angle of 360 00 7 Click and drag the blue centering circle to define the center point for the spin 8 Click to select the profile contour you want to spin and then click the Next Step icon LP Jin the wizard Select the contours to piri F KEKERAAERA Page 242 Revolutions and Extrusions 9 If you want to include either of the optional steps you can identify a Height Select the height control curve Optional Control Curve and or a Width Control Curve ale Oeil x 10 Click on the Execute button to 11 The following shows a rendered top view of the resulting relief Create a Mesh Surface This next set of steps shows how to create a mesh object using the Spin command It also demonstrates the two optional steps for selecting a Height Control Curve and a Wi
111. Depth Depth a E TP NT NS OF RRR OF Small Part Strategy Layer Mapping buttons Add Layer Use Active Remove Layer Use Files Default Strategy not assigned X Clear Layers Use KCD w gt gt E www SSS SSD Process Active Save Process Files Save As Process KCD w Close Define the Layers The Layer Mapping buttons provide the means to create and edit the layer definitions Add Layer Click this button to add a new blank layer to the list Remove Layer Click this button to remove the selected layer Clear Layers Click this button to remove all the layers in the list One method of defining the layers is to add layers one at a time and then edit the Layer Name to match a layer in the DXF files In order to edit the layer name just click in the row of the Layer Name column to be edited and type Continue to add layers and edit them until all of the desired layers have been added This can be a complicated process because you may not know all the layer names that are included in the job to be processed One solution is to import the DXF files into EnRoute in order to find all the layers A better alternative is to use the Use buttons If a List File has been specified so that a list of parts is active it is only necessary to click on the Use lt KCDws gt button to find the layers to map EnRoute will automatically open each of the part files and extract the layers inc
112. Diameter 6 000 al Plate Hole Spacing 32 000 Plate Hole Offset 37 000 OF Cancel Glue Gap This measurement allows for the space the glue fills End Gap The internal gap between the end of the male and female portions of the dado joint Because you are using a round cutting tool you typically need to accommodate the radius of the tool with this dimension End Clearance The distance from each end of the dado joint to the edge of the part Hole Spacing the distance between holes drilled for the assembly of the cabinet Hole Diameter is determined by the size of the screws that will be used to assemble the cabinet This wizard assumes the use of European style hinges on the doors These are the most common hinges used on the frameless style of cabinet Notice that the assumed unit for these parameters is millimeters Hinge Cup Diameter Refers to the size of the hinge Hinge Cup Offset The offset from the edge of the door to the edge of the hinge cup Hinge Hole Diameter The size of the holes that will be drilled for the pilot holes for the screws to fasten the hinges Hinge Hole Spacing Spacing for the location of the hinge hardware Hinge Hole Offset The offset to the centers of the hinge holes from the edge of the door Plate Hole Diameter Size of pilot hole for the hinge plate hardware Plate Hole Spacing Spacing for the hinge plate hardware Plate Hole Offset The offset from the edge
113. EATING 3D MESHES WITH ENROUTE TOOLS cccececcccecececececececececececeters 278 APPLYING MESHES TO A FELIEF 2 ccceceecececcecccceccccececcececaececaccecucaececaecauaeees 280 MODIFYING AND COMBINING RELIEFS 0 ccceccececcececcsceceececeseeeess 285 PNT OIG TION secre E cen O AE A E E EAE E oe tence aeons erin AEE E 285 So BUS GU cel aS ee a a TS TY eT ae 285 CUTTING COPYING AND PASTING RELIEFS 2 0 ceecceeceececceccecceccuccuscuseaeeaes 285 DELETING ERIE OBIEGTS rena a a a ter beesdee 286 SA EA ES etter del A E ctu A ooeuee de A A eared ceases 286 MOVING i cal te ee er ee re 286 ROTATING RELIEFS oes ua cate scoos evsonc atarcin Se eessin usecase esac acetate nade ates ne aoa anctaie 287 SCALING RELIEFS arrana ae eR ee eo 288 FiT RELEF TO PLATE aria a Oe eo aala 289 SMOOTHING RELEF S aun ea eee re 289 INVERTING AE IE Sos teu cava censors anseewie tee ceatdies unt cusb sor aca eine acketete dt aenaten tenes eteeecnctars 290 CREATE A MESH SURFACE FROM A RELIEF cececcececcececcececcececcececaccucaceeceees 293 OFFSET RELIEF SURFACE ves cdestvevectediassdcdiwnercdstaiusietbecescduslistiinbesesctsteiasienbecete 294 MERGING RELIEFS sicciscesecis ds cctiusoccdetheetelubesacedetuecssedbusencdebbastesubesecedsbuacssodbecets 295 GOMBINE REWERS citececeScrascticdtacwccdsttcotdechazenetntbiesiethesascdobteatecdhakerctethielseatecess 297 EXTRACTING SIGE S EA E E E AA EAEE E EEA 297 WSING EMA O i chee ec Se oa ees cece aaa tc ac
114. EnRoute but you may also install the password after EnRoute has finished installing Choose the desired option and click Install 6 Password Installer Option Installation of the software will start You will be prompted with this question If you do most of your work in millimeters click Yes Some of the initial default values in EnRoute will be defined appropriately based on your choice 8 Do you prefer to work in millimeters If you chose to install the key driver that process will be executed now This requires a few installation dialogs Follow the instructions to install the driver 9 Hardware Key Installer If you chose to install the password that process will be started now Enter your 32 digit password carefully in the spaces provided After you have completely entered the password the OK button will be enabled Click OK A dialog After all of the files have been installed you will be notified that the installation is complete Click Next and then click on Finish in the dialog that will exit the installation wizard 10 Password Installer 11 Installation Complete EnRoute 5 Support Services On Line Support Services SA International recognizes the pressures you must endure with you business computers and new software There are times when you need help which we understand SA International is available to help you with your technical question as well as your How To problems with our software A va
115. EnRoute 5 User s Guide Version 5 0 12 11 GR Copyright 2004 2012 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Table of Contents AB Oe ON END oea det tet aes teas a Nadel III 1 WELCOME cocons uk saceaaeetcbadetaeseesieae daveb ietauseee 1 WELCOME TO ENROUT E orrn A 1 WHAT S NEW IN ENROUTE evecsnnecn evan cee ccounaae ONA 1 RECOMMENDED SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS cccceeceecceccecceceueeessueeeuseuseuseeeeesaueens 4 PIARDWARE RICE Y stcosceesn sacauevanwsarancauncdeare teoninsaon cust cosnere 4 INSTALLING THE SOFTWARE rencr eae AEAEE 5 ENROUTE5 SUPPORT SERVICES easi a cdetavnectesaase 6 2 GETTING START ED aa aa a a e e a A a aaia 9 WORKFLOW area aa a a amie nniteetana nes 9 BASIC ELEMENTS OF ENROUTE c0ececceccecceceececceceeceeeeececeeceeseeeeceeseeseeeeeeeeeenes 9 WORKING WIE VIEWS arreman aati semen ceseieie E a 10 MENU Sade raha sac cacao casas gc tape tesa hin la detec tatiana eatin calla de Aaa E 10 HG BIE 1 2 Sie mee tnen a ee PEN PR er aT oR ey ny ER ORONO PRT OE ER IN Te TEE 10 CHANGING UNITO oaen na a a a anet diated tala deste ial es aawacasteiiats 11 STATU IEN Senet oe Pe E T Pn Ree ER RR Ree EE RRR RE em ND 11 USING SCROLE BARS aen a a a a a aa aE 12 PRECISION INPUT CENTER manaia anaiena ir aa aaia aa a a aa aa aa 12 USNO SNAPS a e A a aaa ae 13 USNOG OCUP NE S e a e A a aa aee a 14 EDIT GUIDELINES DIALOG isiad a a a a a a aaiae aai 14 GHANGING THE VIEW sasse 16 ZOOM GOMIMAND CS 17 REDRA ae evaneesee saaeenesecenszastensenenc
116. Enter the Number of copies that will be spaced along the arc 5 Enter the Radius of the arc 6 Enter the Start Angle in degrees This represents the point at which the arc begins 7 Enter the Swept Angle which defines the portion of a circle in degrees that will be used by the arc If more than 360 degrees are entered the arc will loop around 8 Check Align to Path to rotate the copies along the curve of the arc Contour Editing Page 99 iis Aligned Not Aligned 9 Click the reference grid button that corresponds to the corner side or center point that will be used to position the contours along the arc These are the parameters used in the below example BB Align Center 2 5000 Apply o 0000 al ra aca 4 Start Angle y 1 0000 al o Coe Radius 1 0000 34 Swept Angle 180 0000 z foo 4 Fed Object with Preview of Arc Copy Result of Arc Copy positioning points _ tT f H Le Page 100 Contour Editing The positioning point that is chosen can have a major effect on the appearance of the final set of copies The examples below are all copies of the same right triangle and use identical parameters apart from the positioning point selected Path Copy Menu Draw Multicopy Toolbar Contour Editing Multicopy The Path Copy tool allows a shape to be copied along another contour by defining the number of copies spacing and how the contours are to be aligned oO 1 Click Multicopy
117. F i Texture Relief Edit Tool This tool allows the user to edit a relief with a texture tool Torus Torus shaped mesh found in create primitive objects Vertical distance Multicopy This tool defines the distance vertically between objects when using the Multicopy tool HH Od Vertical distance Multicopy This tool defines the distance vertically between the objects in Multicopy from the front end of an object to the front end of the next object 9 9 b Toolbars and Command Icons Page 51 Page 52 Toolbars and Command Icons 4 Working with Files Creating New Files Menu File New Toolbar File New Click New k The keyboard shortcut is Ctrl N EnRoute supports the Multi Document Interface MDI which allows you to have more than one design open at a time If you have the Prompt for Plate option turned ON see Setting Preferences you will be asked to define the Plate each time you start a new design Defining a Plate Menu Machining Define Plate Toolbar Libraries Redefine the current plate Define Plate Template Cancel f User Defined Width 15 0000 yin f Fit Plate to Design Height y 5 0000 H in Save Ag ie Thickness z 3 0000 H in Remove gt Origin 0 0000 iri 1 Margin 0 0000 a iri t Origin 0000 a iri Y Margin 0 0000 H iri f Surface at top of plate f Surface at bottom of plate Material Maternal Librar
118. Machining Simulate 3D Toolbar Machining Simulate 3D This tool displays a rendered solid model view of the results of the toolpaths cutting the material It accurately renders all of the different tool shapes so you can see the results of both 2D and 3D toolpaths To simulate output of your design using a rendered view 1 Click Create Rendered Simulation of Toolpaths g This will open the Simulate Options Dialog 2 Enter the desire parameters below and then click OK Sim Options E3 Resolution 100 5 dpi 9MB C Material Color Cut Color 1 Selected C Use tool color Color Use selected color C Use material color Use selected contours as mask Save simulation as relief Simulation tolerance 10 0001 e Resolution Image resolution refers to the spacing of pixels in the image and is measured in pixels per inch The higher the resolution the more pixels in the image Higher resolutions allow for more detail but will take longer to display Page 190 Previewing Output e Material Color The material color is the color of the relief You can change this color by clicking on the material color icon and choosing the color from the color chart e Cut Color The cut color has three choices lt Use tool color The simulation will show using the colors assigned to each tool type in the preferences section lt Use Selected color The selected color is shown to the right Th
119. Move Relative allows you to define the amount of the move in each direction Use it to move the selection over 5 and up 3 ry Use this method to position a selected corner to a specific point It is an Move Corner are easy way to move the lower left corner of the selection to a specific point In the Absolute mode this is the coordinate of the start of the move operation In the Absolute mode this is the coordinate of the end of the move operation In the Relative mode this is the coordinate of the start of the move operation Move In the Relative mode this is the amount of the move in each direction Copy By checking this checkbox you can create a copy of the selection when itis moved The original will stay in place Corner Selector In the Corner mode this lets you choose which corner of the selection for which to specify a new location To Move a selection 1 Select the objects to be moved 2 Click on the Move Icon i select it from the Transform menu or press Shift F5 This will activate the Precision toolbar for the Move tool Arranging Contours Page 111 go dt EE 3 Choose the desired move Mode In this case choose Move Absolute vu a 4 Define the coordinate of the start point of the move This can be done by typing in the coordinate values or by interactively clicking on a start point 5 Define the end point of the move by typing in the end point coordinate or by clicking on the end point in the drawin
120. OF Cancel The available settings are General Tab Merge Designs which were created and exported from other drawing programs are not Contours always created as closed contours This function provides for and automatically merges contours together Import Check this box to merge contours when they are imported Paste Check this box to merge contours when they are pasted from the clipboard Tolerance The maximum separation between contour endpoints that will still be merged Automatic These options specify whether the program should automatically delete short Cleanup segments when importing or copying contours into the program Import Check this box to delete segments when contours are imported Paste Check this box to delete segments when contours are pasted from the clipboard Tolerance The maximum length of segments that will be deleted Getting Started Page 21 Undo Operations Limit Save Allow scaling of toolpath groups Clip toolpaths to plate Horizontal Cutting Bump Increment Click Increment Snap Threshold Sets the number of operations that are saved so that the Undo command can undo them Unlimited All operations since the last save can be undone Limited The Undo command will be able to undo only the specified number of operations The Auto Save function automatically saves the current design at the specified time interval Auto Check to enable the AutoSave function Save Time
121. Surfaces Merge Reliefs This tool allows you to merge one or more reliefs with a base relief This allows you to create portions of a relief separately and then merge them together to create the final surface ND The following graphic shows the dialog that is activated when you select the Merge Reliefs function Wizard Prompts Ae Hl Merge Select the base relief af ae ha Se eT Meloni Application Method to modify the selected relief As you can see it is not a complicated dialog To complete the merge action it is just necessary to select the application method for how the reliefs will be merged select the base relief and then select the relief s that will be merged with the base relief The following example illustrates the process First create the reliefs that you will merge In this case we have created two simple reliefs an ellipse and a star Position the reliefs correctly for merging 3 Select Merge Reliefs ci Modifying and Combining Reliefs Page 295 Click on the Add icon to select that option in the dialog The wizard prompts you to l _ select the base relief Click y Merge Select the base relief 7 on the ellipse relief to select it and then click on the Next a agau EC button The wizard prompts you to select the reliefs to merge E Merge Click on the star relief to select it and then click on the E BB Execute _ button to Ll eto Te x I complete the merge
122. The Distortion tool can be used to modify reliefs in addition to contours Relief distortion can allow you to create effects that are quite different from the effects achievable by adding a relief to a distorted contour The following graphic provides an illustration LIES In this image the contour on the left is the original contour The second contour is the contour after it has been distorted In this distortion you will notice that Method 2 provided the chance to modify the contour mostly in the x direction The first relief is the result of adding a beveled relief to the distorted contour The relief on the right was created by adding the beveled relief to the original contour and then applying the same distortion You can see that the resulting relief is quite different and the distortion of the contour and the relief seems more in synch This is a fun tool to experiment with in order to create cool results In the image above the original relief on the left has been distorted to obtain the relief on the right By distorting the relief with subtle parameters you see that it is easy to achieve a result that is interesting and that when cut out would have the appearance of having likely been created by hand rather than with a machine Contour Editing Page 87 Extending Contours Menu Draw Extend Toolbar Contour Editing Extend The Extend tool is used to extend an open contour either interactively by a specific distance o
123. The time interval at which the design is automatically saved Interval Check to allow groups of toolpaths to be resized as a group If cleared toolpath groups cannot be resized Checked by default If checked output toolpaths will not extend outside the boundary of the plate If this option is available it allows you to control whether you want to allow toolpaths to be rotated out of the horizontal x y plane This is only appropriate if your machine has the ability to cut toolpaths that are not in the x y plane most likely using an aggregate head If this option is available in your version of EnRoute it should most likely remain unchecked unless you specifically need to rotate toolpath groups Set the amount that a selection is moved when an arrow key is pressed When moving a contour using the arrow keys to bump it it is normally bumped by the increment specified here However by holding down the shift key the bump becomes a portion of the display width so it gets smaller as you Zoom In Sets the amount that values in a field are changed by when the spinner to the right of the field is clicked The distance in pixels at which the snap function is triggered snapping a contour to a grid point or other positioning guide Initialization Tab Maximize Application Maximize Document Display 4 Views Check this box to automatically maximize the software on startup Enable this function to automatically maximize ne
124. These must be different Coordinates than the coordinates of the starting point By graphic If this box is checked the coordinates of the starting and end points will be selected with the mouse Back and If checked the tool will move from the start point to the end point and return to forth the starting point before being lifted from the plate 5 Add additional drill cuts using other tools as necessary All cuts will share the same drill point coordinates Click OK 7 If you checked the By Graphic box click with the mouse to place the starting and end points on your design Right click to release the tool If the By Graphic box was cleared the slot will be created between the specified coordinates Saving Strategy Settings as a Template To save the current settings as a template 1 Click the Save as button 2 Type a name for the template and click OK Loading Strategy Settings from a Template To load the settings previously saved as a template select the template from the Strategy list Creating an Engrave Toolpath Menu Toolpath Engrave Toolbar Toolpath Engrave Engraving is a traditional machining function that has many applications In one sense it is the most Straightforward type of toolpath creation and in another sense it is the most complex Two dimensional engraving is essentially just the creation of toolpaths that follow the contours of the contours at a specified depth 3D toolpaths offer better results
125. Toolpaths distortion can be applied to both Hatch and Island fills Typically the distortion will be relatively subtle but it is a way for surfaces to be created that may require little or no finish sanding and ultimately create a more interesting design Example 1 Apply an Island Fill toolpath 2 Select the toolpaths and click on the Distort Toolpaths Icon This will open the Distort Toolpaths Dialog Wavelength 10000 f Horz Amp o1000 Jitter 0 1000 a Vet Amp 10 2000 Apply Close Wavelength This defines the repetition length of the noise pattern for the toolpaths Jitter This defines the level of smoothness of the noise pattern Horizontal Amplitude The size of the distortion in the x y plane Vertical Amplitude The size of the vertical distortion of the toolpaths 3 Enter the parameters and click Preview to see the toolpaths that will be distorted make any adjustments to the parameters and then click on Apply Page 182 Working with Toolpaths 4 The toolpaths will be distorted This is a close up view of the toolpaths re Creating a straight edge with distorted toolpaths You may notice that the edges are also distorted The solution is to add a clean pass to the toolpath 1 Go into edit the toolpaths and add a clean tool 172 end mill 172 end mill Clean 0 2000 2 Edit the width of cut to 20 Fl widths E Width of cut 0 2000 in Number of steps Maxinunn step 0
126. Welcome to the EnRoute Click Next to continue Setup Wizard This provides the agreement between you and SA International Inc for the license of EnRoute You are encouraged to read this agreement in full If you agree click the Agree button to continue with the installation 2 License Agreement The default location is c EnRoute5 EnRoute is a self contained application so all of the files required to run the software are included in the install folder You can choose another location or another name for the EnRoute folder After choosing the desired install folder click Next 3 Choose Install Location 4 Choose Start Menu Folder The default folder name is EnRoute5 You may choose to call it something else if you wish After defining the start menu folder name click Next You may choose to install the Hardware Key Driver in this step 5 Key Driver Installer Option i l If you are already using a SafeNet key like the one pictured in Welcome Page 5 the previous section you likely do not need to install the key driver If you are installing EnRoute for the first time or if you are using a SafeNet key for the first time it will be necessary to install the key driver Installing the driver again even if it is already installed will not cause a problem Choose the desired option and click Next You may choose to install the EnRoute password in this step Password installation is required before you are able to run
127. a corner or tight curve of the contour the toolpath will follow the closest smooth curve possible avn Page 140 Working with Toolpaths To create a toolpath using the Routing Offset strategy 1 Select the contour you want the toolpath to follow 2 Click Routing Offset ft 3 Inthe Routing Offset dialog select the desired tool from the Available Tools list and click Add Tool The Sort tools by list determines the parameter that is used to sort the Available Tools list lt can also filter the tools that are displayed so that only a certain type of tool is visible The first tool in the list is always defined as the Rough tool and it is typically used as the main cutting tool Any additional tools serve as Clean or Fine tools primarily used as a final pass to clean up cutting marks from the Rough tool or to fit into areas that the Rough tool couldn t 4 Inthe tool listing that appears in the list of cuts at the top of the dialog set the Depth of the Cut It is possible to enter fractional values such as 1 2 in order to let the program calculate the decimal equivalent That way it isn t necessary to remember that the decimal equivalent of 3 16 is 0 1875 5 Add additional cuts using other tools as necessary 6 Set the Router Offset parameters External If checked the toolpaths will follow the outside of the contour male Internal If checked the toolpaths will follow the inside of the contour female
128. a relief the following dialog is presented K Relief parameters E Revolve Contours E Noma Height 0 3000 T Angle 0000 2 moo 0000 Select the contours to be revolved C Scale to height Bassas ee eee Base 0 0000 4 End Angle 360 ay a N Relief Options Meth fy the sel lief Application Method to modify the selected relie Angles for revolution Wizard prompts Mesh Parameters DS x E Revolve Contours Slices m 3 Start Angle aon Select the contours to be revolved Baud Stacks 12 f End Angle 360 0000 Application Method to create a mesh object Application Method All of the options for applying the results of the revolve operation are the same as the options described in the previous chapter on relief creation The options for Add Subtract Merge Highest Merge Lowest and Replace all apply to the situation where the revolution is to be applied to an existing relief For this to be possible it is necessary to select the relief to be modified before starting the Revolve command The right most application method option E allows you to create a mesh object with the Revolve command As shown in the dialogs above when this option is selected the parameters required for the command are different than when a relief is to be modified When this option is selected the parameters change providing space to enter the number of slices and stacks that will make up the new object These are described below and the res
129. aces This chapter describes additional tools that increase your ability to define intricate surfaces These tools use revolutions and extrusions to create meshed objects and modify selected relief surfaces When modifying reliefs the concepts presented in the previous chapter regarding application methods work identically with these tools The primary new concept with these tools is that EnRoute uses wizards to prompt you regarding the selection of appropriate contours to use to define how the function is to be applied After you understand how they work they provide a flexible method for completing each function Revolve Menu Surface Create Surfaces Revolve Toolbar 3D Surfaces Revolve The Revolve tool allows you to use one or more contours to revolve around an axis to either modify a relief or to create a new mesh object as illustrated in the following image Relief Surface Mesh Object Revolutions and Extrusions Page 229 Revolve Dialog Selecting the Revolve icon E or selecting the Surface menu and then Create Surface and Revolve will activate the Revolve dialog This dialog allows you to select the appropriate options and parameters required to create the new surface The revolve dialog provides two sets of parameters depending on whether you have selected the option of creating a mesh object or any other application method for modifying an existing relief If you select an application method for modifying
130. achine The following information is displayed for each job Job The file name of the design that is being output Status The current status of the job Ready The job is ready to process Hold The Pe is being held the Hold Job parameter was selected when it was output Processing The job is being output on the machine A percentage of the job that has been output is displayed Error There was some error when communicating with the machine Size The size of the job file Date The date the job was sent on Time The time the job was sent Computer The computer the job was sent from Outputting Jobs When you choose the Plot or RIP Print command Inspire places a job in the queue folder of the target machine The jobs are placed in the queue one after the other in the order of their arrival The OCC automatically sends the jobs to the machine for output The jobs are automatically sent in the order they are received Held Jobs The Output dialog has a parameter called Hold Job If you choose this parameter the job will be created and placed in the queue but it will not be processed and output until you release it using the Output to Machine Page 211 Release command Holding Jobs To hold a job that is currently in the output queue 1 Select the job 2 From the Job menu select Hold w Releasing Held Jobs To release a held job 1 Select the job 2 From the Job menu select Release e Using the Done Queue to Re
131. ake to output a finished piece The software determines the cutting order based on a number of different parameters It is not necessary to make any changes to the Ordering Options in order to successfully generate output The default ordering options are sufficient to generate a high quality finished piece They only need to be changed if you want to fine tune the process Pity Order Pty 1 Tool E 2 Object Tool Order E 3 Strategy Strategy Order ia 4 Pass Object Order E 5 Laver A E p7 p Small parts first iw Maintain grouping The ordering options can be set using the Ordering Options list and its related buttons The buttons cause the list to display ordering options at four different levels e Priority is the highest level and allows you to set the priority levels of the major parameters relative to each other e Tool Order sets the relative priority of the various types of tools used in the cutting passes e Strategy Order sets the relative priority of the various strategies present in the design Output to Machine Page 207 e Sort Method sets which of the different automatic toolpath sorting methods is in use e Small Part First Check this box if you would like the small parts to cut out first e Maintain Grouping Check this box to treat group objects as one in reference to the cut order a e Reset Parameters using Preferences r Click here to reset the Parameters using the Preferences
132. along with the seed contour when using the tool The contours will follow the height of the relief while following the seed contour to create the Rapid Texture 1 Create the relief to use as part of the texture design This can be anything from a simple shape to a logo design 2 Create the seed contour to be used to create the texture Select the seed contour and the relief Texture Tools Page 327 Page 328 Click the Rapid Texture icon to open the tool ee 5 Enter the parameters Overlap 0 2 Wave Length 2 0 r cy Horiz Amplitude 0 2 Vert Amplitude 0 2 Offset 0 2 Check Noise and Randomize A The contours are created and an ee J outline contour is created to follow A Ee ee the path of the panel size Se eee Ee ees Se ees ee e a E a E E IN eee eee Move the seed contour and the E SS relief to the side and select the _ contours that are to be toolpathed i l a If desired move the contours _ down a little in the Z axis Apply a 2D Engrave toolpath to a the contours In this example a ee wm L OOOO ee ore i 1 2 Ball End was used Be sure eo een ee to check the Follow Contours Sd box SS o ee Engrave Parameters SS nearer LULUS e 30 engrave toalpath E E SS Se Follow contour i sd gt External ma
133. also available and are discussed in other sections of this manual E Precision Input Center a E Change to desired parameters Scale Aotate Move O Dimensions Scale Factor eo 0000 Width 4 OUD width s 4 0000 Height y OUD Height r 0 0000 Depth D000 Depth 2 Include toolpaths W Proportional For example if you want to move the selection to a specific location press F2 and select the Move tab Then enter the coordinates for the new location of the selection Page 12 Getting Started Using Snaps Menu Setup Snaps Snaps allow you to select specific points during geometry construction and editing activities E x Within most of the drawing commands if you have snaps activated then as you move the i i fz i a N a iS T cursor around on the screen the cursor will snap to other drawing element points that meet the criteria of the snap For example if you have Snap to Endpoint on and then move the cursor close to a contour endpoint the cursor will snap to the point Snapping makes it much simpler to precisely create and edit contours Icon Description Cursor Snap to grid Snaps to the nearest grid point The grid ris Te spacing is configured on the Grid page in BE Preferences Snap to Snaps to a nearby guideline when the cursor guideline te gets close Also when dragging a contour the Sue i perimeter of the contour snaps to nearby Pani guidelines Snap to Snaps to the int
134. amfer tool allows you to complete the command in two steps with the second step being options The wizard portion of the dialog contains an area that contains a prompt for the next step required in order to complete the function It also contains buttons that allow you to move from step to step back up a step back to the start of the function execute the function or exit the function Prompt gt Select the chamfering contour for the shapes al Buttons to change steps Jo SPS p Page 268 Chamfering The following table lists the prompts in the Sweep Two Rails tool along with an explanation of the appropriate action Select the chamfering contour Click on the open contour you want to use as the profile contour for the shapes for the chamfer Select the chamfering contour Click on the contour you want to use to chamfer the holes in your for the holes Optional relief or the holes in the selected contours This step is optional and the profile contour selected in the first step will be used for both containers and holes by default Following is a listing of each of the wizard buttons and its function ay stat oo Return to the start of the command You will notice that the optional second step in the wizard is to identify a different profile contour to use for chamfering the holes in your selection While this option will likely not be used too often the following images show how it can be used effectively to cre
135. an arc into a line right click on the arc and select Convert to line Pak wo DP To convert an arc into a curve right click on the arc and select Convert to curve Linear Curve Section Tool Menu Draw Edit Linearize Toolbar Contour Editing Edit Points Linearize Curve Section This tool allows you to edit a section of a contour It will create a line between two points on the contour allowing you to eliminate unneeded points quickly 1 Click and hold the Edit Points Icon This will open the flyout menu click on the Linearize Curve Section Icon cal 2 Click to place the first point on the contour 3 Click to place the second point on the contour 4 A pink line will appear to show the preview of the segment to be replaced 5 Press the Enter key to accept the change Insert Corner Menu Draw Edit Cornet Toolbar Contour Editing Edit Points Insert Corner 1 Click and hold the Edit Points Icon This will open the flyout menu click on the Insert Corner icon r 2 Click to place the first point Page 84 Contour Editing 3 Click to place the second point This will show a preview of the new corner in pink You can click on the second point and drag it to the desired location The preview will reflect this change 4 Press the Enter key to accept the change Smooth Approximation Menu Draw Edit Curve Fit Toolbar Contour Editing Edit Points Smooth Approximation 1 Click and hold the Edit Poin
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137. and the boundary are parallel or if the end of the contour points away from the end of the boundary no extension will be created This can be helpful if you need to extend two contours so that they meet at their intersection Contour Editing Page 89 o Any open contour in the design can be extended Even if a contour is selected as a boundary contour it can still be extended to another boundary contour This means that you can select all the contours in your design as boundary contours and then proceed to identify which contours to extend Trimming Contours Menu Draw Trim Toolbar Contour Editing Trim The Trim tool allows you to shorten a contour either interactively by a specific distance or based on intersections with boundary contours Trimming a Contour Using the Mouse Menu Draw Trim Toolbar Contour Editing Extend Trim By Graphic 1 Click and hold the Extend Trim Line Icon then click the Trim Contours Icon Pi This will open the Precision Toolbar 2 Select the By Graphic method 3 Click on the end of the contour you want to trim As you move the cursor away from the end of the contour a preview is provided to show the amount that the contour will be trimmed 4 Move the cursor to the new endpoint and click 5 Repeat for as many contours as necessary 6 Right click to release the tool or click on the close button This option works with the snap options to trim a contour to a specif
138. and then welding them together 2 Select the Extrude icon or select the Surface menu and then Create Surface Extrude 3 Click on the Mesh icon to select that option 4 Define Slices 24 and Stacks 150 Define Scale 1 00 and Rotations 6 0 6 Make sure that the Miter option is checked and click on the center Profile Placement button 7 Click to select the profile contour you want to extrude and then click the Next Step icon _ gt Jin the wizard 8 Click on the original ellipse to use as the path for the extrusion Revolutions and Extrusions Page 253 9 Click on the Execute button to complete the command 10 The following shows a top view of the resulting object Page 254 Revolutions and Extrusions Sweep Two Rails Menu Surface Create Surfaces Sweep Two Rails Toolbar 3D Surfaces Revolve Sweep Two Rails 1 The Sweep Two Rails tool provides another method of using profile contours to either modify an existing relief or create a new mesh surface The rails are open contours that provide a path for the right and left edges of cross section contours to follow as the profiles are used to create an extruded surface This tool is very flexible and can be used to create a wide range of surfaces It is also very useful when used to modify existing relief surfaces particularly when the relief surface acts as a stencil to extract the swept surface This will be illustra
139. apered tool The difference is that it uses the beveled shape of the tool to create a beveled edge It also will move up into corners to get as far into the corners as the tip dimension of the tool will allow As you can imagine a 3D Toolpath designation is only appropriate in certain situations and with certain tools The software monitors the type of cut and the type of tool that has been specified and then controls when the 3D Toolpaths option may be selected Also this option is not available at all licensing levels of the software If your version does not have the 3D Toolpaths option enabled it is possible to enable this function by upgrading the software license The 3D option is a very powerful option allowing a very different type of cut from any of the toolpaths that are strictly 2D 3D toolpaths may be created for cleaning cuts with Routing Offsets Island Fills and Hatch Fills With the Engrave Strategy the 3D toolpath will likely serve as the primary option on many jobs The following figure provides an illustration of some of the 3D toolpaths that may be created Working with Toolpaths Page 149 Saving Cut Settings as a Template To save the current settings as a template 1 Click the Save as button 2 Type a name for the template and click OK Loading Cut Settings from a Template To load the settings previously saved as a template select the template from the Cut list It is possible to load a cut template tha
140. apid Texture contours are created they are first created as offsets from the seed contour based on the Offset parameter in the Rapid Texture dialog The offsets are then distorted using the other Rapid Texture parameters creating the finished Rapid Texture contours Since the seed contour is the starting point it is an important part of the design process Seed contours can be virtually any shape desired they can be open or closed contours and you may select more than one seed contour at a time Whatever contours that are currently selected when the Rapid Texture process is started are used as the seed contours With some experimentation you will find that even using all of the same parameters you can change the end result of the Rapid Texture results quite dramatically simply by changing the shape and number of seed contours selected 8 Draw a straight horizontal line across the plate This is the contour that will be used as the seed contour 9 Click on the line and open the Rapid Texture tool 10 Click on the photo image This will p Fee open a dialog box that will allow you to E Te select the tool that will be used to cut m the toolpaths In this example we have JE zi chosen to use a 02 Engrave tool Accept Cancel Click Accept Page 344 Texture Tools 11 The whitespace gap parameter refers Whitespace Gap to the minimal space that will be between the contours in the dark Poer portions of the photo T
141. ard 7 Apply to relief Ca Apply to surface y Carve into surface E Apply Overcut y The first thing you notice when you activate a strategy with a relief selected is the new checkbox at the bottom of the parameters dialog named Apply to relief By checking this checkbox you have access to four additional parameters that define how the toolpaths will be applied to the relief Apply to Surface Apply to surface means that the toolpath will follow the surface of the relief and the depth of cut will be adjusted to follow the relief If the toolpath covers an area with no relief the depth is defined by the settings in the cut definition The cut depth defines the maximum depth of the new toolpaths Carve into surface Carve into surface allows the toolpath to follow the relief while using the cut depth information to define how deep to cut into the relief One of the common uses of this parameter would be to create a 3D Engrave toolpath that follows the surface of the relief while creating the 3D effect into the relief surface When you select this option two more check boxes appear Project is the most common selection it calculates the toolpaths as if they were applied projected onto the relief Float calculates the toolpath and makes sure the tool will not remove part of the relief This can cause distortion of the toolpaths and should only be used in special circumstances if it is particularly important for the new toolpaths not to go
142. ardless of the object ordering method If objects are grouped together this checkbox allows them to be treated as one object for object ordering This button allows you to add a tool to the Tool Order list This button removes the current tool from the Tool Order list This button clears all the tools from the Tool Order list This resets the currently active parameters Priority Tool Strategy or Object to their default values This resets all the ordering parameters to their default values Exiting the Software Menu File From the File menu select the Exit command to close all layouts and exit the program Page 28 Getting Started 3 Toolbars and Command Icons This section provides a summary of the major functions of EnRoute As you will recognize most of the commonly used tools are readily available by clicking the screen buttons available in the toolbars The icons presented and described in this section are organized based on the toolbars in which they reside The toolbars can easily be moved to the top bottom right or left side of the display This allows you to customize the interface to fit your preferences The changes you make will be saved when you exit so that the layout will come back just as you left it the next time you start the program Until you become familiar with each of the icons you can view a short hint about each icon by placing the cursor over the button and leaving it there for a secon
143. art of the function execute the function or exit the function Prompt gt elect the contours to spin P Buttons to change steps gt kai The following table lists the prompts in the Spin tool along with an explanation the appropriate action Select the contours to spin This is the first step and you are prompted to select the contours you want to use as the profiles for the spin Note that you can select more than one profile contour to use Select the height control curve This optional step allows you to select another curve to use to Optional modify the height of the spin surface Select the width control curve This optional step allows you to select another curve to use to Optional modify the width of the surface as it is spun around the center axis Following is a listing of each of the wizard buttons and its function E J stat Return to the start of the command Revolutions and Extrusions Page 239 Height Control Curve The optional second step of the wizard gives you the option to identify a curve that will modify the shape of the spun surface as it is created This provides a creative tool that allows you to create a surface that can be quite different that the one you would get without this option The following graphic shows two surfaces created using this tool The surface on the left was created using a Height Control Curve The surface on the right used the same profile without usin
144. as that the Rough tool couldn t 4 Inthe tool listing that appears in the list of cuts at the top of the dialog set the Depth of the cut It is possible to enter fractional values such as 1 2 in order to let the program calculate the decimal equivalent That way it isn t necessary to remember that the decimal equivalent of 3 16 is 0 1875 5 Add additional cuts using other tools as necessary 6 Set the Hatch Fill parameters Inlay This defines whether this strategy is part of an inlay project If this fill will be used as the female part of an inlay project it is necessary for the software to Page 155 Working with Toolpaths modify the toolpaths to compensate for the dimensions of the tool Also you will need to define the inlay gap which is the spacing between the male and female portions of the inlay A gap is needed to allow the two parts of the inlay to fit together The screen image below shows two contours that have been hatch filled The contour on the right has also been defined as an inlay to illustrate how the toolpaths are modified at the corners iae eE E Without Inlay With Inla Optimization There are three different options regarding the way in which the hatch toolpaths are ordered within the contour In the machining industry there are many different viewpoints regarding how pocket milling toolpaths should be ordered in order to be most efficient The software utilizes a method that is
145. atch fill that includes a 3D Clean Cut This combination of using a fill pattern along with a 3D clean cut is a very common technique used in many engraving woodworking and sign making applications Many times there is a need to utilize a 3D engraving toolpath but the material doesn t permit the 3D toolpath to go to the bottom of the design In this case the fill can be used to define the bottom of the design TY HAL YY ff Fi j i ifs Hi i if ffi _ Sis fs 3 Dav a I Pi i f i j i j FEJETA i f f f d EES SE A FALAIT f f y Pied j i SEF Yi f Fi A Fi Aff i 4 if IF Fi f eeeeeee st Fi f H i Fi i HHH if F Fi Fi A if hy Wh FT Fa fet fy t Z is eal a Fi ELT i d F Do De oie AS SP ET Added f PLEA fff To create a toolpath using the Hatch Fill strategy 1 Select the contour you want the toolpath to follow 2 Click Hatch Fill 3 Inthe Hatch Fill dialog select the desired tool from the Available Tools list and click Add Tool The Sort tools by list determines the parameter that is used to sort the Available Tools list lt can also filter the tools that are displayed so that only a certain type of tool is visible The first tool in the list is always defined as the Rough tool and it is typically used as the main cutting tool Any additional tools serve as Clean tools primarily used as a final pass to clean up cutting marks from the Rough tool or to fit into are
146. ate an interesting surface in one process LJ lt gt Chamfering Page 269 Chamfer Centerline Menu Surface Chamfer Chamfer Centerline Toolbar 3D Surfaces Chamfer Centerline A The Chamfer Centerline tool provides a very useful variation on the standard chamfer tool There are two key aspects of how it works that are different from the standard Chamfer tool First the profile contour is extended to the center of the relief shape being chamfered second the profile contour is scale as necessary to create the chamfer surface This makes the Chamfer Centerline tool less mechanical and allows you to create very natural looking surfaces The following surface was created in one step using just the Chamfer Centerline tool One thing to note in this image is that EnRoute automatically adjusts the profile as the relief goes into corners creating a very natural looking surface This does not require any input on the part of the user The following surfaces were created using the Standard Chamfer and Chamfer Centerline tools You can see that the surface on the left provides a smooth very pleasing surface Page 270 Chamfering Standard Chamfer Chamfer Centerline Chamfer Centerline Dialog The dialog for the Chamfer Centerline tool is very similar to the Standard Chamfer dialog The wizard works identically as well as the relief application options The only differences are that the Relief Parameters are a
147. atically positioned in the plate in the z axis so that the top of the contour is at the top of the plate It may be desirable to move than down slightly further into the plate in order to ensure that the surface is created properly Page 320 Texture Tools 5 Select the contours and add a 2D a E aE EE TEE a Engrave toolpath to the contours a a H In this example a 1 inch Ball End ae Tool was used ee a S ooe a Make sure that the Follow contour SS parameter is checked ed a Engrave Parameters 3D engrave toolpath E Fallow contour M External male R Internal female R Apply relief R 6 This is a simulated view of the toolpaths using a 1 inch Ball End tool A Routing Offset toolpath was applied to the outline contour to cut out the panel 7 This image shows the same contours but this time a 120 degree Conic tool was used You can see that the shape and size of the tool can make the texture results very different Texture Tools Page 321 Curved Line Example 1 This example shows the use of a curved line as the seed contour Select the contour Click on the Rapid Texture icon to open the tool Enter the parameters Overlap 0 5 Wave Length 3 0 Horiz Amplitude 0 2 Vert Amplitude 0 2 Offset 0 2 Check Noise and Randomize Click on the Preview button This will show the contours in green and the outline of the panel in yellow The preview allows you to adjust
148. ating Reliefs Angle The Angle parameter is used to define Round and Beveled reliefs when the Normal relief option is selected Both positive and negative angles may be used between 0 and 90 With beveled reliefs the angle defines the angle of the bevel With round reliefs the angle defines the angle of a line tangent to the circle that defines relief If an angle of 90 degrees is used with a round relief a semi circle is used to create the relief The preview drawing in the dialog shows a small preview of the relief shape based on the angle that is defined The angle can be entered directly into the edit box or the spinner arrows can be used to define the angle and there is also a slider bar that can be used to define the angle The following graphic show how different effects can easily be achieved just by using different angles Relatively flat surfaces such as those on the left are created by using small angles and more dramatic surfaces are created by using larger angles such as those on the right When the Constant Height relief option is selected the Angle parameter is disabled because it is not used in this option Creating Reliefs Page 223 Using the Relief Dialog Now that the options and parameters have been introduced in the previous sections the next task is to use the Relief creation tool to create and modify a relief This section includes a presentation of the steps required to create a relief using just this tool
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150. ave the file Close This closes the current ATP session and returns you to the EnRoute environment If changes have been made to current ATP parameters you will be asked whether to save these changes as the active ATP parameters If you click on Yes the current parameters will be saved in EnRoute s memory so that if you get back into the ATP these parameters will be restored Page 378 Automatic Toolpaths i x 2 Keep changes There are three Process Buitons that tell EnRoute to use the current ATP parameters to process part information The difference between these buttons is that they each tell EnRoute to process different part information Very likely you will utilize just one of these buttons for a majority of your work depending on how your part information is processed Process Active This processes the active EnRoute drawing This is the drawing that was active when you started the current ATP session For most users this option will not be utilized very often but it can be convenient if you would like to quickly process some parts that you have created in EnRoute or imported from another application Process Files This button processes a list of DXF files that you have identified in the list shown in the Select Files tab This option allows you to process geometry files that have been created by a separate design application that may not be directly supported by the ATP For example many users utilize Au
151. aw more polygons Enter the new values for the polygons in the fields as before and click Apply to draw 8 Right click to end the polygon function or press Close Text Menu Draw Text Toolbar Construction Text The Text tool allows the user to place text and then edit it to change parameters such as size font style and spacing The user is also able to place text on a curve or an arc EnRoute 5 introduced the ability to place and edit single stoke fonts Rather than the more typical outline fonts single stroke fonts utilize a single contour width to e xT define the letter This type of lettering is typically used for marking purposes utilizing an engrave toolpath strategy Text Precision Toolbar Shown below is the first section of the toolbar Font Style Preview of the selected font l l CE AaBbCcDd Bookman Old Style Bookshelf Symbol 7 Browallia Hew Erowallia JPE Bold Italic Page 72 Creating Contours This is the second section of the Precision Toolbar fA 30000 f ab foomo Close na oo a ooo 4 A 10000 4 E TA Select this option to change the height of the selected text objects The height of the character is a nominal height not an exact height Select this option to change the slant of the characters A positive value will cause H the letter to lean towards the right while a negative value will make the letter lean back or to the left A Select this tool to change the width of the
152. axis Wavelength This value should divide evenly into x size of the panel Offset This value should divide evenly into the y size of the panel Displacement Noise should be selected Randomize should be selected Close This parameter allows you to define a distance over which to fade out the Rapid Texture effects on the offset contours In Rapid Texture the seed contour is first offset by the specified amount and then the offsets are distorted based on the Rapid Texture parameters Fading provides anther creative tool for adding new effects with Rapid Texture This defines a fade distance to the right of the seed contours making it possible to have different fade distance on both sides of the seed contour Texture Tools Resolution Cleanup Tolerance Rapid Texture contours are modified using a noise texture pattern This noise pattern has a resolution that can be defined here In previous versions of EnRoute this resolution was fixed at 25 dpi and this resolution seems to work well for most applications For very small designs you may want to increase the resolution in order to refine the noise pattern After the offset contours have been distorted using the noise pattern they are cleaned up in order to reduce the number of points that define each contour Larger tolerance values will allow you to reduce the number of points in each contour but this will also reduce the smoothness of the contours As with other contour
153. bels X Load Process Active Save Process Files Save As Process KCDw Close The Output Settings parameters allow you to specify where output files are saved and a prefix to the file names Page 396 Automatic Toolpaths Label Settings If the labeling option is enabled these parameters are used to select the size and design of the labels to be printed Two separate applications are used to define Label Design and Label Format files Label Design This file format uses the XML file format to specify the layout of the labels The files have an Ids extension and are created using EnRoute s Label Designer application Label Format File The label formats specify how labels are arranged on a sheet Many standard label formats are provided with EnRoute and new ones are easily created using the Label Maker application The lfc file format stores the label format and is selected with this parameter Label Format When the Label Format file is specified its individual label formats may be selected using this parameter Example Steps to Process Your Files The previous sections describe each of the steps required to use EnRoute s Automatic Toolpath feature to process part files This section provides a brief step by step listing of how you would typically proceed through the process It follows the flowchart described in the ATP Overview presented at the start of this chapter
154. brary below If you are creating tool definitions for tongue and groove joining tools create them as end mill tools Give the tongue bit a diameter equal to the outer diameter of the bit and the groove bit a diameter equal to its inner diameter Deleting a Tool from the Tool Library Menu Setup Tool Library Toolbar Libraries Tool Library 1 Click Tool library ig Select the tool you want to delete Click Delete Click OK w e Configuring the Software Page 201 Saving the Tool Library Saving the Default Tool Library To save the default tool library including any changes 1 Click Save Save Tool Library ToolLibrary Save Cancel W Save as default library 2 Check the Save as default tool library box 3 Click Save Saving a Custom Tool Library A custom tool library may be designed to fit an individual user or a specific job 1 Open the Tool library Edit the library so that it contains the tools to be included in this library Click Save Enter the name of the new library to be created Make sure the Save as default tool library box is cleared Click Save D n p OD Opening a Tool Library Tool libraries are stored by name in the folder the software was installed into They may be loaded at any time 1 Click Tool library i 2 Click Open Page 202 Configuring the Software Open Tool Library Available tool libraries f Open as new library a f Add to current library
155. button that corresponds to side or center point that will be used to locate the mirrored object raza Hed U 5 Click Apply to accept Ebe E 8 EF ty Se Without checking the copy box the reversed 4 If you check the copy box you will still have will be the end result the original object as well as a reversed copy Arranging Contours Page 121 Mirror Vertical Menu Transform Mirror Toolbar Object Edit Mirror 1 Click the Mirror icon This will open the Precision Toolbar R 0 0000 A o oo00 p Apply hid O 0000 o 0000 EEE Close 4 Click the reference grid button that corresponds to side or center point that will be used to locate the mirrored object ris Held H J Without checking the copy box the reversed 4 If you check the copy box you will still have the will be the end result original object as well as a reversed copy Page 122 Arranging Contours Aligning Contours Menu Transform Align Toolbar Object Edit Align The Align tool allows you to align one or more contours or groups relative to each other 1 Select the contours to be aligned 2 Click and hold the Align Icon then one of the following Alignment to horizontal amp vertical center Align to bottom Align to top Align to center vertically Align to center horizontally Align left Arranging Contours woh nny Page 123 A
156. c This tool activates the Precision Toolbar that provides other arc construction options Draw Polygon This button activates a dialog for defining the parameters for placing polygon shapes Text This tool opens a Precision Toolbar Any True Type font that is installed on your computer is available to be used The toolbar allows for many options in placing and editing the text to create the desired effects Shape Wizard Click and hold to open a toolbar containing the Shape Wizard tools These tools provide several different methods for creating shapes using parameters to define size and shape Create Dimensions Click and hold to open a set of dimension tools to be used to measure and record in the drawing 3D Surfaces Toolbar 3D Surfaces x EAL RALE CRANA E Create Relief This icon opens a dialog that enables several options to create a relief for the selected contours Edit Selected Relief This icon opens a dialog that provides several relief editing tools that allow the user to interactively edit a selected relief Textures Click and hold this icon to open a flyout menu containing several different textures that can be edited and applied to a relief Rapid Texture This opens a tool designed to create textured panels using the diameter of the tool to create the texture Extrusions This icon activates a toolbar that provides additional options in creating reliefs These tools use revolutions
157. c Toolpath Setup C Program Files EnRoute 3 AutoTP AAStandard atp oj x Define Layers Ordering and Nesting KCDw Setup Design l a z wo Layer Name Strategy Small Part Strategy Rout Drawer T0125 DO125 offset fen Rout Tab T0375 DO405 open E Rabbet T0375 D025 open Rabbet T01875 DO25 open Rout Drawer T0375 DO375 hatch Rout Dado T025 DO375 island Door Bore T0375 DOSO island Rout Drawer 101875 DO25 island Y qqqoq0q0q 8 mamm a m m m oolojoiqiojoia qololoidioloi dglojolofolojalol o o lalh lal lalh alr lalh alh lalh fa ROUTBACKTAB Add Layer Use Active Remove Layer Use Files Default Strategy not assigned v o Cearkayes Use KCDw Load Process Active Save Process Files Save As Process KCDw Close Both a normal Strategy and a Small Part Strategy may be defined The Small Part Strategy is utilized for parts that have a surface area below a threshold that is defined by the user If a Small Part strategy is not defined then the Strategy is used for all the parts Automatic Toolpaths Page 385 Activate the Preferences dialog by clicking Setup and Initialization JV Maximize Application JV Prompt for Plate Preferences Then click on 7 Masinize Document the Initialization tab to show Mii ible the area threshold for small Small Part Sizes Boluti 7 pD a rt S Small size threshold 50 000
158. cal amplitude would be 0 00 Method 2 This method provides more parameters so it might be considered the advanced distortion method however it is not really much more complicated than Method 1 There are two primary parameters Size and Power and there are two of each The two set of parameters means that there are two distortion passes around the contours and each pass is controlled by it parameters By setting the power parameters to 0 00 for a given pass that pass won t have any effect on the contours il 1 Size 1 se 10 0000 Power 1 se 0 5000 Size 2 se 5 0000 Power 2 1 0000 Template FRE al al al E 23 i 6 0000 m ii 0 5000 al ie 3 0000 al t 2 0000 al Apply z 0 3000 z o oo 2 z ooo j z o o Save Delete Close Size This defines the size of the distortion in each of the three directions X Y and Z You can think of this as sort of a combination of the Wavelength and Amplitude parameters from method 1 The interesting thing here is that you can define different parameters in different directions so that the distortion has a more directional result Power This defines the strength of the distortion Small values such as 0 02 allow you to create very subtle distortions of contours and as the values increase the distortion becomes more dramatic Since you can define parameters in all three directions this is also a way to create a directional distortion Page 86 Contour Editing
159. can now see a preview of the drawing when you go to open the file E Open File Look in J Design File J ema Name Date modif Type Size Sy 4 testA Recent Places Desktop i A Computer er Network File name testA v Files of type EnRoute Files v Cancel Saving a Design Menu File Save From the File menu select Save or Save as lal 2 If you have selected the Save as command or you are saving the document for the first time a dialog box is displayed Enter the name and the location that will be used to save the document 3 Click Save The file will be saved in the currently active drive and folder Be sure that you know where the file is being saved so that you will be able to locate it the next time you want to open it Page 56 Working with Files Closing a Design Menu File Close 1 From the File menu select Close 2 If your file has changed since the last time it was saved a dialog box is displayed asking if you want to save the current file e Click Yes to save the file before closing it e Click No to close the file without saving the changes e Click Cancel to keep the file open F i Adobe Illustrator 6 Al Importing a Design Adobe Mutter 10 2A Menu File Import E AutoCAD DWG DWG AutoCAD DWG DWG from ER4 ee AutoCAD DXF DXF 1 Click Import toCAD DXF DXF from ER4 Enroute ROU 2 Select the file format fold
160. ce Grid Click on the button that represents the position of the plate that you want the nested items to be located With the New nester checked you now have the choice of more than one area of the material Nest Summary Report The Nest Summary Report contains the following information General Data Number of sheets 2 Nested Area 105 2040 Total Area 288 0000 Nested Parts 12 Requested Parts 12 Yield 54 8495 Algorithm 2 Date 8 2 2011 e Timme 10 56 01 AM Page 134 Arranging Contours The next section of the report contains is a reference of the parts nested Picture Part Part Area Total Nested l 6 6089 3 a 2 2 9893 3 6 3 19 0922 3 4 6 3776 3 The following section of the report shows a picture of the nested sheets and the individual data for each of the sheets Layer 1 Sheet Data Sheet Name Layer 1 Sheet Area 144 0000 Nested Area 76 8719 Remnant Area 0 0000 e Yield 453 3833 Num Nested 6 Picture Part Part Area On this sheet l 6 6089 2 3 3 19 0922 3 4 6 3776 l Arranging Contours Page 135 In this example two sheets were needed to nest the objects The information for this sheet is shown here Sheet Data 7 Sheet Name nested 1 Nested Area 28 3321 e Yield 0 19 6751 Num Nested 6 Picture Part Fart Area On this sheet l 6 6089 l a 2 2 9893 3 4 6 3776 2 Page 136 Arranging Contours Dynamic Ne
161. ceececececececeeaeceeaeeeeaeees 363 ENGRAVE TOOLPATHS ON A RELIEF anannanannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnrnnonnnrnnnnnnrnrnnrnrnnne 370 CREATE RENDERED VIEW OF TOOLPATHS 2 ssceeececcecceececceccecceccusceseaseusenees 373 AUTOMATIC TOOEPATAS wivitinniveicitienthitectcavivcbewibinedenvddvawdhinhutasudecsavatis 375 INTRODUC MON SeSecdeteccictomes a a a a 375 DESIGN APPLICATION SUPPORT ensseceseecscdsecedhs ssiceceted tench yeueeveaitSenebchaneeseteedens 376 OVERVIEW OF THE ATP PROCESS cvccccccccosccsceccceccstcstosecuveucsecuvntccccvecscceresecers 376 ACTIVATING THE ATP DIALOG vice eee 377 PIE PAT DAOC eer techs ee ea ik aah Aakash 378 SELECTING THE ACTIVE DESIGN APPLICATION 0 ceceecceccecceececcesceeeeeeuseeeeuees 379 SELECTING FILES FO PROCESS neat et 380 LAYER MAPE NGames a setae ttatce ec tualtmesa eee etrauett 382 ORDERING AND NES TING isis icct ee a ais ented a A 388 ATP SETUP erona a a 394 EXAMPLE STEPS TO PROCESS YOUR FILES witches tek 397 gt KEYBOARD SHORTCUT Siwvecsieistaveutescenadisanaseweneudstidossucniivesaectuacsddecaweneeteut 401 Software License Agreement Carefully read the following terms and conditions sign and return as accepting these terms and conditions This is a legal agreement between you the end user either an individual or an entity and SA International Inc If you do not agree with the following you should promptly return the package Use of this program indicates your acceptance of the terms and con
162. cessary to create an extruded surface using the option of modifying an existing relief 1 Create the 2D artwork In this example create an ellipse and then outline it Then place four overlapping circles and weld then together After they are welded if there is a center hole ungroup the object and delete the center 2 Select the ellipse and use it to create a flat relief 3 Select the relief and then select Extrude G or select the Surface menu and then Create Surface Extrude 4 Click on Add to select that option 5 Select the Normal application method 6 Define Scale 1 00 and Rotations 0 0 7 Make sure that the Miter option is unchecked and click on the center Profile Placement button Revolutions and Extrusions Page 251 8 Click to select the profile contour you want to extrude and then click Next Step _ gt Jin the wizard 9 Click on the original ellipse to use as the path for the extrusion 10 Click on the Execute button to 11 The following shows a rendered top view of the resulting relief Page 252 Revolutions and Extrusions Create a Mesh Surface The example in this section demonstrates how to create a mesh object by extruding a profile 1 Create the 2D artwork Create a small profile as shown in the upper left and then create a path similar to the one shown It is not necessary to duplicate this shape precisely It was created by drawing simple rectangles
163. cially wood it is necessary for the tool to move into the material rather than moving from inside the material out in order to minimize the risk of the material blowing out as the tool leaves the material The With Relief option allows you to define a segment of the toolpath at its end to move in rather than out so that you can ensure that the toolpath won t move the tool out of the material as it is cutting The graphic below illustrates an open contour that uses Relief at the end The left end of the toolpath is the end with Relief Notice the direction arrow pointing the other way this is part of the Relief section Working with Toolpaths Page 151 If the With Relief option is selected the following additional parameters are displayed Relief This is the length of the section at the end of the toolpath that will move Length back in from the end Relief It is possible to overlap the two sections to ensure a clean cut Overlap Cut End If this is selected the Relief section of the toolpaths will be cut before First the rest of the Open Contour Offset toolpaths 7 Click OK Once you create the toolpath the contour will become part of the toolpath group Deleting Cuts To delete an unwanted cut from the list of cuts for the strategy select the cut and click Delete tool Saving Strategy Settings as a Template To save the current settings as a template 1 Click the Save as button 2 Type a name for the template and
164. cise placement or sizing this is the easiest and quickest method In order to move a selection it is as easy as clicking on one of the contours in the selection and then dragging the selection to a new location It is important though to click on one of the selected contours in order to maintain the selection The image below illustrates this note that the cursor is on top of one of the contours in the selection lt is also possible to move a selection using one of the nine selection handles The easiest way is to place the cursor on the center handle and then click and drag the selection to a new location It is also possible to move a selection using one of the other handles but this takes a little practice If you place the cursor directly on top of one of the handles notice that the center of the cursor arrow turns black If you click and drag at this point you will scale the selection rather than move tt Vs If instead of placing the cursor directly on top of the handle you place the cursor near the handle and then click and drag the selected point for the move will automatically snap to the corner of the selection and then allow you to move the selection to the desired location After you master the concept of clicking near a corner this is a handy way to precisely position a selection Scaling a selection interactively is accomplished by placing the cursor on one of the selection handles and then clicking and dragging to move
165. ck Apply The example below shows how to create a gear shape by first drawing a circle and a rectangle and then copying the rectangle around the circle The Weld Joined command is used to combine the shapes Page 102 Contour Editing Vectorizing Bitmaps Menu Draw Vectorize Bitmap Toolbar Contour Editing Vectorize Bitmap Since the software uses vector based contours to create toolpaths any bitmap artwork you may want to use in your design must first be converted into a vector form This technique is called vectorization The Vectorize Bitmap tool allows you to trace bitmap art and convert it into contours Before vectorizing a bitmap you should clean up the bitmap as much as possible using a bitmap editor Remove specking and unwanted detail Make sure that contours you want to turn into closed contours are completely closed in the bitmap If possible convert the image to a grayscale or black and white image 1 Import the bitmap into your design and select it For information on importing a bitmap or other graphic see Importing a Design k Vectorize 2 Select Vectorize bitmap Choose an option set parame and click OF LE Cancel 0 Bezier iw Automatic cleanup C Enhanced comers f Enhanced curves Tolerance 0 o0 In the Vectorize dialog select the Bezier Enhanced corners or Enhanced curves option e The Bezier option emphasizes using Bezier curves as it completes the vectorization
166. ck to place the arc Left click to place more arcs with the same parameters 6 If desired you can continue to create more arcs using the same method Right click to end the arc function You can also enter the data into the X and Y fields for the points and enter the degree of the angle and click Apply Creating Contours Page 69 Drawing an Arc by Three Points Menu Draw Arc Toolbar Construction Arc By Three Points 1 Click the Arc Icon The Precision Toolbar will open Select By Three Points a Click to define the start point Click to define the end point Click or drag to define a third point along the arc If desired you can continue to create more arcs using the same method as the first Pak VN Right click to end the arc function You can also enter the data in the X and Y fields for the coordinating points Click Apply Ellipse The ellipse tool works much the same as the other drawing tools including three options for construction method A new method in this tool allows the ellipse to be constructed by defining the angle of the major axis of the ellipse and the height and width This allows the ellipse to be rotated so that the major axis is not the x axis when it is constructed Drawing an Ellipse by Height and Width Menu Draw Ellipse Toolbar Construction Ellipse Draw by Height and Width To draw an ellipse by defining a center point and the height and width 1 Click Ellipse Icon From
167. click OK Loading Strategy Settings from a Template To load the settings previously saved as a template select the template from the Strategy list Editing Cut Parameters The process for editing cut parameters for the Open Contour Offset strategy is nearly identical to that for the Routing Offset strategy see Editing Cut Parameters The two exceptions to this are It is not possible to define the toolpaths as 3D toolpaths so the 3D Toolpath option is not available The direction of the toolpath is defined by the direction of the contour so the Direction cut parameter is not available Note that you are able to define widths for each type of cut This allows you to use open contours to cut out areas that are wider than the tool you are using to perform the cut Page 152 Working with Toolpaths Daisy Chain Toolpaths Menu Toolpath Daisy Chain Toolbar Toolpath Daisy Chain Router users now have the option to Daisy Chain the toolpaths Daisy Chain toolpaths can in some applications improve efficiency by allowing the cutting to be done without having to lift the tool out of the material as often Example 1 Apply a Routing Offset toolpath Be sure that and Entry and an Exist have been defined with the Routing Offset 2 Select the objects with the Routing Offset toolpath 3 Click on the Daisy Chain Icon vi This will create the Daisy Chain Toolpath which connects the toolpaths together so the tool does not lift
168. create a finished surface EnRoute also allows you to import a number of different file formats so mesh objects that are created in other applications can be used too Creating Output for 3D Surfaces 3D toolpaths are created in much the same way as 2D toolpaths in EnRoute Hatch Fills and Island Fills are the most common strategy types that are used with reliefs but other strategies like routing offsets and engraving can also be effectively used to machine a surface When these strategies are used with a relief some additional parameters become necessary to define how the toolpaths should be created Otherwise the process is the same as the processes defined in Chapter 6 Creating 3D toolpaths is discussed in detail in Chapter 19 Page 214 3D Surfaces and 3D Toolpaths 13 Creating Reliefs Creating a Relief Menu Surface Create Relief Toolbar 3D Surfaces Create Relief The first step in working with surfaces is to create a relief which can then be modified and used to T create 3D toolpaths Click Create Relief 3D Surfaces x SPABeAD RAGES AS amp This will activate the Precision Toolbar for creating a relief This dialog provides several parameters that allow you to create and modify reliefs in many different ways The following sections provide a description of the parameters and how they affect the resulting relief Relief Shape A Relief parameters m a mm eee 0 0000 2 Angle Apply Constant height eer
169. create more circles Repeat step 2 4 Right click to end the circle function You can also enter the X and Y coordinates for the corners and click Apply Page 68 Creating Contours Arc The arc tool provides three different methods for constructing an arc All of the methods allow both interactive and precise definition of points and parameters After the arc is constructed it is a separate open contour If your design is comprised of several open contours before certain types of toolpaths such as fills may be applied Drawing an Arc by Center Start and Finish Menu Draw Arc Toolbar Construction Arc By Center Start and Finish 1 Click the Arc Icon This will open the Precision Toolbar Select Arc by Center Start and Finish ra Click to define the arc center Click to define the start point Click to define the arc endpoint If desired you can continue to create more arcs using the same method Po RO DN Right click to end the arc function You can also enter the data into the X and Y fields for each point and click Apply Drawing an Arc by Center Radius and Angle Menu Draw Arc Toolbar Construction Arc By Center Radius and Angle 1 Click the Arc Icon This will open the Precision Toolbar Select Arc by Center Radius and Angle cA 2 Enter the X and Y coordinates for the Center point 3 Enter the Radius parameter 4 Enter the Start Angle parameter 5 Enter the Sweep angle parameter Left cli
170. cted profile and other options define it without any vertical scaling e Scale to Height The new surface is scaled to match the height parameter as it is applied to the relief This allows you to create a surface and scale it in one step e Limit to Height The new surface is limited in height by the height parameter If a portion of the new surface extends above this height it is truncated before it is applied to the selected relief Relief Parameters The relief parameters of Height and Base are available when modifying a relief e Height This value defines the height if either the Scale to Height or Limit to Height relief option is selected e Base This value allows you to define a base height that can be added to the extruded surface as it is applied to the selected relief Mesh Parameters When the mesh option es is selected it activates parameters that are specific to this option They include the number of Slices and the number of Stacks that are to be used to create the mesh object A mesh object is composed of triangles or facets that make up its surface It is necessary to instruct EnRoute regarding how many of these facets should be used to construct the object The number of Slices is the number of sections that are used along the width of the cross sections The Stacks value is the number of sections that are used along the rails Revolutions and Extrusions Page 257 Wizard Prompts The Sw
171. ctively by a specific distance or to and intersection with another contour segment Trim Contour This tool allows you to shorten a contour either interactively by a nol specific distance or based on intersections with boundary contours Edit Contours Toolbar Edit contours x Ar rey af Edit Points This tool allows you to manipulate line curves and points in contours of Linearize Curve Section This tool allows you to edit a contour to define line segments between two points Toolbars and Command Icons Page 43 re Insert Corner This tool allows you to interactively place a corner in an existing contour co Smooth Approximation Tool This tool allows you to interactively edit a contour to smooth the segment between two selected points Add Noise to Objects This tool allows the user to parametrically distort selected co contours and reliefs in order to introduce affects ranging from subtle to dramatic Offset Toolbar Offset X E m m Offset Closed Contour This tool allows you to define one or more offsets to a selected closed contour in Offset Open Contour This tool allows you to create offsets for selected open O contours Text Toolbar Tet x A Create New Text Objects This tool is used to interactively create text objects nE Edit Existing Text Objects Use this tool to edit existing text objects EN Convert Text Objects to Curves This tool converts the text objects
172. cts are made up of triangles of varying sizes that define their surface EnRoute enables you to both create and utilize 3D meshes as part of the relief design process As with all of the different methods for defining 3D surfaces mesh objects have advantages and disadvantages One clear advantage is that many common 3D modeling software packages provide the ability to export and import mesh objects For this reason meshes are probably the most common type of 3D objects There are many companies that sell 3D objects of just about any type of object that you can imagine This may be a good way to acquire an object to incorporate into your design that would otherwise be difficult and time consuming to create In addition to being able to import and use 3D models many of EnRoute s modeling tools provide the option of creating a mesh object rather than modifying a relief These meshes can then be positioned rotated and scaled in order to make them just right for incorporating into a relief design Using 3D Meshes Page 277 Using 3D Meshes from Other Applications EnRoute currently imports 3D mesh objects in three different formats e DXF Data eXchange Format is the format created by AutoDesk as a standard method for bringing data into and out of AutoCAD It has become a standard method for exchanging data between many software packages EnRoute imports both 2D and 3D data using this format e 3DS This is the format used by 3D S
173. d The wizard will prompt to select the cross sections Click on the cross section contours Each time EnRoute will draw a green line to show where the contour was placed on the rails The first two you identify will be placed at each end and subsequent sections will be dividing the length Click on the Execute button to complete the command The following shows a top view of the resulting object RA AAEN Bia Ye Wn a PAIS ds Nees HN pag rana ai HAN TO 908 AAA a atl BAI gees ae A AA ae ca nin Nk y oe ee ANY oy SS ny 4 ss PON NODE a aM ALAN ae PK KN CEN 2 Sri We ie Ke T AA ANIAN an en 59 Page 262 Revolutions and Extrusions 15 Chamfering Introduction The Chamfer tools allow you to modify reliefs by applying profiles that can range anywhere from a simple rounded edge all the way to an intricate profile that changes the whole relief Because of the way that this tool works it is used only to modify reliefs rather than to create mesh objects The operation of the Chamfer tools is very similar to the other relief tools The following image shows an example of the Chamfer Centerline tool that was used to create this intricate surface using just one simple profile In this case the profile was applied to selected contours and added to the elliptical relief that already had a rounded surface Standard Chamfer Menu Surface Chamfer Chamfer Toolbar 3D Surfaces Chamfer Centerline Chamfer
174. d A preview will highlight the part of the contour that will be trimmed Left click on the mouse to activate the trim Contour Editing Page 91 As you move the cursor over the end of an open contour a preview of the trimmed area is displayed 8 Repeat for as many contours as necessary 9 Right click to release the tool or click on the close button Filleting Contours Menu Draw Fillet Toolbar Contour Editing Fillet The fillet tool inserts an arc of a defined radius at selected corners of one or more contours Fillet Precision Toolbar Comers Radius 0 5000 al Apply p C Inside comers 5 Ose a f Outside comer Charter All comers Keep Original Single Fillet The single fillet allows you to select one specific corner to fillet Multiple Fillet This allows you to choose to Fillet All corners Outside corners or Inside corners all at the same time with the same parameter Inside Corners Outside Corners Page 92 Contour Editing All Corners Radius This is the parameter for the size of the radius for the Fillet or Chamfer Chamfer Select this box if you would like to chamfer the corner instead of fillet Keep Original When this box is selected the original will be kept and an open contour segment will be placed where the fillet was previewed Single Fillet Menu Draw Fillet Toolbar Contour Editing Fillet Single Fillet Po RF oO Click the Fillet Icon This wil
175. d the drill will truly be a drill point meaning that the size of the hole is based entirely on the diameter of the tool at a given depth If the Exact diameter option is selected the user can define a diameter that is larger than the tool s diameter and the drill point will be created as a circle The circle will be sized to make the drill hole the diameter specified for the selected tool at the depth defined It is important to point out that EnRoute takes into account the shape of the tool in determining the diameter of the tool at a given depth If you are using a conic tool to create the drill and specify an exact dimension at a depth that is less than the height of the bevel EnRoute will automatically take into account the real diameter of the tool at the depth specified The following screen image illustrates a number of drills that show drills defined both by tool and by diameter Working with Toolpaths Page 169 Countersink If a tool is selected that is capable of engraving conic engrave tapered then if the Diameter by tool option is selected another option is made available Countersink lets you specify the diameter of a hole you would like to make that takes into account the bevel on the tool EnRoute will then automatically calculate how deep the tool should go in order to create a countersink hole with an outer diameter as specified This is an option designed to aid in designing drill ho
176. d Relief You can apply smoothing to just a portion of a relief by selecting a contour along with the relief The selected contour s acts as a mask and the relief will only be smoothed within the boundary of the contour Inverting Reliefs Menu Surface Invert Relief Toolbar 3D Surfaces Modify Relief Invert Relief hA Inverting a relief has the effect of reversing the z coordinates of the relief relative to the location of the perimeter contours of the relief This is a simple way to convert a positive relief to a negative relief lt p gt To invert a relief 1 Select the reliefs to be inverted 2 From the Surface menu select Invert Relief EJ You can also select the Invert Relief function from a screen icon The function is located on a flyout toolbar that is activated by clicking a holding the Smooth Relief icon The flyout is shown to the right One thing you can see in the images above is that inverting a relief only modifies it in the z axis If you plan to invert a relief to use it as a mold it may also be desirable to mirror the relief prior so that any impressions created from a mold have the proper x y orientation A relief can be mirrored using the same method as any other EnRoute object From the Transform menu select Mirror and then either Mirror Horizontal or Mirror Vertical Page 290 Modifying and Combining Reliefs The following images show the sequence of actions to both inv
177. d or two In addition to the screen icons you can also reach all of the EnRoute functions by using the pull down menus File Toolbar File x boeo oeHS Hoes BhBeax se New Ctrl N Use the New command to start a new drawing EnRoute supports the Multi Document Interface MDI which allows you to have more than one layout open at a time Le Open Ctrl O Use the Open command to open an existing EnRoute file When you open a file it is placed in its own drawing window not the current one t Import a File Use the Import command to load a file that has been saved in a compatible format other than the native EnRoute format Save Ctrl S Use the Save command to save the current design file If you are saving a file for the first time the Save File As dialog will be displayed Print The Print command gives you the opportunity to print the current screen view or drawing Calculator This will activate the windows calculator tool Save Snapshot of Active View This tool allows you to take a snapshop of the active view and save it to a file Measure Lengths This tool opens a toolbar with access to several measurement tools ll Ee Eaj 9 Cut Ctrl X The Cut command allows you to remove items from the design file and ib place them in the Windows Clipboard so they can be pasted either back in the original file or in a another design file Toolbars and Command Icons Page 29 T k
178. d use a start angle of O degrees and an end angle of 180 degrees The following front view of a revolved mesh object illustrates the start and finish angles This object used a start angle of 45 degrees and an end angle of 135 degrees a End Angle e Start Angle Revolutions and Extrusions Page 231 Wizard Prompts The Revolve tool requires more than one step in order to complete it This portion of the dialog contains an area that contains a prompt that tells you the next step required in order to complete the function It also contains buttons that allow you to move from step to step back up a step back up to that start of the function execute the function or exit the function The first prompt asks you to Select the contours to be revolved After selecting one or more contours you can select the next step button which will then prompt you to Select the axis of revolution Optional At this stage you can either select a contour that will serve as the axis of revolution or select the execute button Following is a listing of each of the wizard buttons and its function ay start Return to the start of the command Mesh Parameters When the mesh option is selected it activates parameters that are specific to this option They include the number of Slices and the number of Stacks that are to be used to create the mesh object A mesh object is composed of triangles or facets that make up its surface It
179. dding some variation to the toolpaths after they have been created E Dome Relief Edit Tool This tool is used to edit a relief in a dome shape Edit Bridges The edit bridges tool allows you to edit individual bridges moving them and changing their parameters Edit entry exit Each cut in a toolpath has its own entry and exit points Use this tool to edit the points or type of entry and exit Ellipse by dimensions Enter the coordinates for the center of an ellipse and then define its height and width along its two axes Ellipse from corner to corner This tool is similar to the circle command of this same type Just interactively click and drag on the corners of a boundary rectangle to define an ellipse Explode selected contours This tool will separate a selected contour into individual segments Faceted mesh to relief After a mesh is created it is then added to a relief If the faceted option is selected then the object is applied to the relief surface using its facets directly gt ia NX IES Flat relief This tool is chosen to create a flat relief E B Flat Relief Edit Tool This tool is used to edit a relief using a flat shape 1 Hi Horizontal Distance Multicopy This tool defines the distance horizontally OO between the objects when using the Multicopy function Horizontal Distance Multicopy This tool defines the distance horizontally no between objects in Multicopy from the fr
180. designs more interesting and more unique The following images show an example of changes that were made to the contours This tool allows the user to get an entirely different effect simply by adding a little noise to the contours Noise Contour Editing Page Editing Page 85 The Noise Distortion tool can be used on both contours and relief surfaces It provides two methods 1 and 2 for achieving the distortion The first method provides fewer parameters and can be considered the simple method Method 1 il EF Wavelength 4 0000 al Horzizontal Amplitude 1 0000 al Template Preview 2 Jitter 01000 al Vertical Amplitude 0 1000 fal Apply Jave Delete Close Wavelength This defines the length along the contour over which the noise takes place Larger values have the effect of soreading out the distortion over longer distances Jitter This is a descriptive term for the parameter that controls the strength of the distortion A small value such as 0 5 will create subtle distortions while larger values will strengthen the distortion force Horizontal This controls the height of the distortion in the horizontal X Y plane Amplitude Vertical Amplitude This controls the distortion vertically It may often be desirable to distort contours horizontally but to keep them flat vertically This would be true if you planned to use a Routing Offset to cut parts out of flat material In that case the verti
181. dge of the entry to select it then drag the entry up or down by the header Defining Strategies as Unused Clearing the check box in the Use column to the right of a strategy will prevent any cuts from that strategy from being output Setting the Toolpath Sort Method Clicking the Sort Method button displays the Sort Methods list which allows you to select a sorting method that will be used to automatically order the toolpath groups in the design This is exactly the Output to Machine Page 209 same as the ordering that can be done using the Order Toolpaths dialog If you have already ordered the toolpath groups manually none of the methods will be checked If you check a method it will automatically be applied to the toolpath groups in your design For details on the various sorting methods see Setting the Toolpath Order Selecting Output Parameters The following output parameters are available Which toolpaths Select one of the following options All toolpaths All toolpaths will be output Selected only Only the currently selected toolpaths will be output Depth Select one of the following options All Toolpaths at all depths will be output Specific Depth Only the cut passes at the specified depth will be output This might be done to finish a job that had been interrupted near its end for instance Orientation Allows you to output the toolpaths rotated by some increment of 90 degrees Select 0 90 180 or 270
182. ditions stated below The enclosed computer program Software is licensed not sold to you by SA International Inc for use on a non exclusive non transferable basis only under the following terms and SA International Inc reserves any rights not expressly granted to you You may not disclose to any third party any confidential information concerning the Software or SA International Inc or use such confidential information to the detriment of SA International Inc 1 License This software is protected by the United States Copyright Law and International Treaty Provisions Therefore you must treat the Software just as you would any other copyrighted material such as a book This license allows you to a Make one copy of the Software in machine readable form provided that such a copy of the original may be used solely for backup purposes As an express condition of this License you must reproduce on each copy of the SA International Inc copyright notice and any other proprietary legends on the original copy supplied by SA International Inc b Transfer the Software and all rights under this License to another party together with a copy of this License and all written materials accompanying the Software provided you give SA International Inc written notice of the transfer and the other party reads and agrees to accept the terms and conditions of this License c Use this Software on a single computer only but may trans
183. dth Control Curve 1 Create your 2D artwork In this example create the contour you want to use as the profile for the spin and also create two additional curves to use as the Height Control Curve and the Width Control Curve 2 Select the relief and then select the Spin D icon or select the Surface menu and then Create Surface Spin 3 Click on the Mesh icon to select that option 4 Define Slices 24 and Stacks 72 Revolutions and Extrusions Page 243 5 Define a Start Angle of 0 0 and an End Angle of 360 00 6 Click and drag the blue centering circle to define the center point for the spin 7 Click to select the profile contour you want to revolve and then click the Next Step icon _ _J in the wizard 8 Atthis step you are prompted to select the Height Control Select the height control curve Optional F Curve Select the contours to apiri r axe oe 9 Click on the Height Control Curve A red influence line is drawn click and drag this line down to reduce the influence of the Height Control Curve 10 Click on the Next Step icon BAM to move to the next Select the width control curve Optional a step in the wizard You will be prompted to select a width control curve P 4 gt p x 11 Click on the Width Control Curve A gray influence line is drawn click and drag this line down to reduce the influence of the Width Control Curve Page 244 Re
184. e Dimensions scaled In the Top View only the X and Y dimensions will be scaled This is helpful when scaling a Relief when you don t want the thickness of the relief to change Scale One When the selection is scaled interactively using the reference line it Dimension will be scaled along the direction of the reference line This will have the effect of distorting the scaled objects in the direction of the reference line If the reference line is defined either horizontal or vertical then the scaling will be along the X or Y axis This option will likely be used less often than the other two scaling options as more of a specialty tool Sie Precisely scale the selection by entering the desired XYZ size Factor o Precisely scale the selection by entering the scale factor Include Toolpaths Include any toolpaths in the selection in the Size parameter Proportional If checked any scaling operation will be performed proportionally to the selection Copy By checking this checkbox you can create a copy of the selection when it is scaled The original will stay in place Corner Selector This selector is used when Size or Factor parameters are used to scale the selection To Scale a selection precisely 1 Select the objects to be scaled 2 Click on the Scale Icon a select it from the Transform menu or press Shift F6 3 Choose the scaling option you prefer z Hel In this case choose Scale Three Dimensions If you
185. e held Layers changing a contours layer Layers Dialog Libraries Toolbar License agreement Lines drawing editing trimming Machine drivers active drivers selecting Mask 107 14 14 15 15 16 16 15 16 157 157 158 157 156 154 240 20 See polygons 211 105 57 240 142 159 142 5 4 160 158 159 159 160 158 212 212 212 211 18 20 18 31 1 61 83 90 196 207 305 Index Page 405 Material Library 199 Measure 59 Merge 96 merge contours 106 merge selection 96 merge tolerance 96 merging open contours 96 Mesh apply mesh to relief 280 create surface 234 extrude mesh example 253 spin example 243 sweep two rails mesh example 261 Mirroring a Contour 120 Interactively 120 mirror horizontal 121 mirror vertical 122 Miter 266 Modify Relief Toolbar 41 Move Objects move tool 111 moving interactively 108 moving with precision input center 109 Moving bridges 180 Multicopy arc copy 99 array copy 98 copy around an arc 99 path copy 101 Multiple Fillet 93 Nest Toolbar 42 Nesting Contours dynamic nest tool 137 nest objects tool 128 New files 53 Nose cone optimization 159 Object Edit Toolbar 33 Octagons See polygons Offset Contours 94 partial offset 95 Offset Toolbar 44 Open contour offset no 3D toolpaths 152 relief 151 Open Contour Offset Toolpaths 150 Opening a file 56 Opening a File File Preview 56 Ordering options 207 Ordering toolpaths Output 188 189 191 37
186. e 2 a bricks SEE EE Save Delete Height 0 0000 al Save This section of the dialog allows you to get specific information about the texture type that you have 1 Bricks Texture chosen The name of the Texture is listed here and you can click on the information icon il to get specific information for each of the parameter settings This section works the same way as the create relief section Add Subtract Merge Highest Merge Lowest os a 5 and Replace See the create reliefs section for more information about these parameters Height The height section specifies the height of the relief Template The template section is used to create and store specific design parameters Template You can access some preloaded design templates by clicking the arrow for the drop down menu Select any of these templates with the click of a mouse lg mortar brick The parameters will load for the template that you have smaller bricks chosen rough mortar bricks rough bricks wobbly bricks amall rough bricks Tiny bricks You can also create your own specific texture designs Save and name and save them to the template library Once the new parameters have been entered Click on the Save button Texture Tools Page 311 Template Enter the template name Delete Apply Close Reset Enter the name of the template that you wish to save and click OK If you choose to delete a template click on the
187. e application Select List File Tab 2 5 x Automatic Toolpath Setup C Program Files EnRoute 3 AutoTP KCD AA Standard atp Define Layers Ordering and Nesting KCDw Setup Add List File Number of Parts 0 Clear Width Length Thickness Material Type Unit No Quantity Load Process Active Save Process Files Save As Process KCDw Close Page 380 Automatic Toolpaths List Files for the active application in the current folder KCDw List Files 2 x Look in E shop design2 e nae m E KCDwJobDetails txt E shop design2 _CNCList txt Recent Desktop S My Documents My Computer File name shop design2_CNCList tx Files of type keow List txt ba Cancel After the List File loads the parts are shown in the table The dialog shows the total number of parts to be processed If you process a job after a List File has been imported the parts will be created just as they were specified As an option some of the parameters about the parts may be modified if desired It is not possible to change such things as the size of the part but you can change the quantity of each part turn off the processing of selected parts or custom rotate individual parts The following screen capture shows the table after it has been populated with the parts from a selected List File One thing to note is that the parameters included in
188. e drop down list As you highlight the l choices in the list lg mortar brick the preview maller bricks window will show rough mortar bricks you a small rough bricks example of the wobbly bricks texture small rough bricks cm Tiny bricks y 252 4000 z 0 0000 You can also choose to create your own new texture by adjusting the parameters The Information icon will give you specifics about each parameter and the preview window will allow you to see the changes as you develop the new texture 7 Click on the Apply button to apply the texture to the reliefs The textures will be applied to the reliefs and the Precision Toolbar will close Notice how the texture is consistently applied to each of the different shapes Signs can be easily created using the textures with masks Texture Tools Page 315 Rapid Texture The Rapid Texture tool is a new tool in EnRoute that allows you to design and cut surfaces quickly and efficiently utilizing your design skills and the shape of the tool to cut very interesting surfaces It allows you to create textured surfaces in a fraction of the time it takes to create and cut traditional 3D objects The nice thing about this tool is that it allows design input to create very specific surfaces Graphics can be added by incorporating 3D surfaces into the texture itself which can be used to add a message to the texture Textures can be repeated or tiled depending upon the n
189. e important The proper percentage can vary widely depending on the size of the relief the size of the tool the type of material being used and the quality of the finished surface that is desired Milling a relief surface requires a ball end mill tool in order to allow you to cut smooth surfaces The spherical surface of the tool will create small grooves in the finished surface The size of the grooves will vary depending on the amount of overlap As you increase overlap percentage the tool marks are reduced but the time required to mill the surface increases The goal is to choose an overlap value that balances cut quality with cut time The best way to determine proper overlap for a job is to create and cut a test relief using the same type of material as the job Then you can estimate the duration of the entire job and see the surface quality and the amount of finish work that will be necessary to complete the job Typical overlap values range from 80 for larger reliefs that don t require a smooth finish to 95 for small reliefs cut from dense material that requires a very smooth finish Diameter gt lt Radius Tool Surface wesw i 4 9 D gt D ldi Stepover Page 358 3D Toolpaths 3D Toolpath Example The following example illustrates the process of applying 3D toolpaths using the Island Fill Strategy and Hatch Fill Strategy 1 Start with a plate size of 4 x 4 xX 1 i Draw an oval and a
190. e shows how the objects were nested and that there are 2 of each object The common line has also been created E Gi D 6 The next step is to apply an Open Contour Routing Offset to the common line contours 7 Select the common line contour 7 Router offset open contour es Arranging Contours Page 131 8 Click and hold the Routing Offset Icon E and then click on the Router Offset Open Contour A tool This will open the Open Contour Offset dialog Cmd Type Depth 1 21 4 End Mill Rough lo 5000 gt Save as Zl Add Tool Available Tools Sort tools by Delete Tool Description Tool Type a EndMil 1 16 End Mil End Mill z Clear 1 8 End Mill End Mil B 3 16 End Mill End Mil 1 4 End Mill End Mil E Open Contour Offset Parameters Follow contour E a Side Left E Middle Iv Right E yi withRelief E 9 Select a 1 4 inch end mill tool In the parameters section select follow middle of the contour Click OK to apply the toolpaths This image shows the toolpaths that have been created The second image is highlighted to show the width of the tool By assigning the gap distance the same width as the tool you cut both sides of adjacent parts at once I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I d Page 132 Arranging Contours Use Holes If this option is selected the softwar
191. e ta trea et peace tere le et at core 185 PREVIEWING OUTPUT 0 0 ccecsccecssnecscnscsensceenscnenscncnscncnsnscnenscnensenensenenss 187 SIMULATING OUTPUT IN 2D rainier a aR 187 SIMULATING OUTPUT USING AN ORTHOGRAPHIC VIEW 2 ceceececcecceceececeeeees 189 CREATE RENDERED VIEW OF TOOLPATHS cccsceccececcececcececcecececcacaccesacseceees 190 CONFIGURING THE SOFTWARE u ccccceccsceccececcsceceececescscnscecnscseneeseaseess 193 CONFIGURING MACHINE DRIVERS ccccececcecccecccececcececcececcecuccecacaceesaceeceees 193 EDITING THE MATERIAL LIBRARY 2cccceccccececcececcececcecsccececcucucauceccuceceueecass 199 EDITING THE TOOL LIBRARY ascricioie tebe uicus betieds hve daatiealodance be nurs betel shane uieceanans 200 OUTPUT TO MACHINE eeccsccosti cece scecevcserderecsedeeniestilecesceutveusndewrertedeeddactend 205 SETTING THE TOOLPATH ORDER ciscitciceccinsenavar eventos tata cok re enenstiabwcn em 205 GENERATING OUTPUT p E E EE EE E EEE EE EA AE EEA 206 USING OUTPUT CONTROL CENTER TO MANAGE OUTPUT 2 cscecceceececeeeeeess 211 3D SURFACES AND 3D TOOLPATHS ccccceccececcscecescecescecesceensceensceeas 213 PINTO IC IO AE T EA on te EE anes eren AAA 213 3D SURFACE APPLICATIONS sccaeiiiice docuieadite Webb eeeuhieae eds Wede aude yeas ieee 213 CREATING SD SURFACES aaraa a a pion a aa aces as 214 CREATING OUTPUT FOR 3D SURFACES nanininananenannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnonrnrrrnrnrnrnrnrnrnrnn 214 CREATING RELIEFS aannann
192. e the Edit Guidelines Dialog to Create Delete Move Rotate and Lock or Hide a guideline To open the Guideline Dialog Select Edit Guideline from the View Menu Edit guidelines y 4 5198 B y 10 0780 H Delete 4 Delete all Angle 0 00 B Move Rotate Lock guides Hide guides Next Done Page 14 Getting Started Creating a Guideline Menu View Edit Guidelines The simplest way to place a guideline is to drag it from the horizontal or vertical rulers on the screen Place the guideline by left clicking on the ruler and then dragging the guideline out into the design You can also create a new guideline using the Edit Guideline dialog 1 Activate the view in which the guideline is to be placed by clicking in that view 2 Enter inthe coordinates and angle of the new guideline Click on the New button 4 Click on Done to exit the dialog Deleting a Guideline Menu View Edit Guidelines 1 Activate the Guidelines dialog 2 Click on the Next button until the guideline is highlighted in blue 3 Click on the Delete button It is also possible to right click on a guideline and then select Delete guideline from the shortcut menu You cannot delete a guideline by dragging it out of a view Moving a Guideline Menu View Edit Guidelines 1 Activate the Guidelines dialog 2 Click on the Next button until the guideline is highlighted in blue 3 Enter the coordinates for the new location
193. e tool allows the user to cut an object with a line drawn across it to make two separate objects Wi Le A Toolbars and Command Icons Page 39 Extrusions Toolbar rit Chamfer Toolbar Chamfer x a E Revolve to create surface The Revolve tool allows you to use one or more contours to revolve around an axis to either modify a relief or to create a new mesh object Spin Contours With the Spin tool the selected contours are spun around the Z axis located at a center of rotation that is defined by the user Extrude Contours The Extrude tool provides a means to extrude a profile along a path to either modify a relief or create a mesh object Sweep Two Rails The Sweep Two Rails tool provides another method of using profile contours to either modify an existing relief or create a new mesh surface Chamfer Relief The Standard Chamfer works by first adding a height to a relief that is equal to the height of the profile and then removing material around the perimeter of the relief in the shape of the profile Chamfer Centerline The Chamfer Centerline tool creates a chamfered surface using a profile where the profile size is modified so that it extends to the centerline of the shape Baroque Chamfer This tool allows the user to simulate the effects of a traditional hand carved surface It automatically determines convex and concave sections of the artwork and then applies different profiles to these sections w
194. e will place smaller contours within the holes in larger contours This option is available with the Shape nester Obstruct When using the Shape nester and the New nester option check this box and EnRoute has the ability to recognize areas of the sheet that you do not want used for the nesting Contours will need to be placed in the area of the workspace and selected along with the nested objects when accessing the tool This provides a very simple way to avoid clamps on the machine or to avoid a section of the material that is not good for nesting such as knots or other defects in a solid wood panel Example This is an example demonstrating the obstruct option 1 Create contours that represent the clamps or areas of the material that you do not want the objects to be placed when nesting 2 Select all of the objects the objects to be nested and the obstruction objects Click on the nest icon to open the dialog The obstruction objects will show in red H 3 Enter the options you would like for this nesting and be sure to check the Obstruct box l H Quantity 3 a Gap 0 2500 Nest originals Step angle 30 Htl Apply TE a Multiple sheets H gt al Priority Order 5 al Margir 0 2500 al ae Nester ben r Re Cancel Use holes W OUbstruct Create ummary Arranging Contours Page 133 4 The contours are nested in the workspace avoiding all of the obstructions that you have created on the plate Referen
195. each layer Apply a 2D Engrave toolpath to the contours Be Engrave Parameters sure to check the Follow Contours box 3D engrave toolpath E Use the same tool for all of the panels OECO ae to assure the consistent look of the External male iv finished product Internal female ed Be sure to mark each panel as you Apply relief M cut it so that it can be installed in the proper position Texture Examples Below are a few textures that EnRoute is capable of creating These textures are just a few examples of the unlimited designs that you can create Symmetric Texture A symmetric texture creates a rectangular texture that is symmetric left to right and top to bottom This allows you to cut out more than one piece each of them identical and they will match up along their edges The Parameters for this texture are as follows Size X 6 00 Size Y 6 00 Overlap 0 1 Wave length 3 00 Horizontal Amplitude 0 35 Vertical Amplitude 0 20 Offset 0 20 Noise checked Randomize checked Page 336 Texture Tools Symmetric checked The seed contour for a symmetrical texture is always a Straight line contour The tool used to cut this texture is a 1 ball end tool The toolpaths that have been created follow the curve of the seed contour This is an image of the contours that were created with the parameters listed above In order for the symmetric texture to work correctly the settings for the wavelength pa
196. each option are descriptive of how the relief will be modified The Application Method is a concept that is common throughout all of the relief creation tools The way that the concept is used is consistent for each of these tools Add amp This is the option that will likely be used most often It is used to create a raised relief If you are modifying an existing relief the surface will be raised using the selected contours and parameters specified for the relief The following image shows an example of a relief created using the Add option In this image the top surface was created using the Add option on an elliptical contour The bottom surface was created by adding the letters to an existing relief surface This was accomplished by selecting the relief and the contours for the letters and then applying the relief function Page 218 Creating Reliefs Subtract This option is used to create a recessed relief It can either be applied to contours to create new recessed reliefs or using contours to modify an existing relief If an existing relief is to be modified it should be selected along with whatever contours are to be used to modify it The following graphic shows the effect of the subtract option The top portion of the image shows individual contours that were used to create individual reliefs The bottom elliptical relief was modified using the same contours and the subtract option Merge Highest
197. ecked bridges will be created If the With Bridges option is checked other parameters are activated to allow the user to enter the number size and spacing of the bridges Once you create the toolpath the contour will become part of the toolpath group Bridges Bridges are lifts in a routing offset toolpath that create a tab that maintains the connection between a part that is being cut out and the material from which it is being cut This tab helps increase the Stability of the part so that it doesn t move as it is being cut The tabs can then be trimmed away from the part EnRoute provides several different types of bridges so that you can decide which bridge shape works best for the material type and thickness you are cutting After choosing the With Bridges option in routing offset parameters dialog you have several parameters to define for the bridges including length height tyoe and number The following table describes the bridge parameters Type Length Height By Number By Distance Manual This provides the option to select the shape of the bridge You will probably find a shape that works best with the material you cut The smooth shapes have the advantage of allowing the machine to move smoothly through the bridge This is the length of the bridge Shorter bridges will work in strong material If you are Cutting soft material you may need to increase the length of the bridge This also lets you adjust the bridge
198. ect Left click to place the object Right click to release the object You can now select another object to nest in the same manner or you can right click again to exit the tool Arranging Contours Page 137 Page 138 Arranging Contours 8 Working with Toolpaths The goal of the design process is the creation of toolpaths and the machining of finished pieces This chapter provides a detailed explanation of each of the different ways to create toolpaths Overview Contours and Toolpaths Toolpaths derive their shapes from the contours in your design The contours may form the boundaries of the toolpath as with a fill or the toolpath may trace inside outside or along the path of the contour While contours may contain Bezier curves toolpaths are composed exclusively of arcs and straight line segments in order to be compatible with the movements of tools in the routers engravers and other and CNC devices which are used with the software Any Bezier curves which may be present in a contour are replaced by combinations of straight lines and arcs in the toolpath Toolpath Groups When a toolpath is generated from a contour both the toolpath and the original contour are grouped together into a toolpath group f additional toolpaths are created based on the same contour they will be added to the same toolpath group Each contour can belong to one and only one toolpath group If you want to generate a toolpath based on a contour
199. ect tool 74 editing text objects 74 Text Toolbar 44 Texture Tool parameter dialog 313 Texture Tools 309 texture dialog 311 Textures Toolbar 44 Tool changer configuring 194 197 Tool library 200 custom tool library 202 Tool order 209 Toolbars 10 Toolpath order 209 Toolpaths 139 cuts 139 direction arrows 25 displaying 24 editing groups 177 final depth 25 group plan 139 ordering 188 189 191 374 plan 139 editing 177 toolpath groups 139 toolpath strategy 139 toolpath width 25 Toolpaths Toolbar 34 Triangles See polygons Trimming contours 90 Precise Length 91 to boundaries 91 Undo 18 30 Ungroup 33 Units 11 195 USB hardware keys 4 Using a Mask 282 Vectorize Bitmap 103 Views 10 377 Page 408 Index Weld Toolbar 39 Width Control Curve 241 Welding contours Width of cuts 147 cut by line 127 Width of toolpaths 29 welding options 124 Workflow 9 Welding Contours Zoom commands 16 jigsaw weld 126 Zoom Toolbar 30 Index Page 409
200. ected contour so that it becomes its mirror image This can be done interactively by defining the axis around which to create the mirror or simply clicking on the horizontal or vertical tools You can choose to create a copy of the object as well Mirror Dialog bid Click the Mirror Icon This will open the Precision Toolbar WS Point 1 pe 2 6993 al Point 2 s 10 0000 ye pi T 1 31 al al 0 0000 J Close 0 0000 a 0 0000 j LF Copy Mirror Interactively m 1 Click the Mirror Line Icon iy Select the object or objects that you wish to mirror 3 Simply click to place the start point of the axis and click again to place the end point The axis can also be defined by entering the parameters for the start point and the end point of the axis line A preview of the mirrored object will show on the screen as you are working to place your object oN Without checking the copy box the If you check the copy box you will still have the reversed 4 will be the end result Original object as well as a reversed copy Page 120 Arranging Contours Mirror Horizontal Menu Transform Mirror Toolbar Object Edit Mirror 1 Click the Mirror icon This will open the Precision Toolbar ES 0o00 iomo aal Apply Nd loo o He Coss 2 Select the object or objects that you wish to mirror 3 Click the Mirror Horizontal Icon Did A preview of the mirrored objects will show in pink Click the reference grid
201. ection Move Scale Rotate Tools EnRoute also includes tools for moving scaling and rotating objects that are quite flexible and that provide a number of options for accomplishing these edits These tools are accessed from the Object Edit toolbar and the Transform menu item Additionally you can move between these functions from within the Move Scale Rotate toolbar after it has been activated A graphic of this toolbar is shown below lg ot Eta Stat x o oo al End s 0 0000 al AS Apply Fal tL y 0 0000 y oo 4 pah is ig z oo z000 H Copy Page 110 Arranging Contours The following sections provide a detailed description of the parameters for each of the tools and also provide some step by step direction Move Tool Menu Transform Move Toolbar Object Edit Move The Move tool provides three different methods for moving selected objects Within each of these methods you have the option of either entering coordinate information to define locations or defining locations interactively in the drawing au The Move Absolute method allows you to define a starting point and Move Absolute ending point for the move Objects can be positioned very precisely by defining locations for the move based on entered coordinates With the point snap options it is also an easy task to position the selection precisely by clicking in the drawing rt This method is similar to the absolute method with the exception that it
202. ed as a roughness texture Adjusting the parameters will change the appearance of the texture in a wide variety of ways Terrain Texture Terrain texture gives options to create the look of the landscape zz Veneer Texture Veneer texture like the Wood texture simulates the look of wood rings and grain in the relief The veneer produces a series of slices through the wood and tiles them next to each other ia Weave Texture Weave texture produces a simple basket weave or textile pattern in the relief ai Wood Texture Wood texture simulates the look of wood rings and grain in the relief The appearance of different species of wood can be simulated by adjusting the various parameters of the texture Toolbars and Command Icons Page 45 Other Command Icons This section identifies icons from many of the tools in EnRoute The main intent here is to provide a listing of EnRoute icons in one place for your review All of these functions are explained in more detail within the context of the EnRoute functions to which they belong 1 is lel IS le life l e be p E ia EY ei Noise Distort This method allows users to create noise distortion co contours and reliefs by defining a small number of parameters It is the simpler of the two methods Noise Distort This method provides the ability to define a two pass directional distortion It has mare parameters than Method 1 but also gives the user more control over
203. edraw or refresh the screen and clear any remnants left over from manipulating drawing elements from the View menu select Redraw or press Ctrl R View Setup Menu View Setup Toolbar Setup View Tab The View Setup tab of the Preferences dialog determines how information is displayed on screen To access the View Setup tab from the View menu select View Setup Getting Started Page 17 Using the Undo and Redo Features Menu Edit Undo pan To undo the last operation from the Edit menu select Undo or type CTRL Z 7 The name of the last operation is displayed after the Undo command If you decide that you didn t want to undo an action from the Edit menu select Redo or type i CTRL SHIFT Z If you have more than one design open the Undo and Redo commands only affect changes made to the active design Working with Layers Menu Setup Toolbar Settings EnRoute offers the ability to organize your designs into Layers Layers provide a way to separate design information and toolpaths into groups Individual layers may be displayed or hidden at any time In addition contours contained in different layers can be displayed in different colors to help distinguish different parts of the design Toggle Layers Toolbar Settings To activate the layers toolbar click on the layers toggle icon This will open the layers toolbar The layers can be easily managed using the arrows to access the different layer
204. eeds of the job This is an example of Rapid Texture using a 90 degree Conic tool Basic Steps Rapid Texture 1 ON OOF OD Create a seed contour This contour will be used by EnRoute to create offsets Select the contour Open the Rapid Texture tool Set the panel size or select a contour to serve as a boundary Set parameters in the tool Preview the results if desired Apply the texture Select the contours for the panels Apply a 2D toolpath to follow the contours The results will vary depending on the settings of the parameters and the tool that is used to cut the material Page 316 Texture Tools Rapid Texture Dialog Following is a brief explanation of each of the parameters in the Rapid Texture tool This is followed by several examples that illustrate how the parameters are used to create interesting effects Panels Tab Template Panels Displacement Parameters Save Delete he Template Position Size Rows Columns Overlap Displacement Tab Preview Positi mee Si X R Overl osition 0 0000 a ize 24 0000 al ows 1 al er 0 1000 Fy Apply n d 0 0000 A Y 24 0000 Columns f1 Close This allows you to save the parameters to a template for later use This parameter sets the lower left corner of the panel to the X and Y coordinates This refers to the size of the panels that you wish to create EnRoute will create a contour to represent the size that has been sta
205. een the center drill points of the columns and rows not between the outside edges of the drill cuts Width by If selected enter the overall width of the array The drill points overall width will be evenly spaced horizontally within this width Width by If selected enter the amount of horizontal space between the horizontal columns of drill points spacing Height by If selected enter the overall height of the array The drill points overall height will be evenly spaced vertically within this height Height by If selected enter the amount of vertical space between the vertical rows of drill points spacing X Coordinate These are the X and Y coordinates for the center of the array of drill points you and Y are defining Coordinate By Graphic If this box is checked the X and Y coordinates will be selected with the mouse 7 Add additional drill cuts using other tools as necessary All cuts will share the same drill point coordinates Click OK If you checked the By Graphic box click with the mouse to place drill arrays on your design Right click to release the tool If the By Graphic box was cleared a single drill circle will be created at the specified coordinates Saving Strategy Settings as a Template To save the current settings as a template 1 Click the Save as button 2 Type a name for the template and click OK Loading Strategy Settings from a Template To load the settings previously saved as a template select the templa
206. eep Two Rails tool requires more than one step in order to complete it This portion of the dialog contains an area that contains a prompt that tells you the next step required in order to complete the function It also contains buttons that allow you to move from step to step back up a step back up to the start of the function execute the function or exit the function Prompt p gt Select the first rail w Buttons to change steps gt TEJ V ee eo The following table lists the prompts in the Sweep Two Rails tool along with an explanation of the appropriate action Select the first rail Click on the first open contour you would like to use as a rail Select the second rail Click on the second open contour you would like to use as a rail Select the sweep sections Click on the contours you want to use as the cross sections for the surface EnRoute will draw a green line between the rails for each section you pick Following is a listing of each of the wizard buttons and its function Spay stat Return to the start of the command You can use a contour more than once as across section Also remember that you can click and drag on the green lines to move the cross sections after they have been selected Page 258 Revolutions and Extrusions Modify a Relief The steps in this section demonstrate how to use the Sweep Two Rails tool to modify an existing relief In this case we will
207. elief Page 306 Using Bitmaps The next image shows a relief after this bitmap has been applied You can see that the shading provides a finished relief that is quite realistic The next thought you may have is that it would be nice to be able to apply a photograph to a relief to get a 3D effect It certainly is quite feasible to use a photographic image in a relief Remember thought that EnRoute uses the shading in the image to determine height Something that is taller in the photograph may or may not be a lighter shade than objects that are further back in the image Since a photograph is flat it does not provide 3D information to the software to determine realistic heights Using Bitmaps Page 307 The result you get with a photograph may or may not be what is desired for the subjects in the photograph The following images show a photograph and the relief surface that was created using the image Page 308 Using Bitmaps 19 Texture Tools Introduction EnRoute also has the capability to create textures for a relief without the aid of bitmaps While bitmaps can be useful in creating a texture that makes up part of your design they can be somewhat limited in that the size of the bitmap may not always work with your current design EnRoute has implemented a number of texture tools to design and create an unlimited number of possible textures to apply to a relief Several designs have already been defined and entered in as
208. elief Dimensions Height 1 3175 Top 1 3175 Bottom 0 0000 Modifying and Combining Reliefs Page 297 Relief Dimensions Height Top Bottom Slice Slices Thickness 0 4392 Slice Slices Thickness Current Slice Thickness Bottom Create Current Slice Create all slices een E Example 1 The total height of the selected relief The location of the top of the selected relief The location of the bottom of the selected relief n 4 Current Slice i C Create current slice 0 4397 Bottom 0 8783 al Create all slices The number of slices that you want to create The thickness of each slice The current slice number This tells you which slice parameters are displayed The slices are numbered from top to bottom Thickness of the current slice Location of the bottom of the current slice This tells EnRoute to create only the slice that you have selected to be the current slice Select this parameter to create all of the slices Click this button to create the slices Click this button to exit the tool without creating the slices This example is showing how this design was extracted from the background relief Click and hold the Merge Relief icon to open the flyout toolbar then click on the Slices icon ll This will open the Slices Dialog Page 298 Modifying and Combining Reliefs 2 Click on Front to work in the front view and then click on the
209. elief so that you can recreate it using different parameters To clear a relief 1 Select the relief 2 From the Surface menu select Delete Relief or just select the Delete Relief Icon from the relief toolbar Moving Reliefs Moving reliefs is done much the same way as moving any other object in EnRoute You can click and drag on a relief object to move it in the top front and right views The key difference is that the vertical position of a relief object is very important when it comes time to create toolpaths and output toolpaths In addition to the Precision Input Center EnRoute provides several tools to help you position relief objects in the Z axis To move a relief using the Precision Input Center 1 Select the relief in the view Top Front or Right that you want to use as the reference plane For example in the Top view the reference plane is the X Y plane Inthe Z axis this plane is located at the closest Z location on the object s you have selected 2 Press F2 to activate the Precision Input Center Click on the Move tab 4 Click on the button that represents the corner of the object you want to specify Page 286 Modifying and Combining Reliefs 5 Specify the X Y and Z coordinates for the selected corner 6 Click on the OK button to finish moving the object s Vertical Positioning of Reliefs The method for positioning reliefs described above works well and you can use this method exclusively how
210. ellipses in the Edit column 2 Edit the strategy in the strategy dialog 3 Click OK Adding Strategies To add a strategy to the plan 1 Click on the appropriate button under Add Strategy 2 Create the strategy using the strategy dialog Working with Toolpaths Page 177 3 Click OK Removing Strategies To delete a strategy from the plan 1 Select the strategy in the strategy list 2 Click Remove Clearing All Strategies To delete all the strategies from the plan click Clear Saving Plan Settings as a Template To save the current settings as a template 1 Click the Save as button 2 Type a name for the template and click OK Loading Plan Settings from a Template To load the settings previously saved as a template select the template from the Plan list Editing Entry Exit Points Each cut in a toolpath has its own entry and exit points These are the points at which the tool will enter and exit the plate material as it makes the cut Often the entry and exit points are at the same point By default the entry and exit points are drill points indicating that the tool will drill straight down into the material at the start point and lift straight out at the end point The entry and exit points may also be arcs or lines however in which case the cutting tool will move laterally into the material on the line or arc specified and then begin cutting along the toolpath If a 3D line or arc is specified the tool will mo
211. emale Weld offsets Sharp comers Inlay with Bridges sepee In the cut parameters dialog for the End Mill tool change the number Passes of passes to 3 Number Click OK to get back to Maximum per Pass the strategy dialog Actual per Pass In the strategy dialog Final Pass click OK to create the Final Pass Depth routing offset toolpaths The perspective view is a good way to view the toolpaths Page 372 3D Toolpaths This is a rendered view of the final object It includes the fill and engrave toolpaths from the previous example Create Rendered View of Toolpaths This tool displays a rendered solid model view of the results of the toolpaths cutting the material It accurately renders all of the different tool shapes so you can see the results of both 2D and 3D M toolpaths To simulate output of your design using a rendered view 1 From the Output toolbar select Create Rendered Simulation of Toolpaths ic Simulate 2D K gt gt pt RE ae Done Current Tool 1 6 Ball End Long Tool Lifts Curent Depth 0 6300 Tool Changes 2 Inthe Create Rendered Simulation dialog use the controls provided to play the simulation Hit the up and down arrow keys to speed up and slow down the simulation E Rewind This button will rewind the simulation to the beginning Draw next This will advance the simulation until the next segment has segment been output al Pause
212. en finished click OK Clicking the horizontal and vertical arrow keys on your keyboard produces the same results as clicking on the blue amp green arrow buttons Ordering Toolpaths Using the Mouse To order the toolpath groups manually using the mouse 1 Click Order RD 2 Click Manual 3 Click on each toolpath in the desired order Output to Machine Page 205 Ordering Toolpath Groups Using Sorting Methods To determine the toolpath order using an automatic sorting method 4 Click Order 5 Select the sorting method from the Current Sort Method list The available methods are Shortest The toolpath will be sorted to produce the shortest overall set of toolpaths and movements Rows The toolpaths will be sorted by ordering them into rows starting from the bottom of the plate Numbering within rows runs from left to right Columns The toolpaths will be sorted by ordering them into columns running from left to right Numbering within columns runs from bottom to top Inside Out The toolpaths will be sorted by position from the center of the plate to the edges Outside In The toolpaths will be sorted by position from the edges of the plate to the center 6 Click OK Generating Output Menu Machining Output Toolbar Output Output Options The goal of virtually all the work you do in the software is creating toolpaths that will then be used to create an output file or be sent directly to your router engraver or mi
213. ent ways Vectorize Bitmap This powerful tool is used to create a series of closed vector contours from a bitmap image In order to create toolpaths in EnRoute it is necessary for the artwork to be represented by vectors This tool provides the means of converting scanned images or other bitmap images into vectors so that they may be used to create toolpaths Cleanup Contours When bitmap images are vectorized the vectors often require some degree of cleaning up in order for them to be appropriate to toolpath This tool provides an automated means of cleaning up contours by reducing the number of curve segments to create smooth contours that will then create better toolpaths Construction Toolbar Construction x SU eC MeAE Ei Draw Polyarc This tool is used to create a series of connected line or arc segments that can either be open or closed Click and hold to activate a flyout toolbar that contains a number of other line drawing tools Draw Rectangle This tool will open the Precision Toolbar for the rectangle Rectangles can be precisely or interactively created Toolbars and Command Icons Page 35 ae ey ee gt Ji Draw Circle This icon activates the Precision Toolbar for the circle Several tools are available to interactively or precisely create a circle Draw Ellipse This tool will open the Precision Toolbar for the ellipse Create an ellipse interactively or precisely Draw Ar
214. ento ce 303 INTER ODUICTION Gebicccateestel Gataaccn tenes tersntcntte stata a a aaatcce 303 APPLYING BITMAPS TO A RELIEF ccccececcecccececceccccececcecececucuececueaeceuaececaeees 303 SING A IAS iors east it teh Sethe ts tite A eh et cean eth ite Rint Mi hr en cite 305 3D EFFECTS USING BITMAPS viccucsiece Stalin dan titvedudatcaina Genes iad inane dest ndatcateadexe 306 TEXTURE TOOLS eee ne eon cee E oO oe Dee eee eee 309 INTRODUCTION ss ctr ia leat led eels Aah le Vac ot nc let ea 309 APPLYING TEXTURES TOA RELIER etic cpt eta ele arnt a ie 310 RAPIDE 4 0 ane pee on ernest er ance ee Peat ee ence ete Eanes Ten en aie meee re ee creer 316 RAPID TEXTURE DIALOG ec teat a a ee eee a oe 317 STEP BY OTEP EXAMPLE S arreste eae ete ees 319 CREATING AND CUTTING CONTINUOUS PANELS cc0eceeceeceeeeceeceeseseeeeeeeenes 332 RAPID PICTURE TOOL eiea a a eh ee 341 gt RELIEF EDIT TOOLS ansen a a e a aa a 349 EDIT RELEF TOOLBAR neru aa aa e a A a a 349 FADE AND SHRINK ccceccececceceececeececeececeeeececaececaececneaecueaeceeaeceeeseeneaeseeaeenss 350 BUILD PARAMETER cccccccesccsccescectsccvccescascccccsccuccecntensecvecstsecrsstenccusereasecsteesss 351 5 POOL PAGS cassiticcaerce sven a aa a E a aa aaa 353 INTRODUC HON iaa r E E St ee eT 353 SD T OOLPATH STRATEGIES cia a r EE teats 353 3D TOOLPATH STRATEGY PARAMETER sisiceiedesesscevdsesviiiansiivscdaievisiseveensdinewves 354 3D TOOLPATHS WITH A STEP ROUGH 2ccececcececcece
215. er and the file that will il RI be Encapsulated Postscript EPS imported FlexiSIGN 5x FS HPGL PLT 3 Press Enter or click Open Script iscript Oryx XML xml See the Preference command located in the Setup menu for options regarding the Import command 3D Studio 3DS ModelMill Relief MMR Bitmap graphics must be converted into contours eraser bar before they can be used to generate toolpaths See WoodWOP VARIANT MPR Vectorizing Bitmaps on for details Enroute ROU bed Exporting a Design Menu File Export The software can export a design to a number of different 2D drawing formats Only the 2D design will be exported Toolpaths will not be exported and the software cannot export a 3D model of a finished piece 1 Click Export ln Select the file format folder and the file name Type the name of the file to be exported in the File Name box Select the directory and drive you want the file exported to oo ae y Press Enter or click Save Working with Files Page 57 Printing Menu File Print Use the Print command to print the active design 1 Click Print Z This will open the Print dialog 2 Select the type of print option Design Select this option to send all the contours that exist in the current layout to the printer Selection Select this option to send only the selected contours to the printer Window Select this option to send the layout
216. erlap of 75 gives a BNI 7 0000 relatively smooth surface without Comer tags wv requiring too much time to cut Passes Number 1 Maximum per Pass 2 1 Actual per Pass 2 0 Maximum per Pass Final pass unchecked Actual per Pass Final Pass Depth 0 0 me Passes Number Final Pass Depth Feed Rate 280 0 Feeds and Speeds f Final Pass Feed 0 00 Plunge Rate 100 0 Dwell 0 00 Spindle 18000 Plunge Rate Lin Dwell 0 0000 SEC Spindle 18000 Feed Rate 280 0000 inmin Final Pass Feed 0 0000 nmin Page 366 3D Toolpaths 18 Select the Climb direction Direction Conventional Climb 19 In the perspective view you can see that we have created one pass that follows the surface Notice that the toolpaths are not directly ON the surface This is because we used an end mill and the program calculates to the edge of the tool but the toolpaths are displayed as centerlines Normally the roughing pass would be set up with an offset which creates a toolpath that keeps the edge of the tool away from the relief by the offset amount In this example we used an offset amount of 0 10 inch j f jj MOON yo Add PEV Lak if AAH VAa LEII i aL Wiha x kK ay Fraa ARER n Ai IKAT i This is the front view of the roughing pass toolpaths This is a rendered view of the step rough pass and the roughing pass toolpaths 3D Toolpaths Page 367 Finish Pass The final step in cutting this relie
217. ersection of two line segments intersection Snap to Snaps to the endpoints of arc curve and sine endpoint segments Snap to Snaps to the nearest point on a contour when nearby Fe the cursor gets close to it contour Snap to Snaps to the center of an arc segment when center of arc ie the cursor is placed near the arc O Snap to Snaps to the midpoint of a segment when the midpoint Tx cursor gets close to it Snap to When constructing line segments after perpendicular defining the first point in the segment the point Rk second endpoint will snap to a point on a contour so that the line segment will be perpendicular to the contour Getting Started Page 13 Snap to When constructing line segments the second tangent point o endpoint will snap to a point on an arc so that the new line segment will be tangent to the arc The snap distance value is set on the General Tab of the Preferences Dialog See Setting Preferences for details Using Guidelines Menu View Edit Guidelines Guidelines are design aids that display as a dotted line in your design view If Snap to Guidelines is enabled contours moved near a guideline will automatically be positioned along the guideline Clicking on the Next button will allow you to move through the guidelines that have been placed The guideline will be highlighted in blue to show which guideline has been selected Edit Guidelines Dialog Menu View Edit Guidelines Us
218. ert and mirror a relief in preparation for using it as a mold Modifying and Combining Reliefs Page 291 Adding a Draft Angle to a Relief Menu Surface Apply Draft Angle to Relief Toolbar 3D Surfaces Modify Relief Add Draft Angle When you create a relief you will often create portions of the relief that have a vertical side This vertical side can be problematic for two reasons First if the vertical side is relatively tall its height could be greater than the cutting length of the tool you will use to mill it with This can cause problems that might cause the tool to break Second if you are going to use the finished piece to create a mold you may need to provide a draft angle in order to allow the molded pieces to come out of the mold properly EnRoute provides a Draft Angle kk function that allows you to add a draft angle to your relief To add a draft angle 1 Select the relief From the Surface menu select Apply Draft Angle kk You can also access the tool te x E T In the Precision Input dialog enter desired values for Draft Angle and Height Threshold The draft angle is usually between 3 and 7 and the Height Threshold refers to the starting point of the angle through the Modify Relief Toolbar Click Apply Page 292 Modifying and Combining Reliefs Create a mesh surface from a Relief Menu Surface Create mesh surface from relief Toolbar 3D Surfaces Modify Relief Create a mesh
219. es dialog set Depth back to All depths 9 Click OK Editing Entry Exit Cut Parameters Menu Toolpath Edit Entry Exit In order to change the type of entry exit point in use or to make them 3D it is necessary to edit the entry exit parameters for a cut The entry exit parameters can be edited along with the other cut parameters for the cut or they can be edited separately For details on editing all cut parameters see Editing Cut Parameters To edit only the entry edit points for a toolpath 1 Select the toolpaths you want to edit 2 From the Toolpath menu select Edit Entry Exit 3 Click on the entry edit point you want to edit 4 Right click and select Edit Entry Exit from the shortcut menu Working with Toolpaths Page 179 Entry E xit Parameters OK Entry i i Cancel None a Arc E Line Iv gt Length 0 5000 Angle 45 0000 4 alld 3D Iv Exit None a Arc a Line Iv Length 0 5000 Angle 45 0000 3D Overlap 0 0000 ola a gt Apply to all Entry Exits in selection 5 Inthe Edit Entry Exit dialog that displays edit the entry exit parameters for the strategy 6 Check Apply to all Entry Exit points in selection to apply the changes to all the entry exit points in the selected toolpaths 7 Click OK Editing Bridges The Edit Bridges tool allows you to edit individual bridges move them and change their parameters lt is also possible to insert and delete bridges and
220. et the Depth of the drill hole It is possible to enter fractional values such as 1 2 in order to let the program calculate the decimal equivalent That way it isn t necessary to remember that the decimal equivalent of 3 16 is 0 1875 5 Select the Drill Contours parameters Spacing Select the way the drill points will be placed along the contours you have Type selected Hold A specified number of drill points will be soaced evenly along the Number length of the contours The number is specified by the Number of Holes parameter Hold Drill points will be spaced along the length of the contours at a Spacing distance specified by the Spacing parameter Corners Drill points will be created at all corners in the contours Circles and ellipses have no corners and will have no drill points created for them Inside Drill points will be created at all inside corners in the contours Corners Circles and ellipses have no corners and will have no drill points created for them Outside Drill points will be created at all outside corners in the contours Corners Circles and ellipses have no corners and will have no drill points created for them Number of The number of holes used with the Hold Number spacing type Holes Spacing The spacing between drill points used with the Hold Spacing spacing type 6 Add additional drill cuts using other tools as necessary All cuts will share the same drill point coordinates 7 Click OK Sav
221. ete Fade Right 0 0000 aj Cleanup tolerance 0 0000 Fade Left Fade Right Page 318 Displacement provides two options for how the offset contours are modified The Noise option utilizes a method to distort the contours in a non uniform way This option works together with the Randomize option to allow you to create very interesting results The wave option creates a uniform pattern using the wavelength and amplitude parameters Note When the Wave option is used the Horizontal Amplitude parameter is used to define an offset of the wave pattern between adjacent contours Randomize affects the result when the Noise Displacement option is selected With Randomize selected contours are distorted using the noise pattern differently for each contour This creates a jumbled effect that when used with the shape of the tool creates interesting textured surfaces When Randomize is turned off the contours are all distorted using the same noise pattern for all contours This option allows you to create a surface panel that is symmetrical in both the x axis and the y axis That is its pattern repeats along its edges This allows you to create multiple pieces that are all alike but when placed adjacent to each other create a continuous textured surface In order for this option to work correctly other parameters must be defined correctly also Seed Contour This contour should be a horizontal straight line constructed at y 0 along the x
222. ettings as a Template To save the current settings as a template 1 Click the Save as button 2 Type a name for the template and click OK Loading Strategy Settings from a Template To load the settings previously saved as a template select the template from the Strategy list Creating Drill Arrays Menu Toolpath Drill Drill Array Toolbar Toolpath Drill Drill Array The Drill Array strategy creates a matrix of drill points with a set number of rows and columns and a specified amount of spacing between them 8 Click Drill then Drill Array 4 Inthe Drill Array dialog select the desired tool from the Available Tools list and click Add Tool The Sort tools by list determines the parameter that is used to sort the Available Tools list It can also filter the tools that are displayed so that only a certain type of tool is visible 5 Inthe tool listing that appears in the list of cuts at the top of the dialog set the Depth of the drill holes It is possible to enter fractional values such as 1 2 in order to let the program calculate the decimal equivalent That way it isn t necessary to remember that the decimal equivalent of 3 16 is 0 1875 6 Enter the Drill Array parameters Columns The number of vertical drill columns Rows The number of horizontal drill rows Page 164 Working with Toolpaths Spacing The options that define the spacing of the drill points in the array All spacing is applied betw
223. ever EnRoute also provides tools that are specifically designed to assist you with positioning reliefs vertically within the boundaries of the Plate Access the Align Reliefs tools by clicking on the Align Relief icon in the Relief toolbar to activate the Align Reliefs flyout toolbar Aa thmad The following table describes the function of each of the Align Reliefs functions Align reliefs to Aligns each of the selected reliefs to the bottom of the plate bottom of plate Align selection to Aligns the selection to the bottom of the plate The relative bottom of plate position of the reliefs in the selection doesn t change Align reliefs to top Aligns each of the selected reliefs to the top of the plate of plate Align selection to Aligns the selection to the top of the plate The relative position of top of plate the reliefs in the selection doesn t change Align reliefs to Aligns each of the selected reliefs to the middle of the plate middle of plate Align selection to Aligns the selection to the middle of the plate The relative middle of plate position of the reliefs in the selection doesn t change Align relief bottoms Aligns the contours for the relief to the top of the plate This is the to top of plate default location for contours and reliefs and it often works best when modifying reliefs to have it located at this default location Rotating Reliefs Rotating reliefs is accomplished the same way as rotating any
224. evolve tool 1 Create your 2D artwork In this example create a vertical line and a profile like the one shown u 2 Select Revolve i or select the Surface menu and then Create Surface Revolve Page 234 Revolutions and Extrusions 3 Click on Mesh to select that option Define a Start Angle of 0 0 and an End Angle of 180 00 6 Click to select the profile contour you want to revolve and then click Next Step Lb Jin the wizard Select the contours to be revolved _ fo few x 7 Click on the vertical contour to identify the axis of revolution This step is Select the axis of revolution Optional optional 8 Click on Execute to complete the 9 The following shows the mesh object like the one that will be created This object can then be scaled and rotated and then used to modify a relief Spin Menu Surface Create Surfaces Spin Toolbar 3D Surfaces Revolve Spin The Spin Tool is quite similar to the Revolve Tool that was explained in the previous section The primary difference is that in the Spin tool the selected contours are spun around the Z axis located at a center of rotation by the user In addition there are a couple of options that are introduced in the spin tool that give you some additional control over the shape of the resulting surface You have the option to apply a spin directly to a relief or to create a mesh surface As with this option in other tools when
225. extend it by the specified amount Page 88 Contour Editing As you move the cursor over the end of an open contour a preview of the extension is displayed 4 After a contour has been extended you can add another extension to the end of the extension 5 Right click to release the tool or click on the close button Extending a Contour to Boundaries Menu Draw Extend Toolbar Contour Editing Extend Boundaries To extend a contour until it intersects with another contour x 1 Click the Extend Lines Icon This will open the Precision Toolbar 2 Select the By Boundaries method 3 Click on the contours you would like to use as boundaries 4 To select all contours as boundaries click on the All boundaries button 5 To clear all selected boundaries click on the Clear boundaries button 6 Click on the Extending button 7 Click on the end of a contour to extend it to its intersection with the nearest boundary contour he As you move the cursor over the end of an open contour a preview of the extension is displayed 8 After a contour has been extended you can add another extension to the end of the extension This extension will go out the other side of the boundary and proceed to the next intersection 9 Right click to release the tool or click on the close button If the Intersection box is checked contours can be extended to the intersection with a line tangent to the end of a boundary If the contour
226. f is to add the finish pass For this pass a 1 8 inch ball end mill tool has been defined You can create one strategy that includes both the roughing and finish passes but you may prefer to create them separately since this can allow easier visualization and control later 22 Select the following Apply to relief Apply to surface Apply overcut Overcut 0 10 Surface 0 00 Final depth 2 0 Offset from surface 0 00 Surface Step Rough unchecked Final Depth Offset from surtace Depths Notice with the finish pass that the offset is set to 0 00 Overlap 88 Corner tags unchecked Overlap 68 0000 Hatch angle 0 0000 Step Rough Passes Number 1 Maximum per Pass 2 10 Number Actual per Pass 2 0 Maximum per Pass Final pass unchecked Actual per Pass Final Pass Depth 0 00 Passes Final Pass Feed Rate 360 00 El Feeds and Speeds Final Pass Feed 0 00 Feed Rate 360 0000 gt in min Plunge Rate 100 0 Final Pass Feed 0 0000 inmin Dwell 0 00 Plunge Rate 100 0000 inmin Spindle 18000 Dwell o 0000 FEC Spindle 18000 rpm Select the climb direction iradia Conventional Climb Page 368 3D Toolpaths 28 This is a rendered view including all toolpaths 29 This is a close up view of the 3D toolpaths Rotate it in perspective and you will see the dense pattern of your finish pass toolpaths The appropriate overlap amount varies depending on the material you are cutting y the
227. f tool is visible The first tool in the list is always defined as the Rough tool and it is typically used as the main cutting tool Any additional tools serve as Clean tools primarily used as a final pass to clean up cutting marks from the Rough tool or to fit into areas that the Rough tool couldn t 4 Inthe tool listing that appears in the list of cuts at the top of the dialog set the Depth of the Cut It is possible to enter fractional values such as 1 2 in order to let the program calculate the decimal equivalent That way it isn t necessary to remember that the decimal equivalent of 3 16 is 0 1875 Page 150 Working with Toolpaths 5 Add additional cuts using other tools as necessary 6 Set the Open Contour Offset parameters Side Rather than defining whether the offset is to be internal or external as with the Routing Offset it is necessary to define which side of the contour to place the toolpath Left and Right are determined as if you are facing in the direction of the contour If it is located in the middle the toolpath is placed on top of the open contour Left Middle Right With One of the common uses of an Open Contour Offset is to cut out sections around Relief the perimeter of a design For example you might use a standard routing offset to cut out a simple rectangle and then use an Open Contour Offset to cut out additional shapes around the outside of the rectangle In certain materials and espe
228. fer it to another computer as long as it is used on only one computer at a time In Use constitutes being loaded onto either temporary i e RAM or permanent memory e g hard disk CD ROM or other storage device of a computer 2 Restrictions You may NOT distribute copies of the Software to others or electronically transfer the Software from one computer to another over a network You may not de compile reverse engineer disassemble or otherwise reduce the Software to a human perceivable form You may not modify adapt transfer rent lease loan resell for profit distribute network or create derivative works based upon the software or any part thereof 3 Termination This License is effective until terminated This License will terminate immediately if you fail to comply with any of its provisions Upon termination you must return the Software and all copies thereof to SA International Inc and you may terminate this License at any time by doing so 4 Export Law Assurances You agree that neither the Software nor any direct product thereof will be transferred or exported directly or indirectly into any country prohibited by the United States Export Administration Act or any international export laws and the restrictions and regulations thereunder nor will it be used for any purposes prohibited by the Act or laws 5 Warranty Disclaimer Limitation of Remedies and Damages In no event will SA International Inc be
229. fined as the Z axis This is the rotation angle If this is checked then the rotated objects will be a copy of the originals Corner Selector This defines the location of the rotation center when rotating the selection using the Angle parameter in the toolbar To Rotate a selection precisely 1 Select the objects to be rotated a Enter values for the Center of rotation or select the desired corner from the Corner Selector Click on the Rotate Icon select it from the Transform menu or press Shift F7 If you want to make a copy of the selection make sure this checkbox is checked Enter the Angle oa SS SN Click on the Apply button to perform the rotation To Rotate a selection interactively 1 Select the objects to be rotated 2 Click on the Rotate Icon i select it from the Transform menu or press Shift F7 3 Click on a point to define it as the Center of rotation Page 116 Arranging Contours 4 Click on another point to define the initial direction The line between the first clicked point and the second clicked point defines the zero direction for the rotation As you move the mouse around you will see a preview of the rotation 5 Click on a point to define the angle of rotation and to complete the rotation The first click defines the center of rotation and then the second click defines the reference line for the rotation Zn Moving the mouse provides a preview of the rotation The
230. fore you do any processing click on the Save button and save all of the setting you have defined Then when you need to make changes you will only have to change the parameters that need to be modified 29 Click on the Process The button will have the name of whichever design lt KCDw gt button application you are using Click on the Close button You will be prompted to Save Changes If you click on Yes and review the results of then all of the parameters and the list of parts will be the Job in the active retained so that if you get back into the ATP things will be as EnRoute Drawing you left them Automatic Toolpaths Page 399 Processing a Job Using a Saved ATP File This example assumes that you have already defined the job parameters and now need to process a new set of part files It illustrates that after you have been through the process of mapping the layers and setting the other processing parameters it becomes very quick and easy to process jobs that can contain dozens of parts Open the ATP Load the List File you want to process Load the saved ATP file Review the nested sheets Flip through the sheets in the EnRoute drawing to make sure things look correct Send the output files to your machine Page 400 Automatic Toolpaths 23 Keyboard Shortcuts Bump by Bump Arrow Keys Preferences F10 Increment Bump By Display Shift Arrow Key Redo Ctrl Shift Z Percentage Copy Ctrl C Redraw Ctrl
231. g 6 If you click on the end point then the move will be completed If you define the coordinate of the end point then click on the Apply button to complete the move Key Concept with Right Click The right click button on the mouse can be used to back out of the Move Scale Rotate tools When you right click while you are in the tool the effect will be to back you up one step For example in the image above the user has selected the objects to be moved clicked on the start point for the move and is in the process of locating the point for the end point of the move A right click at this point would back the user to the point of defining the start point of the move Another right click would deselect the two rectangles Another right click would exit the move tool Scale Tool Menu Transform Scale Toolbar Object Edit Scale a The Scale tool provides several options for scaling selected objects For scaling interactively the scale tool uses a reference line to define the base point of the scale and the scale factor The tool also allows you to enter a precise size or scale factor for the scaling operation Page 112 Arranging Contours Scale Three When the selection is scaled it will be scaled in all three dimensions Dimensions regardless of what view is active This applies mostly to three dimensional objects such as Reliefs and Meshes Scale Two When the selection is scaled only the two visible dimensions will b
232. g this step The next graphic shows the contours that were used to create the surfaces above The Height Control Curve is a contour in EnRoute that is used to define the shape of how the surface is to be modified After selecting the Height Control Curve the Influence Line is automatically drawn along the bottom of the curve This line determines the amount of influence the Height Control Curve will have on the spun surface As you interactively drag the Influence Line away from the Height Control Curve the curve will have less influence on the spun surface as it is created Height Control Curve gt Influence line Click and drag it to change the amount of influence of p the Height Control Curve N Spin Center Spin Angle Circle Profile contour Page 240 Revolutions and Extrusions Width Control Curve The optional third step of the wizard works similarly to the second step except now you have the option of choosing a curve that will affect the width of the spun surface The following graphic shows two spun surfaces The surface on the left was created using a Width Control Curve and the surface on the right did not use this option The optional steps to modify the surface can be used separately or together to create surfaces The following image shows surfaces that were created using the same method except for the use of these optional steps With both With Width With Height options Control
233. g Options P Shortest Dinars my Priority Angle Step Gap Ores a Rows Tool Order joo x fo 1000 fin _ Columns O Strategy Order 7 Muti tlf Margin Inside out m EEE ead gt 0 1000 Sort Method 4 viin _ Outside in D palkas Use holes z Plate Size tells the ATP what 6 0 oe ee anne Feo fin Bottom of plate will be used for Thickness z jo7s00 in Er cutting the C direction parts and where the JV Small parts first Load Process Active Se eee surface will be Save Process Files defi ned o n the Save s Process KCDw m ac hi n e Close Width This is the X dimension of the material The units of this dimension match the active units in EnRoute Height This is the Y dimension of the material Automatic Toolpaths Page 393 Thickness This is the default Z dimension of the material When output is created for the active design application the plate thickness is automatically adjusted as necessary to match the thickness of the parts on each sheet If files are being processed with no active design application or if the active EnRoute drawing is being processed then this thickness Is used Surface This is a user preference that may change depending on the machine being used or the type of material being cut Typically the surface is set to the bottom of the plate because then small variances in material t
234. g contour information that has been generated in a different software package Many CAD programs are oriented toward drafting functions and don t place an emphasis on closed contours as is necessary in order to create toolpaths After importing a file into EnRoute this tool provides a means of quickly joining separate contours into closed shapes that are more compatible with toolpath creation To join two or more open contours 1 Select the open contours M 2 From the Transform menu select Merge selection Merge Tolerance Choose an option set params and click OF OE Cancel Merge Tolerance 0 001 0 H 3 Define the Merge Tolerance the maximum distance endpoints can be separated by and still be connected 4 Click OK Explode Selected Contours Menu Transform Explode Selected Contours This tool is used to separate a contour into individual segments To explode a contour 1 Select the contour 2 From the Transform menu select Explode Selected Contours z 3 This will create individual segments for the contour Page 96 Contour Editing Converting Contours to Arcs Menu Transform Convert Curves to Arcs The Convert Selection to Arcs tool transforms the contours in the selection converting the lines and Bezier curves into arcs When a curve is converted to arcs one curve may require several arcs so the number of segments may increase significantly p f i p of To convert contours
235. ge 1 Select the toolpaths you want to edit From the Toolpath menu select Edit Bridges Right click and select Insert Bridges from the shortcut menu Click on the toolpaths to insert bridges using the current bridge parameters Right click and select Exit this tool to exit the Insert Bridges tool or oS 2 NN Right click and select Exit this tool to exit the Edit Bridges tool It is now possible to insert and edit bridges for Open Contour Offset toolpaths Deleting Bridges To delete a bridge 1 Select the toolpaths you want to edit 2 From the Toolpath menu select Edit Bridges 3 Right click on a bridge and select Delete Bridge from the shortcut menu 4 Right click and select Exit this tool to exit the tool Working with Toolpaths Page 181 Distorting Toolpaths Menu Toolpath Distort Toolpaths Distorting toolpaths similar to distorting contours is a way to introduce an interesting variation into surfaces When creating 3D surfaces for creative applications there can be a tendency to obsess about creating ultra smooth surface and to worry about every visible tooling mark One solution to this dilemma is to carefully sand away every tool mark in order to create a very smooth surface An alternative as argued by our friend in Yarrow B C is to create surfaces that are intentionally textured There are many ways in EnRoute to achieve textured surfaces but one new way is to add some distortion directly to the toolpaths
236. ge 49 Reverse Open Contours This tool will reverse the direction of the selected open contour Rounded relief This tool is chosen to create a rounded relief Save Parameters This tool will save the current parameters to the preferences Scale 3 Dimensions In the scale tool this option will scale the selection in all 3 axes based on the scale factors that are defined either precisely or interactively Scale 2 Dimensions In the scale tool this option allows three dimensional objects such as reliefs and meshes to be scaled in just two dimensions For example you can scale a relief in XY dimensions without changing its thickness I lt e B Ile Scale 1 Dimension In the scale tool this option allows you to scale a selection in just 1 direction Stretch the x dimension without changing the y or z size of a selection Set start point Use this option in the edit points tool to set the start point of a contour a Shape Nester This option within the nesting tool provides access to three different nesting algorithms for true shape nesting of contours reliefs and toolpaths Simulate done Close the simulation Simulate Draw Next Segment The start of the simulation i Simulate next tool lift This will play the simulation until the tool is lifted Simulate pause This will stop the simulation Simulate to end of job This will play the simulation to the end of the job
237. gging on the circle that is used to define the center of the spin This circle is shown in the image below Click and drag to change the spin angle Mesh Parameters When the mesh option es is selected it activates parameters that are specific to this option They include the number of Slices and the number of Stacks that are to be used to create the mesh object A mesh object is composed of triangles or facets that make up its surface It is necessary to instruct EnRoute regarding how many of these facets should be used to construct the object The number of Slices is the number of sections that are used along the length of the profile that is soun The Stacks value is the number of sections that are used between the start and end angles The following graphic illustrates this concept The same profile was used to create these objects The object on the left was created using more slices and fewer stacks and the object on the right was created using fewer slices and more stacks LEE i N W FEN Slices 24 Slices 8 Stacks 8 Stacks 24 Page 238 Revolutions and Extrusions Wizard Prompts The Spin tool requires more than one step in order to complete it This portion of the dialog contains an area that contains a prompt that tells you the next step required in order to complete the function It also contains buttons that allow you to move from step to step back up a step back up to that st
238. globally change the parameters of all the bridges in the selection Bridges are small tabs of material that are left connecting parts which would otherwise be completely severed from the rest of the design After the job has finished cutting the operator can then manually cut the bridges to remove the part from the rest of the plate Bridges are displayed as square brackets that ride the line of the toolpath The area in between the brackets will form the bridge Moving Bridges To move the endpoints of a bridge 1 Select the toolpath you want to edit 2 From the Toolpath menu select Edit Bridges 3 Click and drag the endpoints of the bridges to the desired locations Bridges cannot be moved on top of the entry exit points or other bridges 4 Right click and select Exit this tool to release the tool Page 180 Working with Toolpaths Editing Bridge Parameters To edit the parameters of a bridge 1 Select the toolpaths you want to edit 2 From the Toolpath menu select Edit Bridges 3 Right click and select Edit Bridge from the shortcut menu Length 0 5000 Height 0 1 000 E Cancel Apply to all bridges in selection 4 Set the Length and Height of the bridges to the desired values 5 Check Apply to all bridges in selection to apply the changes to all the bridges in the selected toolpaths 6 Click OK 7 Right click and select Exit this tool to release the tool Inserting Bridges To insert a brid
239. h DXF file as a complete part See the discussion for the NT option for the situations when this may be appropriate OP Output The layer should be included with the part in the toolpath output This should be checked in virtually all cases There may be unique situations in which geometry information is included in the part files that should not be included in the output Default Strategy The Default Strategy provides an option for specifying a Strategy to be utilized in case a layer is included in the processed parts that is not included in the layer mapping It is not necessary to specify the Default Strategy Automatic Toolpath Setup C Program Files EnRoute 3 AutoTP AAStandard atp 10 x Design Use Layer Name Strategy Small Part Strategy Depth Depth TP NT PANEL Panel T0375 DO 5 offset male not assigned 07500 3 M Vv vw WwW ROUTDRAWER Rout Drawer TO1875 not assigned 0 2500 DO25lisland aM MMEM RABBETDRAWER Rabbet T01875D025 open not assigned 02500 3 Ww Vv vw F WwW DRILLPILOT oa D075 Drill not assigned 0 7500 y sipiolps BORE Door Bore T0375 DO5Ofisland not assigned 05000 3 M Vv vw TF WwW DRILLHINGE cam T0125 DO4724 Drill not assigned 0 4724 y Ripliole ill Hi ill i al DRILLDRAWER ae T0125 DO4724 Drill not assigned 0 4724 F mipliolie lz Add Layer Use Active Remove Layer Use Files Clear Layers Use KCDw Default Strategy Panel T0375 DO 5 off
240. h a ball end mill that steps over incrementally making numerous passes at different depths to waste the material around the finished surface The constraints here are the size of the tool the amount of overlap and how much detail is required The relationship is the smaller the tool the larger the overlap the finer the detail the LONGER the time to cut EnRoute gives you the control you need to balance these factors so that you can create a high quality finished surface in a reasonable amount of time In general the depths of cut are greater across greater areas of your material This means you need to be careful to use the visualization tools in EnRoute to be sure your job will cut correctly The rough tool and the roughing strategies will go a long way toward getting the job done The reason for roughing is to clear material out of the way for the finish pass to run You generally want to run the finish cut in a single pass as this pass takes the longest time to run also you have a more limited selection of tools for the finish cut Another thing to consider is the length of the tool in relation to the surrounding material It is easy to get yourself in trouble trying to get a small tool into a deep area EnRoute gives you the tools to avoid these situations but you need to be aware that they exist 3D Toolpaths Page 357 Overlap When it comes time to mill out a 3D surface the selection of the proper overlap percentage becomes quit
241. he software Many other training options are available from SAI for those who would like additional assistance in taking advantage of EnRoute s capabilities In this chapter you will learn about e What s new in EnRoute e Recommended System Requirements e Installing a hardware key e Installing the Software e EnRoute 5 Support Services What s new in EnRoute Version 5 of EnRoute includes many significant changes and improvements from previous versions Nesting in EnRoute has been enhanced in many ways providing an interface that contains all of the nesting options and providing several new nesting capabilities Relief creation and editing has also been enhanced with new offsetting and distortion tools Also new ways to distort contours and toolpaths have been added to provide a new set of creative capabilities The following list of changes represents the most significant enhancements Each of these is explained in more detail throughout this manual Nesting 1 New Nesting Algorithms e True shape nesting algorithm This is anew EnRoute algorithm that allows EnRoute to provide several new options and capabilities e Block nesting algorithm Block nesting can be the most efficient and fastest method of Welcome Page 1 nested for certain types of objects This is another algorithm we developed in house to provide more control other the options and the results 2 Simplified nesting interface We consolidated all of
242. he surface of Baon SSS the material will reflect this parameter when it is cut Cancel Enter 020 Click OK 12 This information dialog box recaps the Inf information that you have entered for iii iii this project Tool Name 0 02 Engrawe Whitespace Gap 0 020 Review the information and Click OK 13 Set the parameters for the Rapid Texture Position 3 1 0000 al Position X 1 00 E 1 0000 al Y 1 00 The position parameters refer to the start point of the panel that will be designated as the area where the rapid texture contours are created We entered the start point at 1 inch because we want to have a 1 inch border around the rapid texture design 14 Set the Size parameter Size OM 13 gogg al Size X 13 00 i 13 0000 al Y 13 00 Overlap 0 00 Overlap 0000 al The size parameter refers to the size of the panel that we wish to create for the rapid texture contours The overlap parameter refers to the distance that the contours will continue outside of the panel Texture Tools Page 345 15 Wavelength 3 50 Wavelength 3 5000 fl Horiz Amp 1 50 Horz Amp al Vert Amp 01 Usa Vert Amp om Ti al 16 Offset 15 Offset 0 1500 ents ea Preview This parameter refers to the distance io E C Wave Apply_ between the contours Columns f aj Randomize Symmetric Close Displacement Noise Checked Click Apply 17 The contours will be created T
243. heets are the basis for the output files that are created When the parts are processed an EnRoute drawing is created that contains layers that represent each of the nested sheets Each drawing layer corresponds to an output file In the nested sheet drawing the layer names correspond to the material that sheet represents During the nesting process the ATP keeps parts that are to be cut from the same material together This means that if you have a job that includes melamine plywood and 7 plywood then all of the melamine parts will be nested together all of the plywood parts will be nested together and all of the plywood parts will stay together EnRoute uses the material names included in the List Files to determine what material each part will be cut from Automatic Toolpaths Page 391 Automatic Toolpath Setup C Program Files EnRoute 3 AutoTP AAStandard atp loj x Define Layers Ordering and Nesting KCDw Setup Nesting M Ordering Options Nesting Options Priority Angle Step Gap O pt i 0 n S Tool Order fm foio in provides the Strategy Order t gt Margin j al poo an parameters for EnRoute s true shape nester to arrange parts on Sort Method Default Order JV Small parts first Plate Size Surfac Widths 96 0000 in C Top of plate the sheets soil Bottom of plate Height 48 0000 4 in Thickness z 0 7500
244. her on customer specifications or on a drawing that you have been provided this tool allows you to work your way around the part using the information available for each segment Bezier Curve Menu Draw Draw Line Toolbar Construction Draw Polyarc Draw Bezier Curve Bezier curves provide a way of drawing precisely curved lines on a computer Each section of a Bezier curve is defined by four points its beginning and end points and two handle points which determine the shape of the curve mn a ee aq Handle Point p Handle Point pe 72 2 a Normally a Bezier curve is composed of multiple segments Each segment can be a curve or a straight line End Point a 1 Click and hold then click Draw Bezier curve B To place the first point in the curve do one of the following Click once without dragging to place the point This will make the first segment a straight line E Click to place the starting point and drag to create its handle This will make the first segment a curve 5 For all subsequent points in the curve click to place the point and drag to create its handle If you do not drag to create a handle the next line segment will be a straight line 6 Right click to release the tool and end the curve Page 64 Creating Contours If one of your segments does not come out exactly right keep going and finish the curve you can easily come back and edit the segments
245. here each panel is located relative to the others Texture Tools Page 333 Change the size of the plate to reflect the size of the material that you are working with Click on the Plate E icon to open the Define Plate Dialog Enter the parameters to reflect the size of the material that you are using to cut the panels In this example the plate size was changed to 5 5 x 5 5 Note Your projects will most likely use much larger panels This small size was used for illustration From this graphic you can see that the texture contours and the outline contour for each panel are separate from the adjoining panel Systematically go through and create new layers for each panel and then move a copy of the panel contours to the specific layer associated with the panel that you have copied To create a new layer click on the Define Layers Icon Click on the New button This will create a new layer Highlight the layer name and type in a name for the layer that you can associate with the panel that you will be cutting It is important to be careful when naming the layers and then copying the correct panel to that layer You will need to know the locations of the panels for installation or press F7 Page 334 Define Plate 5 5000 r 5 5000 4 in 0 7500 in Template User Defined Width x Fit Plate to Design Height y Fit Plate to Selection Thickness z gt Margin 0 0000 4 in Y Marg
246. here that corresponds to a location on the machine After being originally specified in the driver these values are not typically changed Tool Changer The Tool Changer section specifies whether your machine has a tool changer available how many tools are present and which specific tools are available in the turret See Configuring a Tool Changer for details on setting up a tool changer Drill Bank The Drill Bank section specifies whether your machine includes a Drill Bank A drill bank is a separate head that provides an array of drill tools to drill a set of holes using a pre configured spacing A typical application for a drill bank is to bore holes for shelf mounts as part of the manufacture of cabinet parts See Configuring a Drill Bank for details on setting up a drill bank Driver Speeds This category contains a definition of the maximum and minimum speeds that are possible with the current machine They are based on the physical capabilities of the machine as well as practical values This will help ensure that you don t attempt to define speed values that are not possible or might damage the machine The units used in this category are based on the units that are specified for the machine Units are specified by machine manufacturers based on the values that are used by their controllers so it is not recommended to change the speeds unless you know for sure that the change is appropriate Spindle This provides
247. hickness do not cause problems when cutting parts out Grain Direction The assumption is that parts coming into the ATP are oriented based on the grain direction in the X direction If this parameter is set to the Y direction then parts are automatically rotated by 90 degrees as they are imported from the DXF files ATP Setup The Setup tab contains parameters that determine what type of output files are created when a job is processed There are three types of output that can be generated including 1 the machining output files the g code files 2 a printout of each nested sheet that shows what parts are included on each sheet and 3 label output files that allow labels to be printed for each part Automatic Toolpath Setup C Program Files EnRoute 3 AutoTP AAStandard atp ol x Define Layers Ordering and Nesting KCDw Setup Design application KCDw x Output Options J Create output files Create printout of parts MMIII IV Create label output Output Settings Label Settings Output Path C dnefiles KCDW Label Design New Layout 4x3 lds Label Format File LabelFormatCollection lfc s2 Output filename filet Label Format Name 4x3 Labels v Load Process Active Save Process Files Save As Process KCDw Close Output Options These checkboxes allow you to choose what output you would like to generate Create output files This optio
248. his is a close up view of the contours that have been created 18 The contours are created within the area that you have set for the panel Page 346 Texture Tools 19 The next step is to apply the toolpaths to the contours Select the contours At this point the contours are grouped SO you can just click on one of the contours and they will all be selected 20 Click on the Engrave icon Xk This will open the Engrave dialog Enter the parameters Select the 02 Engrave tool p cea adita C iee a Eem n Debie Tasi Depth 10 es ma i Follow Contours checked Set the feed rate to 60 inch per minute Click OK Note The slow speed helps to eliminate chipping of the material 21 This image shows the toolpaths that have been applied i Next it is a good idea to group the toolpaths while they are selected Click on the Group icon m amliy igpip ee eh he i a lt s Lery Leg f Taal Fee ll as I a I Texture Tools Page 347 22 The next step is to apply the Routing Offset toolpaths to the panel contour Strategy X OK Click on the Routing Offset icon Tool Type Depth Cancel b 1S 144 End Mil Rough osoo Edit Plan Save as fa Add Tool Available Tools Sort tools by Description Tool Type Engrave __Delete Tool Enter parameters z 0 02 Engrave Engrave 2 Clear 0 03 Engrave Engrave
249. his will bring up the Precision Toolbar Select Circle by Center and point 2 Click to place the center point of the circle then drag to define the point on its radius Click the mouse again to complete the circle If desired you can continue to create more circles Repeat step 2 4 Right click to end the circle function You can also enter the data for the center and the point into the corresponding fields Click Apply Don t forget that you can use snaps to precisely locate the points on your circle Drawing a Circle by Three Points Menu Draw Circle Toolbar Construction Circle By Three Points 1 Click the Circle Icon This will open the Precision Toolbar Select By Three Points 5 2 Click to place the first point on the circle 3 Click to place the center point on the circle then drag to define the third point Click the mouse again to complete the circle 4 lf desired you can continue to create more circles Repeat steps 2 and 3 5 Right click to end the circle function You can also enter the data for the points into the corresponding X and Y fields Click Apply Drawing a Circle by Corners Menu Draw Circle Toolbar Construction Circle Circle by Corners 1 Click the Circle Icon This will open the Precision Toolbar Select Circle by Corners ie 2 Click to place the first corner then drag to define the opposite corner Click the mouse again to complete the circle If desired you can continue to
250. how the distortion is applied Add relief This option is used to create a raised relief Apply Mesh to Relief This tool allows you to apply a mesh object to a relief Arc by center and two points Use this command to define an arc by defining its center and two endpoints It is defined interactively you can either leave it as an open contour with just the arc or define it as a closed contour by placing the cursor either outside or inside the arc as it is constructed Arc by point and angle Define an arc by entering coordinates for the center and start and then defining the angle turned by the arc Arc by three points This is a handy interactive tool to define an arc by clicking on the start point then clicking on the end point and then dragging to define an intermediate point on the curve Arc copy In the Multicopy function select this parameter to copy around an arc Array copy Creates multiple copies of an object according to the selected parameters Bevel Relief This tool is chosen to create a beveled relief Bevel Relief Edit Tool This tool allows editing of a relief using a beveled shaped tool Blending Relief Edit Tool This tool will blend the surface of the relief within the parameters specified in the toolbar dialog Block Nester The Block Nester is designed to be used with squares and rectangles It can be the most efficient and fastest method of nesting It allows for the opti
251. ht view show how the objects were created both horizontally and vertically Top View Right View Revolutions and Extrusions Page 249 Relief Parameters The relief parameters of Height and Base are available when modifying a relief e Height This value defines the height if either the Scale to Height or Limit to Height relief option is selected e Base This value allows you to define a base height that can be added to the extruded surface as it is applied to the selected relief Mesh Parameter When the mesh option es is selected it activates parameters that are specific to this option They include the number of Slices and the number of Stacks that are to be used to create the mesh object A mesh object is composed of triangles or facets that make up its surface It is necessary to instruct EnRoute regarding how many of these facets should be used to construct the object The number of Slices is the number of sections that are used along the length of the profile that is soun The Stacks value is the number of sections that are used along the extrusion The following graphic illustrates this concept The same profile was used to create these objects The object on the left was created using more slices and fewer stacks and the object on the right was created using fewer slices and more stacks Page 250 Revolutions and Extrusions Modify a Relief Surface This section provides a table with the steps ne
252. iV Maintain grouping Reset active Reset parameters OK Cancel Getting Started Page 27 The following table provides a brief description of each of the parameters in the Ordering Preferences dialog Priority Order Tool Order Strategy Order Object Order Small Parts First Maintain Grouping Add Tool Delete Tool Clear Tools Reset Active Reset Parameters Set the priority order for the order in which toolpaths sorted In the priority settings in the graphic above the toolpaths will be sorted based on the tool order as the top priority followed by the Object Order Strategy Order etc A more detailed explanation of the ordering philosophy in EnRoute is located in Chapter 11 of this manual You can choose tools from EnRoute s tool library to add to the Tool Order list You might typically add tools that you use often and then click and drag them into the preferred order This list includes all of the strategy types available in EnRoute By default they are in a reasonable order drills are first in the list and routing offsets are last You can click and drag these strategy types into your preferred order You can choose the default object ordering method including shortest rows columns inside out and outside in If this is checked objects with a surface area less than the small part size threshold defined in the Initialization tab will be put at the top of the object order list reg
253. iation of the Normal option Using this option first creates the surface using the Normal option and then the relief is scaled vertically so that its height matches the specified height It comes in handy when you want to create normal relief but you also want it to be a specific height lt is also a way to create surfaces that are subtly different by specifying different angles and the same height The following images show a relief that was created using the Scale to Height option The relief on the left used a relief angle of 85 degrees and the relief on the left used an angle of 15 degrees The height of each relief is the same but the shape of each relief is different because of the different angle E Creating Reliefs Page 217 Limit to Height This option is also a variation of the Normal option The relief is first created using the normal option and then it is cut off at the specified height It is useful is cases where you want to create a relief that has rounded or beveled profile up to a certain height and then a flat top surface The following graphic shows a relief that uses a rounded shape that is limited to a height that is about half the height that it would have been if it wasn t limited This is an option that will not likely be used very often but it can be useful for specific applications Application Method The application method defines how the application of a relief modifies the surface The terms for
254. ic point Page 90 Contour Editing Trimming a Contour by a Precise Length Menu Draw Trim Toolbar Contour Editing Extend Trim By Length 1 Click and hold the Extend Trim Line Icon then click the Trim Contours Icon Fa This will open the Precision Toolbar 2 Select By Length method and enter the length you want to trim contours by in the field The length that is trimmed is determined by following the path of the contour from the end point not as a radius or some other method 3 Click on the end of a contour to shorten it by the specified amount G 4 As you move the cursor over the end of a contour a preview is provided to show the amount that the contour will be trimmed 4 Repeat for as many contours as necessary 5 Right click to release the tool or click on the close button Trimming a Contour to Boundaries Menu Draw Trim Toolbar Contour Editing Extend Trim By Boundaries To trim a contour at the points where it intersects with another contour 1 Click and hold the Extend Trim Lines Icon then click on the Trim Contours Icon a In the Precision Toolbar click on the By Boundaries method Click on the contours you would like to use as boundaries To select all contours as boundaries click on the All boundaries button To clear all selected boundaries click on the Clear boundaries button Click on the Trimming button NOON a e w Y Move cursor over the contour to be trimme
255. ifferent depths Some good examples of this include dado layers that are intended to cut at different depths and cutout layers that may be used for cutting 0 25 0 50 and 0 75 inch thick material The advantage to this method is that it ultimately requires fewer strategy definitions to accommodate the range of toolpaths that may need to be created on a job When Strategy templates are saved it may be a good practice to include the design depth in the name of the strategy so that it is easy to remember this number as it is utilized in the ATP TP Toolpath This provides an option for creating toolpaths for the geometry on each layer Most of the time this parameter should be checked There may be cases however where information on a particular layer should not get toolpaths but it should be included in the processed files NT Nest Together This tells the ATP that this layer should be included with the part that is defined in the rest of the DXF file When output from a supported design application is being processed this parameter should always be selected There may be certain situations when DXF files that were created some other way are being processed In these cases it is possible that several parts may be included in one file and this is the situation that may work better using the NS Nest Separate option NS Nest Separate This option tells the ATP to treat individual contours as separate parts and to not treat eac
256. igher the resolution of the relief the longer it will take to process Page 350 This shows the bevel tool with the Fade parameter set all the way to the right The mouse movement was from left to right The tool edited the relief from the largest to the smallest point Shrink Fade This shows the bevel tool with the Shrink parameter set all the way to the right The mouse movement again was left to right The relief does not get smaller in diameter but the height of the relief moves from highest point to lowest point Fade Shrink Relief Edit Tools Build Parameter The build parameter allows you to use your tools to build up a specific area of your relief In the examples below you can see how the relief is affected with and without the build parameter Top View with Build parameter checked Perspective View with Build parameter checked ia Top view with Build parameter unchecked Perspective view with Build parameter unchecked Examples using relief edit tools This example shows the use of the Relief Editing Tools The top image is a quick assembly of a violin Using the Relief Edit tools you can add details and use the smoothing tool to blend and soften the design he a Relief Edit Tools Page 351 This image shows small adjustments to the relief Page 352 Relief Edit Tools 21 3D Toolpaths Introduction After creating a relief the next step is t
257. iles may be processed in pretty much the same way as if they came from a supported design application One key difference is that information about the size material and orientation of the parts won t be available to interpret as part of the processing Selecting Files to Process After the design application is specified the next step is to select which parts are to be processed The output created by each of the supported design applications includes a List File that is a list of all of the separate DXF files in a job For example if you have used KCDw to design a set of kitchen cabinets and then output this geometry to be processed in the ATP each part is represented by a separate DXF file The List File for that job is a table that lists all of the DXF files in that job along with additional information such as the size material quantity and rotation for each part EnRoute allows you to import List Files which load part information for each of the parts in the job The presence of each of the DXF files is automatically verified and the information about the parts is shown in the table To select a list file first click on the Design Application tab in the ATP dialog This tab will have the name of the active design application Click n Cut Quisine etc Then click on the Add List File button which will activate an Open File dialog This dialog will look specifically for files that match the extension of the list file for the activ
258. ill Cut Fine Cut and Clean Cut Each of these is explained below Fill Cut This is the tool that will perform the Hatch Fill You will almost exclusively use an end mill tool to perform the fill In addition to the standard cut parameters that have been described previously with the Fill Cut it is necessary to define two additional key parameters Overlap and Angle See Editing Cut Parameters for details Fine Cut The Fine Cut is optional If it is used a tool that is smaller in diameter than the Fill tool is selected to fit into sections of the design that the fill tool was not able to fit into This will be corners and any other thin areas that are too small for the Fill tool The Fine Cut uses an Island Fill strategy to fill in areas that require more than one width of the tool For this reason it is also necessary with the Fine Cut to specify the amount of overlap between adjacent toolpaths The following screen shot shows a Hatch fill with a Fine Cut used to fit into the areas where the fill tool won t fit Page 154 Working with Toolpaths Clean Cut The final toolpath option with the Hatch fill is the Clean Cut This defines a tool that creates toolpaths that are offset from the contours The Clean Cut is used to improve the edge quality of the finished cut or to create a 3D toolpath around the perimeter of the design The following image shows a H
259. ill be positioned out from the Shoulder pass This section of the Cut Parameters allows you to specify the feed rates that will be used with this cut If the tool you are using has feed rates saved for the material you are using these values will initially reflect the saved values The units used in the feed rates are initially set to match the values for speed in Preferences Unit section However you can change the units to be different if there is a need If your plate has a material selected the feed rates for that material become the default feed rates for new cuts If the tool in your cut has feed rates assigned for your material these feed rates override the material s feed rates If no material has been assigned then the initial feed rates are 0 00 Feed This is the speed that the tool will move in the material when it is cutting Rate Final If the cut is using the Final Pass option this value represents the speed Pass for this pass Feed Plunge This is the speed that the tool will move down into the material Rate Dwell After plunging into the material a dwell value will cause the cutting tool to pause for this length of time before feeding into the material Spindle This is the speed that the spindle will turn while it is cutting Speed Conventional This direction will move the tool with the direction that the tool is turning For a standard exterior cut on a contour this would be ina counter clockwise direction
260. imilar to those on a CD player or tape recorder my Hit the up and down arrow keys to speed up and slow down the simulation Rewind This button will rewind the simulation to the beginning Draw next This will advance the simulation until segment the next segment has been output ila Play This will start the simulation and allow it to play until the end Next Lift This will advance the simulation to the pt next tool lift Next Tool This will advance the simulation to the next tool change zE Done This will end the simulation and close ah Done the Simulate 2D dialog Order This button displays a Toolpath Order Ordering dialog that is identical to the one in the Output dialog Changes in Priority Ordering Tool Strategy and Sort Method may all be accomplished directly in the 2D Simulation tool so that the effect of any change may be viewed After any ordering changes are made be sure to click on the Update Order button so that the changes are reflected in the output and simulation 3 Click Done to end the simulation Page 188 Previewing Output Simulating Output Using an Orthographic View Menu Machining Simulate Ortho Toolbar Machining Simulate Ortho The Simulate Ortho tool displays an animated orthographic view of the path each tool will take and the order in which it will cut If you see that you have made an error in the toolpath or the order of the cut you have the opportunity to make c
261. in 0 0000 H in 0 0000 a 0 0000 in 2 Origin Y Origin C Surface at top of plate Surface at bottom of plate Material All layers X Show Cancel Save As Remove Material Library Current Name Lock On Off Layer E Iv E Vv M Top Left Panel Iv E E E M Top Right Panel Iv E E E MoveLock Color Cancel New Delete Remove Empty Move Up Move Down Texture Tools 10 Once you have the new layer created copy the panel outline and contours and paste to active layer From the image shown you can see that the contours will be copied to the layer but in the same position that it was on the original layer To move the contours to the Center of Plate press Ctrl 5 ee ee 11 Notice that the contours are now in the center of the plate This will allow room for the texture contours to continue off the end of each panel The reason is to make sure that the textures will line up with the next panel accurately Texture Tools Page 335 12 Continue to create and copy each Layers panel to the correct layer show yes r Your layers Dialog may look something like this when you have i ease finished Layer a Top Left Panel Each panel should be copied to the m Tap Right Panel correct layer and moved to the center T Bottom Left Panel of the plate to be toolpathed E a nkan 13 The next step is to toolpath the contours for
262. in ie 7 pal aa C Y direction Angle Step These are the angle increments that the nester uses for each part as it works to find the best arrangement of the parts on the sheet Smaller angles increase the number of options that the nester must consider so it increases the amount of time to nest each sheet When processing files in the ATP much of the material to be cut has a wood or some other directional surface so often times it is best to set the step angle to 180 degrees This minimizes the options for the nester to consider and will help reduce processing time Even when the material is not grained experience shows that setting the step angle to some value below 90 degrees most often is not necessary in order to make the best use of the material Gap This is the spacing between the individual parts The overall size of each part includes the size required by any external toolpaths so it is often acceptable to set the Gap to a very small value or even 0 0 in order to maximize material usage Margin This is the spacing from the edge of the sheet of material to the parts nearest the edge Again this value may be set to a small value since the boundary of each part includes the toolpath dimension Multilayer This tells EnRoute that it can create new sheet layers in the output drawing as necessary in order to nest all the parts For example if there are 50 parts to be cut from 3 4 melamine and only 10 parts will fit
263. ing Strategy Settings as a Template To save the current settings as a template 1 Click the Save as button 2 Type a name for the template and click OK Loading Strategy Settings from a Template To load the settings previously saved as a template select the template from the Strategy list Working with Toolpaths Page 167 Creating Drill Points at the Corners of the Plate Menu Toolpath Drill Drill Corners Toolbar Toolpath Drill Drill Corners The Drill Corners strategy is available only if a plate has been defined The Drill Corners strategy creates drill points in the corners of the plate with the ability for additional drills in between each corner 1 Click Drill then Drill Corners 2 2 Inthe Drill Corners dialog select the desired tool from the Available Tools list and click Add Tool The Sort tools by list determines the parameter that is used to sort the Available Tools list It can also filter the tools that are displayed so that only a certain type of tool is visible 3 Inthe tool listing that appears in the list of cuts at the top of the dialog set the Depth of the drill hole It is possible to enter fractional values such as 1 2 in order to let the program calculate the decimal equivalent That way it isn t necessary to remember that the decimal equivalent of 3 16 is 0 1875 4 Enter the Drill Corners parameters Inset X The horizontal inset from the corners of the plate If it is left
264. ing and Pasting To cut and paste reliefs 1 Select the reliefs to cut 2 From the Edit menu choose Cut click on the Cut Icon d or press Ctrl X 3 Select the drawing where the reliefs are to be pasted 4 From the Edit menu choose Paste click on the Paste Icon or press Ctrl V After a relief is placed on the clipboard either by cutting or copying it it remains there until it is replaced by something else This allows you to paste it more than once Copying and Pasting To copy and paste reliefs 1 Select the reliefs to copy Eg 2 From the Edit menu choose Copy click on the Copy Icon aa or press Ctrl C 3 Select the drawing where the reliefs are to be pasted Modifying and Combining Reliefs Page 285 4 From the Edit menu choose Paste click on the Paste Icon E or press Ctrl V Another easy way to copy a relief is to click and drag on it while pressing the CTRL key When you release the mouse button a copy of the selected reliefs is placed at the new location Deleting Relief Objects To delete one or more reliefs 1 Select the reliefs Deleting relief objects is the same as deleting any other object in EnRoute 2 From the Edit menu select Delete or you may also just press the DELETE key Clearing Reliefs Clearing a relief removes the relief surface from the object but it retains the contours that made up the perimeter of the relief You will use this during the relief design process to clear a r
265. ing offsets it happens automatically with square corner offsets when a 3D clean pass is created Tool Compensation Support Added support for real tool compensation This is applicable for specific high end router manufacturers and users It is typically used for more repetitive manufacturing applications that don t utilize complex toolpathing but need to have the flexibility of using tools that have been sharpened Sharpening tools changes their diameter slightly so without tool compensation it is necessary to re create toolpaths using the modified diameter The tool compensation method allows the compensation to happen at the machine without the need to re calculate the toolpaths which is much easier in a high production setting Support for improved labeling and support for robotic labeling applications Our work with high production users has allowed us to implement support for machine manufacturers that utilize automated labeling solutions Support for horizontal drilling solution EnRoute now includes support for horizontal drillbank tools Drillbanks can be configured with both horizontal and vertical drills which will then be automatically utilized during output Welcome Page 3 Automatic Toolpath ATP DXF Part Quantities You will be able to specify the quantities of parts you want to process using DXF files that are not associated with a specific design application Cut List Sorting You are able to sort parts i
266. int to another precisely or interactively Move Corner The Corner move tool allows you to move the selection based on the points of the bounding box for the selection Move Relative The Relative move allows the user to move the selection by a specific amount in each direction Move Text Select this tool to move the location of the selected text up or down A positive value will move up a negative value will move down Multiple Fillet This tool is used to fillet multiple corners of a selected object Path copy In the Multicopy function this will allow you to create multiple copies along a path specified Plane Plane shaped mesh found in Create Primitive Objects Project toolpaths to plane Use this tool to change the height or angle of existing toolpaths Rectangle by dimensions Enter the parameters to define a corner of a rectangle and then specify its size by height and width Rectangle corner to corner Use this tool to define a rectangle by clicking on one corner and dragging to define to the opposite corner Hold the shift key down to keep the rectangle a square Replace relief This option is also used primarily to modify an existing relief The applied profile takes the place of the existing relief wherever the new profile overlaps the existing profile Reset Parameters This tool is used to reset the ordering parameters of the toolpaths using the Preferences Toolbars and Command Icons Pa
267. intended to minimize tool lifts in the fill but not necessarily to prevent tool lifts In many cases it is not practical to attempt to eliminate tool lifts without breaking other rules that the software enforces The software does not allow any of the hatch toolpaths to pass over any part of the hatch area more than one time Also it strictly enforces a back and forth pattern over the entire hatch area We feel that this results in a more aesthetically pleasing finish on the hatch surface and it is consistent with methods employed by other machining packages A second important option for ordering hatch toolpaths is to make them compatible with a specific type of engraving tool that utilizes a Nose Cone that maintains a constant depth of cut for the tool This requires that the hatch toolpaths progress from one side of the fill to the other always maintaining an edge of uncut material next to the nose cone Finally the software provides the option of having the cleaning pass that is associated with the hatch toolpath be cut before the hatch toolpaths This can be a desirable option when cutting certain types of material such as certain woods 7 Click OK Once you create the toolpath the contour will become part of the toolpath group Deleting Cuts To delete an unwanted cut from the list of cuts for the strategy select the cut and click Delete tool Saving Strategy Settings as a Template To save the current settings as a templa
268. ion about how the toolpaths were created You can edit the toolpaths at any time and change the cuts and parameters that define the toolpath When you are finished the software regenerates the toolpath using the new settings To edit a toolpath 1 Select the toolpath 2 From the Toolpath menu select Edit toolpaths 3 Ifthe toolpath group contains more than one strategy you will be prompted to choose which strategy to edit Select the strategy you want to edit and click OK Page 176 Working with Toolpaths Edit Toolpath Strategy Choose which strategy to edit Router Offset male 174 End Mill Lancel 4 Inthe dialog for the strategy make the desired changes to the settings and click OK Editing the Toolpath Plan The plan is the set of all strategies contained in a toolpath group Editing it allows you to edit the individual strategies delete them add new strategies and save the entire plan as a template Plan Plan r Curent Strategies Add Strategy Cancel Router Offset Offset male Hatch Fill Remove Hatch Fill 178 Ball End Long a Island Fill Clear Engrave Pyramid Save as Accessing the Plan To access the plan 1 Select the toolpath 2 From the Toolpath menu select Edit toolpaths 3 If necessary select a strategy and click OK 4 Inthe strategy dialog click Edit Plan Editing Strategies To edit a strategy 1 Select the strategy in the strategy list and click on the
269. ional options All circles If selected holes will be drilled in the centers of all selected circles By diameter If selected holes will be drilled in the centers of all selected circles whose diameters are within the Tolerance of the Check Diameter specified 6 Add additional drill cuts using other tools as necessary All cuts will share the same drill point coordinates 7 Click OK Saving Strategy Settings as a Template To save the current settings as a template 1 Click the Save as button 2 Type a name for the template and click OK Loading Strategy Settings from a Template To load the settings previously saved as a template select the template from the Strategy list Creating Drill Points Along a Contour Menu Toolpath Drill Drill Contour Toolbar Toolpath Drill Drill Contour The Drill Contours strategy creates drill points along selected contours based on the number and Spacing specified 1 Select the contours you want to create drill points in the center of 2 Click Drill then Drill contours Sa 3 Inthe Drill Contours dialog select the desired tool from the Available Tools list and click Add Tool Page 166 Working with Toolpaths The Sort tools by list determines the parameter that is used to sort the Available Tools list lt can also filter the tools that are displayed so that only a certain type of tool is visible 4 Inthe tool listing that appears in the list of cuts at the top of the dialog s
270. is color can be changed by clicking on the icon and selecting a new color from the chart lt Use Material color Select this parameter if you would like the simulation to be shown using the material color e Use selected contours as mask Check this to use the selected contours as a mask for the area that you want to simulate e Save simulation as relief The simulation will be saved as a relief The relief will be placed in the plate e Simulation tolerance The tolerance controls how closely the simulation will display to the relief toolpaths Simulate Ortho 44 gt bt PS Dore mi b Order Current T ool Tool Lifts T Curent Depth 0 0000 Tool Changes 3 Inthe Create Rendered Simulation dialog use the controls provided to play the simulation 44 Rewind This button will rewind the simulation to the beginning Draw next This will advance the simulation until the next segment has segment been output Pause This will start the simulation and allow it to play until the end pt Next Lift This will advance the simulation to the next tool lift T Next Tool This will advance the simulation to the next tool change Done This will end the simulation and close the Simulate 2D dialog Order This button displays a Toolpath Ordering dialog that is identical to the one in the Output dialog Changes in Priority Ordering Tool Strategy and Sort Method may all be accomplished directly in the 2D
271. is necessary to instruct EnRoute regarding how many of these facets should be used to construct the object The number of Stacks is the number of sections that are used along the length of the profile that is revolved The Slices value is the number of sections that are used between the start and end angles The following graphic illustrates this concept This object was created to resemble a pie with each of the pieces of the pie representing a slice and the facets that make up each piece of the pie representing the stacks The profile of a piece of the pie was revolved around the center of the pie Page 232 Revolutions and Extrusions Modify a Relief Surface The first option is to use the Revolve tool to modify an existing relief surface The advantage of this option is that it takes care of creating the revolution and applying it to the relief in one step Also it automatically takes care of creating a smooth surface without you having to specify any additional parameters The limitation of this option is that it does not allow you to modify the revolved surface before applying it to the relief The following steps lead you through the process of creating a revolution to modify an existing relief 1 Create your 2D artwork In this example create an ellipse a vertical line and a profile like the one shown The ellipse is approximately 8 5 inches tall by 7 75 inches wide 215mm x 195mm 2 Select the ellipse and use it to create a
272. ist Tools can be included or excluded from the output by checking or un checking the Use checkbox for each tool Automatic Toolpaths Page 389 Tool Order shows the order of the tools required by the current Layer Mapping and parts list The tools can be moved in the list to the desired tool output order Strategy Order 15 x Automatic Toolpath Setup C Program Files EnRoute 3 AutoTP AAStandard atp Define Layers Ordering and Nesting KCDw Setup Ordering Options Nesting Options T ve ools Priority Angle Step Gap nd Mil 30 0 0 1000 i 3 16 Compression Tool Order E r 1 8 End Mill Strategy Order gt Muli t gt Margin a ultilayer mR aj 1 4 End Mill Sort Method m 0 1000 JV Small parts first Plate Size See Miscellaneous Widths 36 0000 in Top of plate Height yl 48 0000 in Bottom of plate Thickness e 0 7500 in pee C Y direction Load Process Active Save Process Files Save As Process KCDw Close The Strategy Order is similar to the Tool Order The Strategy list is populated using the strategies from the layer mapping for those parts that are included in the parts list This order is used when the toolpaths are ordered using the Strategy priority A strategy can be excluded from the output by un checking the Use checkbox for that strategy Strategy Order show
273. ith smooth transitions between them Align Reliefs Toolbar Align Reliefs x A mF SR aad Align all reliefs to bottom of plate Aligns each of the selected reliefs to the bottom of the plate Align selected reliefs to bottom of plate Aligns the selection to the bottom of the plate The relative position of the reliefs in the selection doesn t change Align all reliefs to top of plate Aligns each of the selected reliefs to the top of the plate Page 40 Toolbars and Command Icons Align selected relief to top of plate Aligns the selection to the top of the plate The relative position of the reliefs in the selection doesn t change Align all reliefs to center of plate Aligns each of the selected reliefs to the middle of the plate Align selected reliefs to center of plate Aligns the selection to the middle of the plate The relative position of the reliefs in the selection doesn t change Align relief contours to top of plate Aligns the contours that contain the relief to the top of the plate This is the default location for reliefs before they are moved vertically a am ia Modify Relief Toolbar Modify Relief x Akaa Smooth Relief This tool allows you to be able to soften or smooth the relief either to make it more attractive or to make it so that it will machine better Invert Relief This is a simple way to convert a positive relief to a negative relief Fit Relief to
274. ithm to decide how the objects will be nested M Use hol 7 Click on the nester name to highlight the chosen nester and to see L wk which options are available with that nester A short explanation Si SESS of each nester is listed below Standard Page 128 Arranging Contours Standard The Standard Nester is the nester that most current EnRoute 4 users are familiar with New This nester allows EnRoute to automatically recognize contours that are selected as nesting obstructions and will nest around these obstructions This provides a very simple way to avoid clamps on the machine or to avoid a section of the material that is not good for nesting such as knots or other defects in a solid wood panel Legacy This is the original nester that was used with EnRoute 2 Block Nester Dialog Quaritity il Gap 0 1000 al Nest originals Allow Rotate let Priority Order 5 al Wi argir 0 1000 al Multiple sheets Create common line Create remnant Create summary Block Nesting The Block Nester is designed to be used with squares and rectangles It can be the most efficient and fastest method of nesting It allows for the option to create a common line contour This option is useful for cutting rectangular parts because it prevents double cutting of the parts Quantity The number of copies that you wish to create and then nest Example The user can assign the number of copies to all of the objects at
275. l open the Precision Toolbar Click the Single Fillet Icon ia Select the first segment of the contour Select the second segment of the contour Enter in the radius dimension This will show a preview of the fillet Click Apply Multiple Fillet Menu Draw Fillet Toolbar Contour Editing Fillet Multiple Fillet ls o pM S w p Click the Fillet Icon J This will open the Precision Toolbar Click the Multiple Fillet Icon J Select the contour Choose one of the Corner parameters All corners Inside corners or Outside corners Enter in the radius dimension This will show a preview of the fillet Click Apply Contour Editing Page 93 Notice that where the fillets overlap the software automatically makes them tangent with each other Joining Contours Menu Draw Join Toolbar Contour Editing Join The Join tool allows you to join open contours to create larger contours 1 Click on the Join Icon i 2 Click on the end point of one of the contours you wish to connect When you put the cursor over the end of a contour the contour is highlighted 3 Click on the end point of the second contour that you wish to connect Nr You will notice that EnRoute draws a red preview line between the two contours and highlights the second contour The joined contours are now one large contour Offset Contours Menu Draw Offset Contours Toolbar Contour Editing Offset Contours This tool is used
276. later See Editing Points on a Curve or Contour for details You cannot create a Bezier curve using the Precision Input Center You must create the curves with the mouse Example To draw a simple s curve 1 Click and hold a then click Draw Bezier curve a 2 Click to create the upper right hand starting point of the curve 3 Click one grid unit to the left of the first point and drag one additional point to the left This sets you up for the creation of the first curve a j 4 Click one grid unit below the second point and drag one unit to the right 5 Click one grid unit below the third point and drag one unit to the left Creating Contours Page 65 6 Click one grid unit to the left of the fourth point and right click to finish drawing the curve Co Rectangle The rectangle tool was designed to allow the user to construct rectangles using whatever method is most convenient All of these construction methods are available within one tool and you can switch between them at any time Also you can define rectangles either interactively or precisely and you can combine both methods Following are some specific instructions for creating rectangles Drawing a Rectangle by Corners Menu Draw Rectangle Toolbar Construction Rectangle Corner to Corner 1 Click the Rectangle Icon This will open the Precision Toolbar Select the Draw from Corner to Corner i 2 Click to place the fir
277. le lv M Internal female v Apply relief v Texture Tools 5 The Simulate Ortho tool ie allows you to create a rendered view of the toolpaths that were applied A End Mill tool was used to cut out the panel 6 This example shows the same toolpaths but the tool has been changed to a 120 degree Conic Bit Creating Rapid Texture within a selected contour EnRoute can also create Rapid Texture contours within a selected closed contour This feature removes the limitation of creating just rectangular surfaces with Rapid Texture It can also be used with reliefs to make your 3D surfaces more interesting 1 Draw the contour and the seed contour 2 Select the seed contour and click on the Rapid Texture Icon to open the tool Texture Tools Page 329 3 Click on a closed contour to use as the boundary for your texture Notice that the contour will be highlighted Enter the parameters Overlap 0 2 Wavelength 0 5 Horiz Amplitude 0 2 Vert Amplitude 0 2 Offset 0 1 Check Wave Randomize 4 This is a preview of the contours that will be created with the parameters that have been entered 5 Click Apply to create the contours Notice that the contours have only been created within the selected closed contour allowing only for the Overlap parameter of 0 2 Page 330 Texture Tools 6 Select the contours and apply a 2D Engrave toolpath In this example we have applied a 90 degree
278. les that will accommodate screws of a certain size in the finished piece Depths Passes Feeds and Speeds These parameters are pretty much just the same in the drills as they are in all of the other strategies Review the detailed descriptions provided in the Routing Offset Strategy section for more information Creating Slot Toolpaths Menu Toolpath Slots Toolbar Toolpath Slots A slot is a special tool that allows you to define a tool to cut along a line making a slot that is the width of the tool diameter Like drills slots can include more than one tool and more than one depth 1 Click Slots e 2 Inthe Slot dialog select the desired tool from the Available Tools list and click Add Tool The Sort tools by list determines the parameter that is used to sort the Available Tools list It can also filter the tools that are displayed so that only a certain type of tool is visible 3 Inthe tool listing that appears in the list of cuts at the top of the dialog set the Depth of the drill hole Page 170 Working with Toolpaths It is possible to enter fractional values such as 1 2 in order to let the program calculate the decimal equivalent That way it isn t necessary to remember that the decimal equivalent of 3 16 is 0 1875 4 Enter the Drill Corners parameters Start Xand Y The X and Y coordinates of the starting point of the slot Coordinates End X and Y The X and Y coordinates of the endpoint of the slot
279. lign right D Eom E j y Welding Contours Menu Transform Weld Toolbar Object Edit Weld All of the Weld tools work by combining multiple contours into one Each tool yields different effects however due to the way in which the volumes of the contours are combined Using the Weld Joined tool Menu Transform Weld Weld Joined Toolbar Object Edit Weld Weld Joined The Weld Joined tool combines multiple contours into one contour Overlapping areas are merged together to form a contour that is the union of the volumes of all its parts To weld contours together using the Weld Joined tool 1 Select the contours to be welded together 2 Click Weld joined a Page 124 Arranging Contours Weld Common Menu Transform Weld Weld Common Toolbar Object Edit Weld Weld Common The Weld Common tool combines multiple overlapping contours into one contour that is the intersection of the volumes of the contours To weld contours together using the Weld Common tool 1 Select the contours to be combined fa 2 Click and hold Weld then click Weld Common Weld Subtract Menu Transform Weld Weld Subtract Toolbar Object Edit Weld Weld Subtract The Weld Subtract tool subtracts the volume of a number of contours from the volume of the first contour selected The result is the first contour minus any areas which overlapped with the other contours To weld contours together using the Weld S
280. little different and you have the Relief Options that provide more relief height options Those differences will be explained in this section Please refer to the Standard Chamfer Dialog section for other explanations Relief Options l Relief parameters y Chamfer Centerline Normal Select the chamfering contour for the shapes Height fo 3500 4 C Constant height i a B SK Scale ta height Base 0 0000 a Limit to height N Wizard prompts Application Method to modify the selected relief Relief Options These options function similar to how they work in the relief creation tool In this case you have three options Normal Constant Height Scale to Height and Limit to Height e Normal The new surface is created just as the selected profile and Relief Parameters define it without any additional vertical scaling e Constant Height The new surface is created to match the height specified in the Height parameter Chamfering Page 271 e Scale to Height The new surface is scaled to match the Height parameter as it is applied to the relief This allows you to create a surface and scale it in one step e Limit to Height The new surface is limited in height by the height parameter If a portion of the new surface extends above this height it is truncated before it is applied to the selected relief With the Scale to Height option the relief is first created using the Normal option and then it is scaled so
281. ll be deleted when these toolpaths are created 7 Click OK Once you create the toolpath the contour will become part of the toolpath group Square Corner for External 3D Engrave With external Engrave toolpaths an available option is to choose whether or not to use Square Corners Engrave Parameters Engrave Parameters 3D engrave toolpath iW 3D engrave toolpath Iv Square comers E Square comers iw Follow contour E Follow contour E External male lv External male m Internal female E Internal female E Apply relief R Apply relief R Q E T I I I l I I i l I i l I I l I l I I l I I l I I l I I l I I l I I l I I l I I l I I l I I l I C n u I l I I l I I l I I l I I l I I l I I l I I l I I l I I l I I l I I l I I l I I l I I l I I i Ep ane e ene e nee 1 L l Working with Toolpaths Page 173 Saving Strategy Settings as a Template To save the current settings as a template 1 Click the Save as button 2 Type a name for the template and click OK Loading Strategy Settings from a Template To load the settings previously saved as a template select the template from the Strategy list Engrave Cut Parameters The engrave cut parameters include the standard categories of Depths Passes Feeds and Speeds and Direction The first cut tool is automatically defined as the Engrave tool and if a second tool is defined it is classified as the Rough
282. lling machine After toolpaths have been created the Output dialog determines which toolpaths will be sent their order and a number of other aspects of the output process Visi Click Output Output 3 Priority i Tool Order __ToMachine Strategy Order Cancel Object Order f P P Tools b 1 0 02 Engrave F Small parts first W Maintain grouping Which toolpaths All toolpaths lv Selected Depth All Orientation 0 deg Copies 1 Hold output Driver Current driver Precis 9100 Servo System 9100 Precix Page 206 Output to Machine Generating output consists of the following steps 1 Selecting the machine driver to use when outputting the design 2 Determining the cutting order of the cuts that make up the design 3 Selecting output parameters 4 Outputting the design either to the Output Control Center or a file Sending output can be as simple as opening the Output dialog and then clicking either To File or To Machine The machine driver cutting order options and output parameters are there to provide flexibility not to make the process more complicated Selecting the Machine Driver Click Driver to select the desired machine driver from the Driver Configuration dialog For details on the Driver Configuration dialog see Configuring Machine Drivers Determining the Cutting Order The order in which the cuts are made determines the amount of time that it will t
283. losed contours can also be used with the Rapid Texture Tool to create interesting textures and designs 1 Create the closed contours with the drawing tools Select all of the contours Click on the Rapid Texture icon to open the tool Enter the parameters Overlap 0 5 Wave Length 3 0 Horiz Amplitude 0 2 Vert Amplitude 0 2 Offset 0 2 Check Wave Randomize 2 Click on the Preview button This will show the contours in green and the outline of the panel in yellow The preview allows you to adjust the parameters until you are satisfied with the contours Click Apply Texture Tools Page 325 3 The contours have been created Notice that the contours continue past the outline of the panel the distance that was entered in the overlap parameter 4 Move the seed contours to the side and select the contours to be toolpathed 5 Apply a 2D Engrave toolpath to the contours Be sure to check the Follow Contours box Engrave Parame bers Page 326 Texture Tools 6 In this example a 1 inch Ball End tool was used To get a good idea of how this pattern will look a simulation of the 1 inch Ball End tool was done Click on the Simulate Ortho icon to A Routing Offset toolpath is used to cut out the panel open the tool Using a Relief with the Rapid Texture Tool A relief can be used to create even more interesting textures Simply create a relief and select it
284. luded and then add these layers to the layer mapping table Use Active Click this button to extract all the layers in the active EnRoute drawing Automatic Toolpaths Page 383 Use Files Click this button to extract the layers in the list of individual files that have been selected in the case where no design application is active Use lt KCDws Click this button to extract the layers from the DXF files that represent the parts that have been selected in the parts list If no parts have been selected then this button won t add any new layers 2 Automatic Toolpath Setup C Program Files EnRoute 3 AutoTP AaStandard atp i f oO x Define Layers Ordering and Nesting KCDw Setup a Nan Se Design Use Click the Use Small Part Strategy Depth Depth TP NT NS OP P not assigned 7 not assigned gt 0 0000 S Olioiolo KCDw button to R not assigned not assigned 00000 S r mnininotino 1 i not assigned 7 not assigned 00000 O Oliololo bring In the layers not assigned not assigned oo000 S D mnliololo j i not assigned not assigned 00000 Ss m DIOODI O from the active i not assigned not assigned gt 0 0000 O OIio olio i i not assigned not assigned 00000 4 m oOlolo lo parts list R not assigned not assigned 0 0000 O OD oOoDiD Add Layer Use ctive Remove Layer Use Files At this stage the
285. m ove C KCDw DF kiosk_1 kiosk_1_01_Back_O01F def i CAKCD wi DFS kiosk_15kiosk_1_01_Bottom_001F dxf Remove D X F f l eS to t h e CAKCD wS DXFSkiosk_15kiosk_1_01_Door_Blank_001F dxf st C AKCDwADXF kiosk_1 kiosk_1_01_Door_Blank_OO03F dxf Clear C KCDw DF kiosk_1 kiosk_1_01_Shelf_001F def C AKCDw DXF kiosk_1 kiosk_1_01_Side_Left_001F dxf C KCDw DF kiosk_1 kiosk_1_01_Side_Right_001F dst CAKCDw D amp Fkiosk_1Skiosk_1_01_Spanner_Top_Back_001F dsf Load Process Active Save Process Files Save As Close En le This dialog is activated H kiosk_1_01_Back_001F dxf _ wh e n yo u cl ick O n th e wH kiosk_1_01_Bottom_OO1F dxF H kiosk_1_01_Door_Blank_001F dxf Ad d b u tto n above 3 H kiosk_1_01_Door_Blank_003F dxf Boek 10 shel_001F ch Identify the files to add ox kiosk_1_01_Side_Left_001F dxF 5 big kiosk_1_01_Side_Right_OO1F dxf an d cl ick on t h e Ope n Oi kiosk_1_01_Spanner_Top_Back_OO1F dxf bi kiosk_1_01_Spanner_Top_Front_OO1F dxf b U tto n cae File name kiosk 1_ 01 Spanner Top Fron Files of type DXF Files Cancel Layer Mapping This is a very important step in the process and essentially represents the core concept in Automatic Toolpath processing When design application jobs are created DXF files are utilized to pass on geometry and other design information Required machining operations will likely include routing offsets drills and fills using a number of different tools and depths
286. mage below shows two contours that have been hatch filled The contour on the right has also been defined as an inlay to illustrate how the toolpaths are modified at the corners Without Inlay With Inlay Optimization There are three different ways in which the fill toolpaths can be ordered within the contour In the machining industry there are many different viewpoints regarding how pocket milling toolpaths should be ordered in order to be most efficient The software utilizes a method that is intended to minimize tool lifts in the fill but not necessarily to prevent tool lifts In many cases it is not practical to attempt to eliminate tool lifts without breaking other rules that the software enforces The software does not allow any of the hatch toolpaths to pass over any part of the hatch area more than one time Also it strictly enforces a uniform pattern over the entire hatch area We feel that this results in a more aesthetically pleasing finish on the hatch surface and it is consistent with methods employed by other machining packages A second important option for ordering hatch toolpaths is to make them compatible with a specific type of engraving tool that utilizes a Nose Cone that maintains a constant depth of cut for the tool This requires that the hatch toolpaths progress from one side of the fill to the other always maintaining an edge of uncut material next to the nose cone Finally the software provides the o
287. mation tool Ellipse by corners by major and minor axis by height and width Engrave Toolpath Engraving 3D toolpaths cut parameters Entry exit parameters Entry Exit Points editing editing cut parameters Entry exit positions displaying Exiting the software Explode Selected Contours Exporting a design Extend apparent intersection Extend Trim Toolbar Extending contours precise length to boundaries Extrude extrude dialog extrude example mesh parameters profile placement rotation parameter scale and roatation Extrusions Toolbar Faceted Fade Feed rates File Toolbar Files creating exporting importing Fill cut Fill Toolbar Fillet multiple fillet single fillet Filleting contours Fine Cut Flyout Menus Fractions converting Generating Output Grouping Contours 83 85 71 71 70 171 149 174 148 178 178 179 25 28 96 57 89 43 88 89 246 247 251 250 249 249 248 40 280 350 195 29 53 57 3J 154 43 93 93 92593 154 10 141 206 107 Groups ungrouping Guidelines creating deleting hiding locking moving rotating Hatch angle Hatch fill hatch angle hatch vs Island fill overlap template Hatch Fill Toolpaths Height Control Curve Help Hexagons Hold jobs Holes Import a Design Influence Line Inlay inlay gap Installation hardware key Island fill corner tags hatch vs island fill inlay optimization template Island Fill Toolpaths Jobs aborting deleting Done queu
288. member is that reliefs in your drawing require memory that is directly related to the size of the relief and its resolution As you increase the size of a relief it requires more memory lf two reliefs are the same size and one relief is 100 dpi and the other 200 dpi the second relief will require four times the amount of memory as the first You can see that this is an important consideration when defining a relief In general you should define as low a resolution for a relief as will accommodate the level of detail for that relief Base The Base parameter allows you to move the relief surface up creating vertical sides on the portion of the relief that you are modifying If you are creating a new relief a base dimension will create vertical sides around the perimeter of the relief This parameter will likely be most useful when you are modifying an existing relief and would like to include vertical sides around the portion you are modifying If you are creating a new relief and want it to have vertical sides it is possible to move it vertically to position it in the plate so that when it is cut out the parts will have the correct height of vertical edges The following image shows two reliefs that include base dimensions The top relief was created with a rounded profile and a base dimension to create the vertical sides on the letter The bottom image was a relief that was modified to add the letter with the base dimension Page 222 Cre
289. mplish this Apply Mesh Dialog Selector between Faceted and Smooth option Pil P Smoothing level aaea lim TE Smoothing level for smooth option Application Method to modify the selected relief Faceted gt or Smooth O One of the characteristics of a mesh surface is that it is composed of triangles or facets that make up its surface When a mesh object is applied to a relief surface the facets can be quite obvious and may be an undesirable characteristic EnRoute provides a Smooth O option that implements a means of smoothing out the facets of the mesh to provide a smoother finished surface For surfaces that are intended to be smooth the results of using this option can be quite dramatic If the Faceted option is selected then the object is applied to the relief surface using its facets directly The following images show the difference that can be realized by using the Smooth option Page 280 Using 3D Meshes Application Method All of the options for applying the results of this operation are the same as the options described in the chapter on relief creation The options for Add Subtract Merge Highest Merge Lowest and aasau Replace all apply to the selected relief or reliefs The vertical location of the mesh relative to the vertical location of the relief controls how much the relief is modified It is important to position the mesh object correctly in the z axis relative to the relief so when it is
290. n the corners of the rectangle is square Cylinder Cylinder shaped mesh found in create primitive objects Sy ie ee Om N Dimension Arrow Height This parameter determines the height of the arrow H H FY tH Dimension Arrow Width This parameter determines the width of the arrow a ai Dimension Decimal position for arc This parameter sets the number of decimal 0 12 positions to be displayed for the arc dimensions H Dimension Decimal position for Line This parameter sets the number of 0 12 decimal positions to be displayed for the line dimensions Dimension Extension line parameter This parameter sets the distance that the extension lines start to draw from the start and end points of the dimension Dimension parameter Height This parameter sets the height of the text in the dimensions tool Dimension Text Position above This sets the position of the text above the arrow line Dimension Text Position Center This sets the position of the text in the center of the arrow line ENEE Toolbars and Command Icons Page 47 Dimension Text Position Below This sets the position of the text under the arrow line o E Disc Disc shaped mesh found in create primitive objects Distort Toolpaths This allows users to modify Island and Hatch fill toolpaths in order to introduce variations that can allow designs to appear hand carved It is now possible to add a unique touch to any 3D surface just by a
291. n creates the machine files that will be sent to the router The files will be located in the location that is specified in the Output Settings section described below When a job is finished processing the ATP provides a message box that lists the output files created Page 394 Automatic Toolpaths EnRoute S si i The Following output files were created Ci dncfiles KCDW silent_1_3_4 Plywood GC C idncfiles KCDWisilent_1_1_4 Plywood GC C idncfiles KCDWisilent_1_3_4 Plywood_1 GC C idncfiles KCDWisilent_1_3_4 Plywood_2 GC C dncfiles KCDW silent_1_3_4 Plywood_3 GC C idncfiles KCDWisilent_1_3_4 Plywood_4 GC C idncfiles KCDWisilent_1_3_4 Plywood_5 GC C idncfiles KCDWisilent_1_3_4 Plywood_6 GC C idncfiles KCDWisilent_1_1_4 Plywood_1 GC Ciidncfiles KCDW silent_1_1_4 Plywood_2 GC Create printout of parts This option prints an image of each nested sheet including a text label that identifies each part on the sheet as well as a title that is the name of the output file that was created This type of printout makes it much easier to identify individual parts so that they can be organized as they come off the machine after they are cult The barcode button to the right of this checkbox allows you to specify a barcode font that will be used to generate a barcode version of the filename of the output file Some machine manufacturers allow their users to locate and track output files using barcodes and this helps facilitate that op
292. n drag to define the opposite corner Click the mouse again to complete the ellipse 3 If desired you can continue to create more ellipses Repeat step 2 4 Right click to end the ellipse function You can also enter the data into the X and Y fields Click Apply Polygon Menu Draw Polygon Toolbar Construction Polygon Convex or Concave The polygon tool allows you to create multi sided closed contours such as pentagons and stars 1 Click the Polygon Icon This will open the Precision Toolbar 2 Inthe Precision Toolbar select the type of contour you want to create either a convex olygon i ra 3 Set the number of Points for your convex shape or concave shape or a concave polygon Creating Contours Page 71 4 When drawing a convex polygon simply left click to represent the center of the polygon drag the mouse to the outside point and then click to end At this point you can now enter the coordinates for the center point and one outside point as well as the number of corners for the polygon Any changes that you make to the coordinates are shown as a preview Once you click apply the polygon is placed in the workspace esset geseg g KKK aoan ge Sg N a g External Radius N es SAL p Internal Radius 5 Ifyou are e a concave polygon set the Internal Radius for the circle that the inner vertices intersect 6 Click Apply to draw the polygon 7 If desired you can continue to dr
293. n elements and the working environment is no different than the environment for the 2D design This allows you to easily utilize whatever type of design and toolpath strategy is most appropriate for your application This chapter provides a brief introduction to the concept of 3D surfaces and then subsequent chapters provide detailed information on creating surfaces manipulating and combining surfaces and then creating toolpaths to machine these surfaces 3D Surface Applications There are certainly countless ways in which 3D surfaces can be utilized in commercial applications The EnRoute Pro tools are designed primarily as creative tools making them most useful for applications that require creative designs This includes woodworking and woodcarving signs jewelry mold making and any other application that requires creative design tools While EnRoute s 3D tools can be used to create precise surfaces their primary application is not considered to be in creating 3D engineered parts for mechanical applications 3D Surfaces and 3D Toolpaths Page 213 Creating 3D Surfaces EnRoute provides an array of tools that are used to create 3D surfaces which are referred to as Reliefs Reliefs are created and modified using both 2D contours and 3D mesh objects 2D Contours are used to sweep and spin profiles and cross sections and to extrude shapes to create surfaces 3D mesh objects can be created in EnRoute and then applied to reliefs to
294. n the cut list by clicking on the column headers Reporting EnRoute has worked to improve the organization and presentation of the printed report that is generated showing the nested sheets Recommended System Requirements Before you begin installing the software read the hardware requirements below For optimal performance we suggest that your system meet the recommended requirements As with all computer software systems with faster processors more RAM and greater amounts of storage space allow you to work with larger files and keep your processing time to a minimum pnw Processor Pentium 4 or better 1 GB Install Space 300 MB Working Disk 4 GB Space Operating System Windows 98 ME NT4 0 2000 XP Vista 7 Video 1024 x 768 resolution with 24 bit color DVD drive Free USB port for hardware key Hardware Key The hardware key is provided with each software license It is required along with an appropriate password in order to run the software The hardware key serves two purposes First it protects the software from being unlawfully copied and distributed Second it provides a simple way for you to transport your software license between computers It is acceptable to install EnRoute on more than one computer and then use the hardware key to move between computers EnRoute 5 requires the use of a SafeNet USB key If you are using an earlier version of EnRoute that utilized a different type of hardware key it will be necessa
295. nRoute will then use to locate the start point The direction is entered in the edit box to the right in degrees Magnetic This option allows you to enter a specific point and then EnRoute will create the start point for each object as close to that point as it can This allows you to automatically pull start points toward an area of the material Longest This option picks the longest segment within the contour and locates the start point Segment either at the start of the midpoint of the segment depending on whether the Segment Midpoint option is checked Dimensions Tab The Dimensions Tab sets up the display parameters of the dimension tools All dimensions in the drawing will be displayed using these parameters Text LA l z ije sat Select the font for the dimension text This parameter sets the height of the text in the dimensions tool This parameter sets the distance that the extension lines start to draw from the start and end points of the dimension This parameter determines the height of the arrow This parameter determines the width of the arrow Page 26 Getting Started This parameter sets the number of decimal positions for the measurement of a line H 0 12 segment at This parameter sets the number of decimal positions for the measurement of an angle 0 12 This sets the position of the text above the arrow line This sets the position of the text in the center of the arrow line This sets
296. name of the template that you want to delete and click the delete button A dialog will open asking you to confirm that you want to delete this template This section shows you a small preview of the parameters that you have entered It is a nice tool to use while you are designing and creating new textures for your designs Press Apply to apply the texture to the selected relief Click Close to close the Texture Dialog Reset will change the parameters back to the default parameters for the specific texture Page 312 Texture Tools Parameters Section of the Textures Dialog Each of the Texture types will have its own set of parameters The below example is the dialog for the bricks parameters Scale Positiori Brick Size Morkar Size al 2 0000 D2000 2 Power Brick Rough E 1 0000 x 0 0000 lt 20000 s u20 ower 1 0000 gt rick Rough 0 1500 al onoo i D2000 2 Jit al Mortar F h aj e 1 0000 y 0 0000 y 1 0000 y 0 2000 tter 0 5000 gt ortar Rough 0 0200 Twist a 1 0000 al Z 0000 al Z 1 0000 al z u10 wig 1 0000 al Click on the information icon to open the dialog for each specific texture The Texture notes will give you information for each of the parameters specific to the texture you have selected Below is shown the Information Notes for the Bricks Texture You can create your own templates for each of the textures using the guidelines here
297. ng Reliefs Relief Parameters Height The Height parameter is used to define the height of the relief that is created when appropriate for the selected relief option A height is used for the Constant Height Scale to Height and Limit to Height options The entered value uses the active units EnRoute enables and disables this parameter based on the Relief Option selected so when it is not necessary for a value to be entered this parameter is disabled When the Normal option is selected the relief is defined using the angle parameter so the height is not needed Resolution This parameter is used by EnRoute when a new relief is being created with this command The Resolution is specified in dots per inch dpi regardless of the units that are selected So even if you are operating EnRoute with active unit of millimeters this parameter is still specified in dpi The resolution of the relief defines the size of the grid units that make up the relief A relief is a gridded surface and when a relief is created it is necessary to define how large each grid unit should be If a resolution of 100 dpi is selected then each grid unit will be 1 100 inches wide and tall Therefore the level of detail for the information on that relief will be limited 0 01 inch This resolution is typically adequate for most surfaces in EnRoute unless you are creating a small object that requires more detail Creating Reliefs Page 221 The thing to re
298. nnannnnnnnannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn nnan 215 CREATING A RELIEF rs tiveterncedsdedadicteincsnctesal ne icdehercaeed coakievencsoae a ceatetenaneasGeuests 215 ed BU yee 4 E Peace E ae oP Sea gC oe 215 14 15 16 17 18 19 RELEF OPTIONS centern OMe Pee Oe ee a re eee ne i ee eee Cee eee 216 IAP PIEIC ATION METHOD tutes cere caret ea Nats ered asa teas eect ated 218 RELER PAR AIME TERS raaa nies eure tae Neves dictated cueamadeeiau Na Vise eictuteds 221 USING THE RELEF DIALOG tac tree skeet ce oct a ee canes rs eats 224 REVOLUTIONS AND EXTRUSIONS Q ccccceccececeececeececeececeececnececnsceees 229 Ni DUGA EI E E r EEEE EEE E cmc EET EEEE E S 229 AD B AEE TEET T NEEE E REEN EE A EAAS 229 SP aa a a a com de ume eensne 235 EXTR UDE caa a a a a a a 246 SWEEP TWO RAIUS ss ecelcccivedcsdicewcececlveceeckesvsdvnddaviaedsevucnsnllwsecdbeaweleadinedecdie ues 255 GRAMPE RING E ase ect at EE E A 263 PE OG HON eaa a a ceca a tee eae rat hourases eee 263 STANDARD GAIA eB oaren eaaa a de cistau tates tna twas clades 263 CHAMPER GENT ERMINE cot tcsareaereaareesiechaetelune setae aeatnaleaneethegtetantse ee eeweti 270 BAROQUE CARVE GC HAMPER eaer a erin eae eae le 274 USING 3D MESHES nanannnannnnnnnnnnnnunnnnnnnnnnannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn nnan 277 INTRODUCTIONS SEE EAE E EE A EE E E E E EEEE 277 USING 3D MESHES FROM OTHER APPLICATIONS c cscececececececcccecececaccececes 278 CR
299. nt on your machine 4 For each drill tool in your drill bank 5 Select the type of Drill Tool that is loaded into that position from the pull down list provided If a tool that is loaded into your machine is not present in the pull down list it will need to be entered into the Tool Library before you can set up the machine properly See Editing the Tool Library p 200 for details Define the X Y and Z location of the tool 7 Direction Drill tools are commonly oriented to point down in the z direction Z This is the default orientation in the drill bank They can be configured to point in the other cardinal directions if that matches the machine configuration In those cases EnRoute will determine if any match these orientations and tool selections If they do boring commands will be generated for the machine to handle with the appropriate horizontal boring tools If horizontal bores are going to be used it is very important that the machine driver is properly configured for this Please contact EnRoute Technical Support before attempting to implement a horizontal boring configuration This location is based on the configuration of the machine you are using It may be necessary to obtain this information from the manufacturer of your machine This configuration is used to create the final output so it is very important that the orientation and position of the tools is defined correctly Page 198 Configuring the Software
300. ntosh are registered trademarks of Apple Computer Inc Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks and or registered trademarks of their respective owners Adobe is a trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated or its subsidiaries and may be registered in certain jurisdictions PostScript is a trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated or its subsidiaries and may be registered in certain jurisdictions SA International Inc 1 Welcome Welcome to EnRoute EnRoute is a design toolpath generation and output application that will allow you to create a wide range of finished products With it you can create two dimensional 2D and three dimensional 3D designs and then create all of the toolpaths necessary to produce the parts using your CNC machine EnRoute includes many productivity enhancing features that simplify the design process Templates can be saved at many points in the process so that your decisions regarding material types tool choices toolpath strategies and output ordering may be saved for future use The goal of your design process is to produce finished parts efficiently and economically EnRoute s wide range of toolpath creation tools nesting and output ordering options help you accomplish this goal This manual is intended to serve as a starting point for learning EnRoute It is also available in the form of online Help in t
301. ntours can be automatically created that represent sheet remnants These can then be used for nesting allowing you to more easily utilize your material e Nesting obstruction can be specified making it simple to nest around clamps or bad sections of material e A new block nester improves nesting of rectangles e Common line cutting contours can be generated allowing for efficient cutting of rectangles e Anew Nesting Summary can be created to provide information about nesting results From the nest flyout tool you may access the Nest Dialog the Dynamic Nesting Tool and the Nesting Summary Report we me Nest Dialog There are two different dialogs that can be accessed when the Nest Icon is selected Each dialog will show which options are available to that specific nester and some of them are available to both nesters A short explanation of all of the options is listed below Shape Nester Dialog Quantity al Gap 0 1000 al Nest originals Step angle 30 H ee a Multiple sheets l Priority Order 5 al Margin 0 1000 fal 5 Nester Standard M Create remnant Create summan W Use holes G Shape Nesting This will open the dialog for the Shape Nester This dialog incorporates many different options for nesting into one central area Nester Types Within the Shape Nester there are 3 different types of nesters Nester Standard that can be used Standard New and Legacy Each nester uses a different algor
302. o allow the size radius of the corner 6 Click Apply The rectangle will be placed in the workspace 7 f desired you can continue to draw more rectangles Left click to place additional rectangles with the same values or enter the new values for the rectangles in the fields as before and click Apply to draw 8 Right click to end the rectangle function Circle Like the rectangle tool the circle tool provides several options for defining a circle All of the options are available in one tool and you can define coordinates either interactively or precisely Drawing a Circle by Center and Radius Menu Draw Circle Toolbar Construction Circle By Center and Radius 4 Click the Circle Icon From the Precision Toolbar select By Center and Radius Enter the value for the Radius of the circle Left click the mouse to place the circle If desired you can continue to create more circles of the same size by left clicking the mouse to place the additional circles The circles can also be precisely placed by entering the x and y coordinates for the center of the circle and click Apply Right click to end the circle function After defining the radius for a circle you can place multiple circles with that radius just by clicking to define center locations Creating Contours Page 67 Drawing a Circle by Center and Point Menu Draw Circle Toolbar Construction Circle By Center and Point 1 Click the Circle Icon T
303. o create the toolpaths you will use to mill the finished piece Although the results can be quite different the process of creating 3D toolpaths is largely the same as creating other types of toolpaths in EnRoute It includes selecting the proper strategy and then defining the tools and other parameters that will be used to create the toolpaths The difference is that with 3D toolpaths there are a few additional parameters that are required to define how the relief is used to create the toolpaths This chapter describes how to use relief surfaces to create 3D toolpaths It assumes the reader is already familiar with EnRoute 2D toolpath strategies Way i BELLL LCIS 3D Toolpath Strategies 3D toolpaths can be created using most of the same strategies that are used for other types of toolpaths This includes routing offset hatch fill island fill and engrave The hatch fill and island fill strategies will be the ones you use most commonly since they are the ones that are used to mill the relief surfaces you create Routing offsets are useful with reliefs to clean up tooling marks on vertical edges in the relief and the engraving strategy allows you to add 3D engravings on relief surfaces 3D Toolpaths Page 353 3D Toolpath Strategy Parameter The parameters that are required for defining 3D toolpaths are activated as part of the standard strategies if you have one or more reliefs selected when you activate that strategy Optimization Stand
304. o determine the dimension between two selected points Angle Dimension This tool allows you to determine the angle of two selected contours Tel Radius Dimension This tool allows you to determine the radius of a selected circle Diameter Dimension This tool will determine the diameter of a selected contour Leader Dimension This tool allows you to place a leader arrow in the selected location of the drawing wm GD Page 80 Creating Contours Single Dimension Tool Menu Draw Dimension Single Dimension Toolbar Construction Dimension Single Dimension oO p e S N Click on the Single Dimension Icon gt Select the first point Select the second point Drag the mouse to the position you want to place the dimension information Click to place the dimension You can then go on to create the next dimension or right click to exit the tool Angle Dimension Tool Menu Draw Dimension Angle Dimension Toolbar Construction Dimension Angle Dimension 1 2 3 4 2 6 L Click on the Angle Dimension Icon Select the first contour Select the second contour Drag the mouse to the position you want to place the dimension information Click to place the dimension You can then go on to create the next dimension or right click to exit the tool Radius Dimension Tool Menu Draw Dimension Radius Dimension Toolbar Construction Dimension Radius Dimension 1 2
305. odifying and Combining Reliefs Fit Relief to Plate Menu Surface Fit to Plate Toolbar 3D Surfaces Modify Relief Fit to Plate You can use the moving and scaling tools in EnRoute to size and position a relief just as you would other objects There are times however when it would be useful to be able to automatically fit a relief into your plate as you get it ready for toolpaths The Fit Relief to Plate A function provides this capability It will automatically position and scale a relief so that it fits vertically within the defined plate in your active drawing To fit a relief to the plate 1 Select the relief 2 From the Surface menu select Fit Relief to Plate Smoothing Reliefs Menu Surface Smooth Relief Toolbar 3D Surfaces Modify Relief Smooth Relief There are times when you are working on a relief design when it will be useful to be able to soften or smooth the relief either to make it more attractive or to make it so that it will machine better EnRoute provides the Smooth Relief tool accomplish this 1 Select the reliefs to be smoothed 2 From the Surface menu select Smooth Relief 3 Click and drag to set the Smoothing Radius and Smoothing Power 4 Click Apply You can apply the smoothing function to a relief more than one time in order to smooth it more and more The following image shows an example of the results of smoothing a relief Modifying and Combining Reliefs Page 289 Smoothe
306. of cuts at the top of the dialog set the Depth of the drill holes It is possible to enter fractional values such as 1 2 in order to let the program calculate the decimal equivalent That way it isn t necessary to remember that the decimal equivalent of 3 16 is 0 1875 4 Enter the Drill Circle parameters Circle Diameter This is the diameter of the circle around which the drill points will be placed This dimension must be greater than zero to be legal Angle You may want to rotate the drill points on the circle to place them correctly When the angle is zero the first drill point will be placed on the circle directly to the right of center You may enter a value between 0 and 360 for this value Working with Toolpaths Page 163 Number of Holes This specifies the number of drills to be placed A value of 1 or greater should be entered X Coordinate and These are the X and Y coordinates for the center of the circle of drill Y Coordinate points you are defining By Graphic If this box is checked the X and Y coordinates will be selected with the mouse 5 Add additional drill cuts using other tools as necessary All cuts will share the same drill point coordinates Click OK 7 If you checked the By Graphic box click with the mouse to place drill circles on your design Right click to release the tool If the By Graphic box was cleared a single drill circle will be created at the specified coordinates Saving Strategy S
307. ol is used to create a range of basic 3D mesh shapes These shapes can be used to build more complex shapes or they can be used as design elements in your relief Rendered View This icon activates a rendered view of the selected relief Delete Relief Deletes the selected relief Snaps Toolbar Snaps Te x mR RR QE R w gt fe ay AL a E Snap to grid Snaps to the nearest grid point The grid spacing is configured on the Grid page in Preferences Snap to guideline Snaps to a nearby guideline when the cursor gets close Also when dragging an object the perimeter of the object snaps to nearby guidelines Snap to intersection Snaps to the intersection of two line segments Snap to endpoint Snaps to the endpoints of arc curve and sine segments Snap to nearby contour Snaps to the nearest point on a contour when the cursor gets close to it Snap to center of arc Snaps to the center of an arc segment when the cursor is placed near the arc Snap to midpoint Snaps to the midpoint of a segment when the cursor gets close to it Toolbars and Command Icons Page 37 Snap to perpendicular point When constructing line segments after defining the first RK point in the segment the second endpoint will snap to a point on a contour so that the line segment will be perpendicular to the contour o Snap to tangent point When constructing line segments the second endpoint will sna
308. ol will be capable of cutting the full depth of the relief in one pass Click Ok to return to the Island Fill Dialog Click OK to calculate the tool paths Passes Number This is the top view of the Island Fill tool paths This is the front view To cut the object from the material a Routing Offset toolpath would be defined This example shows the same relief with Hatch Fill toolpaths applied The same parameters have been applied when defining the toolpaths The preferred strategy would be determined by the type of material used The cutting time in this instance would likely be shorter with the Island Fill strategy Page 362 3D Toolpaths 3D Toolpaths with a Step Rough This next example demonstrates the application of toolpaths to a larger and more intricate design This type of relief requires a little more thought when creating toolpaths Because it is deep it likely isn t possible to cut it out using one tool Therefore it is necessary to create one or two roughing passes to remove the bulk of the waste material prior to running the finish toolpath The first cut we add is a rough pass The primary purpose of this cut is to remove material efficiently The step rough option allows for the most efficient removal of material The following relief will be cut using the Island Fill strategy The first pass utilizes the step rough feature This allows for most of the material to be cleared away
309. ollowing diagram shows the general flow of tasks utilized to process an Automatic Toolpath job Page 376 Automatic Toolpaths Automatic Toolpath Process gj nnlirat This only n eds tobe set Select the Design Application area Select Files to Process These steps can all be saved in the ATP file so they can be completed simply by bading a saved Map Layers and Strategies select Ordering and Nesting Params Select Output Options Process Files Activating the ATP Dialog iz The ATP dialog is activated by selecting the File menu and clicking on Automatic Toolpaths It can also be activated by clicking on the Automatic Toolpath button located in the Output toolbar Automatic Toolpath Setup C Program Files EnRoute 3 AutoTPAAStandard atp p iol x Define Layers Ordering and Nesting KCDw Setup Design application No active application Cabinet Vision Click n Cut Ja Extreme JV Create output file FlexiCABS Create printa orfu LmaI I Create label dutp Quisine gt Output Options Output Settings Label Settings Output Path C dnefiles KCDW Label Design x Output filename sil ett Label Format File v Label Format Name Load Process Active Save Process Files Save As Process KCDw Close Automatic Toolpaths Page 377 The ATP Dialog All of the ATP functions are contained in one dialog The tabs in the dialog
310. olpaths Page 175 bottom of bottom of the plate plate If this option is cleared the toolpaths will be placed such that the top of the bevel will be at the surface of the material 7 Click OK Once you create the toolpath the contour will be part of the toolpath group Saving Strategy Settings as a Template To save the current settings as a template 1 Click the Save as button 2 Type a name for the template and click OK Loading Strategy Settings from a Template To load the settings previously saved as a template select the template from the Strategy list Pyramid Cut Parameters The cut parameters in this strategy are much the same as the other strategies The key difference is that for the most part the software will automatically define the depths of the cuts for you based on the selections you make at the strategy level It is possible to override the Surface Depth for the cuts although this is not typically recommended You may at times want to increase the number of passes for a given cut in order to take into account material densities By default EnRoute will utilize 90 percent of the tool s cutting depth on the Pyramid cut For soft material this is likely appropriate but for denser material such as wood you will likely want to decrease the pass depths by increasing the number of passes Editing Toolpaths Menu Toolpath Edit Toolpaths After toolpaths are created the software maintains all of the informat
311. olyarc contour then either snap click to the correct location in the drawing or define the correct x and y coordinates in the toolbar in order to start the segment Now switch to direction You can now either define the direction by clicking on a point or by defining the direction in the edit box The position mode is activated so just click on a point or define its coordinates in order to complete the arc You are now ready for the next segment AAR AL Example 3 Activate the Arc Mode if necessary If this segment is the first segment in you Polyarc contour then either snap click to the correct location in the drawing or define the correct x and y coordinates in the toolbar in order to start the segment Now switch to center point You can now either define the center of the arc either by clicking on a point or by defining the point in the edit boxes Now you just need to define either the endpoint of the arc or the sweep angle in order to complete this segment Choose the preferred mode and then either enter the information in the toolbar or click on the appropriate point in the drawing This will complete the segment senj A Lt Creating Contours Page 63 Z You are now ready for the next segment If you try these examples in your drawing it demonstrates how arcs can be constructed very precisely by providing just enough information to construct each segment When you are constructing precise parts that are based eit
312. ome reason causes a problem with your computer it is possible to disable this feature by changing a parameter in EnRoute s preferences configuration file Rendering Options Choose the option that best fits your hardware configuration OpenGL Level 3 OpenGL Level 2 OpenGL Level 1 This is the most advanced option It uses the graphics card on your computer to perform OpenGL rendering in the perspective view This mode is new in EnRoute 5 This is the option that was the default method in EnRoute 4 Some users may continue to find this to be the preferable rendering method for their computer configuration This option has proven to work best on computers that do not include a dedicated graphics card for rendering instead relying on a graphics chipset on the computer motherboard Windows Graphics If your computer does not have OpenGL rendering capabilities this Getting Started method of rendering will still provide good results but will not be quite as fast Page 23 Units Tab The Units tab allows you to select the units that will be used to measure Length Time and Speed in the software If the units are changed the measurements of any existing contours will be converted to the new units so that they remain the same size If the units are changed while a design containing toolpaths is open the measurements of the toolpaths may not be converted correctly For this reason you should save and close the design
313. on each sheet EnRoute will automatically create the 5 sheet layers in the output drawing required to nest all the parts Consecutive sheet layers are named to show how many sheets are required of each material Use Holes This allows the nester to utilize the holes in which to nest parts on a sheet This option does not typically get used with the files that are most commonly processed in the ATP The following graphic shows the difference between nesting with and without the Use Holes option checked Page 392 Automatic Toolpaths Use Hole is Unchecked The rectangles have an inner hole that could potentially be used for cutting parts If Use Holes is not checked then objects are not placed OOOOOO in these holes Use Hole is Checked In this case you can see that the holes are utilized for placing objects The result is that it can be possible to cut the same number of parts by using less material OO WO Plate Size This section tells the ATP what size material is going to be used for cutting the job and where surface Is to be defined 2 Automatic Toolpath Setup C Program Files EnRoute 3 AutoTP AAStandard atp loj x Define Layers Ordering and Nesting KCDw Setup Ordering Options Nestin
314. on to create a common line contour This option is useful for cutting rectangular parts because it prevents double cutting of the parts Box Box shaped mesh found in create primitive objects Circle by Center and Point This tool allows you to enter the coordinates for both the center and a point on the circle to define the circle Page 46 Toolbars and Command Icons Circle by Center and Radius Use this tool to click on a circle center and then drag to define its size You can also define the circle by coordinates and dimension Circle by corners Click and drag to define the corners of a boundary box around a circle or define these corners by precision input Circle by three points This is an interactive tool used to define a circle Click on the first point then click hold and drag to define the circle Concave polygon Choose this tool to draw a concave polygon or star shape Cone Cone shaped mesh found in create primitive objects Convex Polygon Choose this tool to draw a convex polygon Corner chamfer This tool will chamfer the corners of a rectangle Specific parameters can be entered to determine the radius and placement of the rectangle Corner fillet This tool allows you to place a fillet on the corner of a rectangle to your desired parameters Corner reverse fillet This tool puts a reverse fillet on the corners of a rectangle Corner square When this option is chose
315. once or as shown in this example each object individually Select the object and change the quantity to number of copies of that object you wish to create Continue by selecting the next object and entering the quantity you want to create for this one Once you have assigned the quantity for each object click Apply ee er ee l Quantity 2 Gap 0 2500 iw E j Tem l Priority Order 5 argin 0 2500 Priority Order Enter the number of the priority for each object to be nested to determine the order it is to be nested Gap The minimum distance between each of the contours being nested Margin The minimum distance between the edge of the plate and the contours being nested Arranging Contours Page 129 Nest Originals When this box is checked the original objects will also be nested When additional quantities have been created the original objects will be highlighted when nested Multiple Sheets When this box is checked additional layers will be created to allow for the nesting of all selected objects All of the nested layers will be turned on It will show all of the layers displayed immediately after nesting Click on the arrows in the layers toolbar to display each layer individually and to choose one layer to be active Create Remnant When this is checked a contour will be created that represents the remnant of the sheet of material used to cut the objects The remnant can then be selected and a new plate can be
316. onnronrnnnrnrnrnrnrnrnrnrnrnrnrnrnrrnn 97 REVERSE OPEN CONTOURS earsnan oan a a Ea debeet caesar 97 CREATING MULTIPLE COPIES OF A CONTOUR 02 0eceeececceececcecceccuceuccuecesensens 98 NS OZ te HS ecg ca tea ss cence nee on A e a es toe ee seen se 103 CLEANING UP CONTOUR G wcceces erie os cao eee A a ANa 104 ARRANGING CONTOURS 0cceeceeceeceeceecceccecceccescescescnscesensceseneceeseeseees 105 SELECTING CONT OURS anst sa elie ee i ont ae oat oli i anute 105 CUTTING COPYING AND PASTING CONTOURS ceceeeeeeceeceeceeceeceeeeeeeeeaeeues 105 DELETING CONTOUR arrene siae es aoe leas wi or tans a ees lease 106 GROUPING AND UNGROUPING CONTOURS 0c ccceeseseeseeseeeeuseueeeeeeeueeeeaeeans 107 MOVING SCALING AND ROTATING OBJECTS c ccceeseeseeseeseeeeeseeseuseeeeeeaeeas 107 OVE TOOG aeaea a tessa laa ek a A 111 ee EEES AA E EE E E E EE 112 FRO TAT OOM EAAS A E AE EE E N E 116 DISTORT CONTOUR S aaa E a a a arae AAN 118 ALIGNING GONTOURS coarae toena ea oe ete arae a a aaraa aia aa ro ahaa 123 WELDING GON TOURS aaee sen aseetacncus aueasan longa s ceads 124 USING THE CUT BY LINE TOO ercana aa aeii 127 8 10 11 12 13 NEST OO Me pitted sce case naan sce ech du alee tal acca sic ea nae anaes sane ala en adele 128 NEST SUMMARY REPORT ntti aceite ea ae Pe et i et he 134 WORKING WITH TOOLPATHSG 0ccccsceccsceccscescsceccscnceecncescecesenensenenseseas 139 OVERVIEW ar repre ec nace cee ee essa ti
317. ont end of an object to the front end of the next object Measure Tool Angle This tool will calculate the degree of the angle between two selected points on a contour or three selected points not on a contour Measure Tool Area This tool will calculate the area of a closed contour If you select more than one contour it will also add the total area of the selected objects Measure Tool Segment This tool will measure the distance between two points lt will continue to add each selected segment to the total e lle E Page 48 Toolbars and Command Icons Ca llallas ello s S E e D Merge highest relief This option is used to modify a relief The new portion of the relief only modifies the existing relief where it is higher than the existing relief Merge lowest relief This option is similar to the Merge Highest option except that a relief is only modified where the new relief is lower than the existing relief Merge selection The Merge Selection tool is used to join open contours together based on a definable tolerance Mesh Mesh objects are made up of triangles of varying sizes that define their surface Mirror Horizontal This tool reverses the selected contour so that it becomes its mirror image horizontally Mirror Vertical This tool reverses the selected contour so that it becomes its mirror image vertically Move Absolute Absolute move will move the selected object from one po
318. ontour s Layer Menu Transform Change Layer Toolbar Settings When a contour is created it is placed on the current layer To change a contour s layer 1 Select the contour s 2 Activate the Change Layer dialog either from the menu or from the toolbar button E Precision Input Center co E Ez Select new layers and click OF Change Layer Current Layer Layer 3 Hew Layer Layer 2 3 Click on the layer you want to move the contours into 4 Click OK Using Help Menu Help To display the EnRoute Help system from the Help menu select Help Contents You can also press F1 Page 20 Getting Started Setting Preferences Menu Setup Preferences EnRoute allows for several categories of options to be individually chosen by the user Access the preference settings in the Setup Menu Enter your preferred settings Click OK to save changes Click Cancel to close the dialog without saving changes Preferences Start Points Dimensions Ordering Initialization Display Unita Grid View Setup Merge Contours Automatic Cleanup e Import Import Paste Paste Tolerance a Oo in Tolerance a O20 H in Undo Operations Limit Save f Unlimited Auto Save Limited 50 Time Interval i 0 min iY Allow scaling of toolpath groups Bump Increment 0 050 in Clip toolpaths to plate Click Increment 1 O0 in J Horizontal cutting Snap Threshold 30 pixels
319. open use the Cut and Paste commands to remove a group from one design and place it in another You can continue to paste the cut selection until something else is placed onto the Clipboard Copying and Pasting Menu Edit Copy or Paste Toolbar File Copy or Paste 1 Select the contours to copy 3 Ifthe copied image is to be pasted into a different design select the design where the contours are to be pasted 2 From the Edit menu select Copy or press Ctrl C 4 From the Edit menu select Paste or press Ctrl V B When pasting into the same design the copied image will be placed in the same place as the original Move the original image to the new location before pasting If you want to make a copy within the same design press the CTRL key click on the center control box and drag a copy to a new location Pasting from Other Programs See the Preference command located in the Setup menu for options regarding Merge Contours and Automatic Cleanup Deleting Contours Menu Edit Delete Toolbar File Delete 1 Select the contours 2 From the Edit menu select Delete a You may also select the contours to be deleted and press the Delete key instead of selecting the Delete command Page 106 Arranging Contours Grouping and Ungrouping Contours Menu Transform Group or Ungroup Toolbar Object Edit Group or Ungroup Grouping contours together allows you to select and manipulate a group of contours as a single
320. ore of a contrast between the high lights and the low lights of the photograph Texture Tools Page 341 1 Start with opening a new EnRoute file To do this click on the New icon k ua eee Template P OK This will open the Define Plate Dialog User Defined Width x 15 0000 in aaa Enter the parameters C Height fy fao in Save As Width a 15 00 Thickness 2 josooo Hin 7 Height _ 15 00 x Origin 0 0000 in amp Margin 0 0000 in Y Origin poo H in Y Margin poo H in Width 50 Surface at top of plate Cli ck OK C Surface at bottom of plate Material Fe Material Library This will create the workspace for your design 2 The plate will be shown in red 3 Import the photo into the workspace using the Import tool a Lar Click the Import icon Find the file that you wish to import Click on OPEN This will import the picture to your workspace The imported picture will create another layer called Imported Both of the layers will be turned on and you will be working in layer 1 Page 342 Texture Tools 4 The next thing we did was size the photo Select the Photo Press the F2 button This will open the Precision Input Dialog Enter parameters Width 13 00 Height 13 00 Click OK 5 Notice the image is located at the bottom left of the plate Move the image to the center of the plate Click on the image Note Hold down the Ct
321. orrections To simulate output of your design using an orthographic view 1 Click Simulate Ortho ka Simulate Ortho 44 gt Current Tool Current Depth bt bo i Done 178 Ball End Long Tool Lifts 0 6300 Tool Changes 2 Inthe Simulate Ortho dialog use the controls provided to play the simulation The controls are similar to those on a CD player or tape recorder Hit the up and down arrow keys to speed up and slow down the simulation This button will rewind the simulation to the beginning This will advance the simulation until the next segment has been This will advance the simulation to the next tool lift This will advance the simulation to the next tool change This will end the simulation and close the Simulate 2D dialog 44 Rewind Draw next b segment output T Pause This will stop the simulation Next Lift bt Next Tool PS Done d Done Order Order This button displays a Toolpath Ordering dialog that is identical to the one in the Output dialog Changes in Priority Ordering Tool Strategy and Sort Method may all be accomplished directly in the 2D Simulation tool so that the effect of any change may be viewed After any ordering changes are made be sure to click on the Update Order button so that the changes are reflected in the output and simulation Previewing Output Page 189 3 Click Done to end the simulation Create Rendered View of Toolpaths Menu
322. other objects in EnRoute Refer to the section on Rotating Contours in the Arranging Contours chapter Modifying and Combining Reliefs Page 287 Scaling Reliefs Scaling reliefs is accomplished the same way as scaling any other objects in EnRoute You can either scale the relief by selecting it and then clicking and dragging on one corner of the selection box or you can use the Precision Input Center to precisely scale the relief See the Scaling Contours description in the Arranging Contours chapter When it comes to scaling reliefs there is an important consideration involving the resolution of the relief Remember that when you first create a relief you specify a resolution for that relief This specifies the resolution of the grid that defines the relief surface After the relief is created the total numbers of grid points that define the relief are set So if you scale the relief the effective size of the grid points in the relief is scaled too If you created a relief that was 50 mm x 50 mm with a resolution of 100 dpi and then scaled it up to a size of 500 mm x 500 mm the effective resolution of the relief would drop to 10 dpi This illustrates that it is important to consider the effect of scaling a relief and the effect that it will have on the quality of the finished piece The following image shows how the size and shape of the relief grid is affected by a scaling operation Original Relief Scaled Relief Page 288 M
323. p Typically you eee Sort Method F Use holes me Pi a will use the S h O rte st V Small parts first Piate Si mM Miscellaneous method but width feon Hin oe poe you may Heightly sooo in _ _ Bottom of plate 1 Pa ia M Grain Direction occasionally Thickness ja Yin K direction C Y direction prefer to sort the parts into Load Process Active Rows or i me Columns ave ress Fies Save As Process KCDw Close Small Parts First This checkbox lets you ensure that the parts will be sorted so that any parts that are smaller in area than the Small Part threshold will be ordered before the larger parts This option can be particularly useful if you are using a vacuum system to hold parts down It allows the small parts to be cut out first when the vacuum is most capable of holding them down Nesting Options The Nesting Options provide the parameters to specify how the parts should automatically be arranged on the sheets as they are prepared for output The nesting process attempts to make the most efficient use of the material minimizing waste EnRoute and EnRoute Wood use a true shape nester which means that it considers the precise shape of the part instead of treating the part as a rectangle in all cases The advantage of true shape nesting is that it can make the best use of the material by arranging parts so that waste is minimized Nesting of the parts is a key step because the nested s
324. p to a point on an arc so that the new line segment will be tangent to the arc Routing Offset Toolbar x it 4 Routing Offset The Routing Offset command is used to offset or compensate for the at engraving or routing tool This will make sure no matter what size tool you use the parts will be the correct size Routing Offset Open Contour This command is similar to the standard routing offset tool 2 except that it is used for open contours instead of closed contours This imposes some limitations on the types of offsets that make sense with an open contour Drill Toolbar Drill Sewer ei E Drill Point The Drill Point command is used to create a single hole or pierce point Drill Circle The Drill Circle command is used to create a pattern of drill points around the radius of a circle Drill Array The Drill Matrix command is used to create a series of drill points by rows and columns to form a grid Drill Center of Objects The Drill Centers command is used to place a drill point in the center of the selected contours Drill Along Contour The Drill Contours command is used to create a series of drill points along a contour Drill Corners of Plate The Drill Corners command is used to create a pattern of drill points around a Plate You must have defined a plate before you can use this command Page 38 Toolbars and Command Icons Alignment Toolbar Alignment x Oo to t O gt O O gt Hot 0 Of
325. peat Output Each machine s queue has a sub queue called Done When a job has been processed and output it is moved to the Done queue and the OCC starts processing the next job Jobs in the Done queue can be sent to the machine to be output again The main advantage of this is that the jobs do not need to be processed a second time which can save time for large and complex jobs To output a job from the Done queue 1 Select the job 2 From the Job menu select ReEngrave BI You can control the number of jobs kept in the Done queue through the Options command Aborting Processing of a Job To abort processing of a job 1 Select the job 2 From the Job menu select Abort Deleting Jobs To delete a job from a queue 1 Select the job 2 From the Job menu select Delete x 3 Click OK to confirm deletion Page 212 Output to Machine 12 3D Surfaces and 3D Toolpaths Menu Surface Toolbar 3D Surfaces Introduction EnRoute Pro introduces a number of new concepts for creating designs and the toolpaths to cut out these designs All of the previous functions have been oriented around working with two dimensional 2D geometry and then creating either 2D or engraving toolpaths based on the 2D geometry The Pro functions provide the ability to create three dimensional 3D surfaces and then create 3D toolpaths associated with these surfaces The surfaces you create are compatible with all of the other desig
326. pieces out after the beveled tool has completed its work This method is popular for making lettering and artwork that is commonly referred to as beveled chiseled sculpted or prismatic Delete Toolpath This command allows the user to delete toolpaths that have been applied to selected objects Page 34 Toolbars and Command Icons Contour Editing Toolbar Contour Editing x A A m og E p oa ob ce im Ot ae k ap Edit Points This tool provides access to a number of editing functions You can move insert and delete points open and close contours change segments to arcs curves and lines After selecting the tool and clicking on a contour right click to make these functions available Extend Trim The Extend tool is used to extend an open contour either interactively by a specific distance or to intersection with another contour segment If you click and hold this button a flyout menu will open From there you can access the Trim tool Fillet Corners This tool provides a method to insert rounded corners or fillets at selected corners in a contour Join Contours This tool allows you to connect open contours at their endpoints either into an open or closed contour Offset Contours This tool opens a dialog that allows you to enter parameters to offset a closed or an open contour Multicopy This tool opens a dialog which allows you to produce multicopies of an object in three differ
327. possible it is necessary to select the relief to be modified before starting the Extrude command The right most application method option aE allows you to create a mesh object with the Extrude command As shown in the dialogs above when this option is selected the parameters required for the command are different than when a relief is to be modified When this option is selected the parameters change providing space to enter the number of slices and stacks that will make up the new object These are described below and the rest of the Extrude command is the same whether you are modifying a relief or creating a new mesh object Relief Options These options function similar to how they work in the relief creation tool In this case you have three options Normal Scale to Height and Limit to Height e Normal The new extruded surface is created just as the selected profile and other options define it without any vertical scaling e Scale to Height The new extruded surface is scaled to match the height parameter as it is applied to the relief This allows you to create a surface and scale it in one step e Limit to Height The new extruded surface is limited in height by the height parameter Ifa portion of the new surface extends above this height it is truncated before it is applied to the selected relief Scale and Rotation These options allow you to modify the extruded surface The Scale factor identifies the proportion
328. prior to the finishing passes The parameters are defined as follows 1 This is the top view of the relief that will be toolpathed in this example The size of the relief is approximately 12 x 15 x 2 inches 2 This is the Front view of the relief in this example 3 A 3 8 inch end mill tool is used for the step rough toolpaths 3D Toolpaths Page 363 The following parameters were entered to create the Island Fill toolpaths Select the following Island Fill Parameters Apply to Relief Apply to Surface pimesi Standard 7 Apply Overcut Apply to relief iv Overcut amount 0 50 Apply to surface T Care into surface E Apply Overcut v Overcut amount Define the Depths as Surface 0 00 Final Depth 2 0 ulate Offset from surface 0 20 Lined Lag Step Rough checked Offset from surface Step Rough Depths Overlap of 75 Corner tags unchecked aE Overlap Comer tags Passes are defined as Passes Number 8 Humber Maximum per Pass 3 0 Maximum per Fass Actual per Pass 0 25 Final Pass unchecked Final Pass Depth 0 00 Actual per Pass Final Pass Final Pass Depth The following feed rates are defined This part is to be cut from Western Red Cedar which is a soft wood that is prone to chipping Feeds and Speeds Feed Rate 220 0000 Final Pass Feed 0 0000 Feed Rate 220 00 Plunge Aate 100 0000 Final Pass Feed 0 00 Dwell 0 0000 Plunge Rate 100 0 Spindle 18000 Dwell
329. ption Select the Add Option and leave the relief type on Normal Set the Angle to 50 degrees Click Apply to create the next step in the finished relief Now select the relief and the smaller ellipse Select the Round relief option Select the Subtract application method Set the Angle to 30 degrees Click Apply to create the next portion of the relief i A om i dy on Bases eu E Angle ao sooo Creating Reliefs 19 20 21 22 23 Now select the relief and the center artwork Select the Beveled option Select the Add application method Define the parameters to Height 0 30 Base 0 00 and select the Constant Height relief type Click Apply to create the finished relief Mi amp om STEL Normal reich ls f Constant height Base 10 0000 Scale to height Limit to height sk Resolution 100 As you can see using just the Create Relief tool provides some very powerful capabilities for creating finished reliefs in EnRoute The following chapters discuss the many other tools EnRoute provides for creating and modifying surfaces The concepts presented in this chapter regarding adding and subtracting reliefs are consistent throughout each of the other functions Creating Reliefs Page 227 Page 228 Creating Reliefs 14 Revolutions and Extrusions Introduction The previous chapter provides the basic tools for creating relief surf
330. ption of having the cleaning pass that is associated with the hatch toolpath be cut before the hatch toolpaths This can be a desirable option when cutting certain types of material such as certain woods 7 Click OK Once you create the toolpath the contour will become part of the toolpath group Working with Toolpaths Page 159 Deleting Cuts To delete an unwanted cut from the list of cuts for the strategy select the cut and click Delete tool Saving Strategy Settings as a Template To save the current settings as a template 1 Click the Save as button 2 Type a name for the template and click OK Loading Strategy Settings from a Template To load the settings previously saved as a template select the template from the Strategy list Editing Cut Parameters The process for editing cut parameters for the Hatch Fill strategy is nearly identical to that for the Routing Offset strategy see Editing Cut Parameters One of the options available in the cut parameters for the fill tool in the Island Fill strategy is whether to use Corner Tags Corner tags are used to ensure that the specified overlap value is enforced throughout the fill This can be very important when you use an overlap of less than 50 percent because it ensures that the entire fill area gets milled The following graphic illustrates a fill toolpath with and without corner tags EN oes e amy s N E am i A N E H With corner tags Without corner tags
331. quence 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Now the numbers are ordered based on size with the small numbers first providing the following final order 3 5 6 7 9 1 2 4 8 You can see that by ordering by numeric sequence first and then size we get a specific order to the numbers Within each of the two size groups the numbers are in numeric sequence even though they are not in numeric sequence overall In the second option the numbers are first ordered based on their size 8 2 1 4 5 3 9 7 6 Now the numbers are ordered based on numeric sequence providing the following final order 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 You can see that by ordering by size first and then numeric sequence we get an order that is quite different than in the first option even though all we did was switch our ordering priorities Tool Order The Tool Order gives the opportunity to define the order of the tools that are used in the current job This order is used when the toolpaths are ordered using the Tool priority EnRoute automatically lists the tools that are utilized in the Strategies included in both the Layer Mapping and the current parts to be processed Note that EnRoute checks both the parts in the parts list as well as the Strategies in the layer mapping for the tools This means that if you have not yet specified any parts to process there won t be any tools in this list As soon as parts are selected to process the required tools will show up in the tool l
332. r to an intersection with another contour Line segments are extended with a straight line Bezier segments are extended with a straight line that is tangent at the extension point and Arcs are by default extended as arc segments When extending the contour arcs may also be extended as a straight line by holding down the Ctrl key while extending Extending a Contour Using the Mouse Menu Draw Extend Toolbar Contour Editing Extend By Graphic To extend an open contour using the mouse 1 Click the Extend Icon 2 This will open the Precision Toolbar The Method By Graphic is selected by default 2 Click on the end of the contour you want to extend As you move the cursor away from the end of the contour a preview is provided to show the amount that the contour will be extended Move the cursor to the new endpoint and click 4 After a contour has been extended you can add another extension to the end of the extension 5 Right click to release the tool or click on the close button This option can work well with the Snap options to extend a contour to a specific point Extending a Contour by a Precise Length Menu Draw Extend Toolbar Contour Editing Extend Precise Length a 2 Inthe Precision Toolbar select the By Length method and enter the length you want to extend contours by in the length field 1 Click the Extend Lines Icon this will open the Precision Toolbar 3 Click on the end of a contour to
333. r to control the Pass depth of each pass Page 146 Working with Toolpaths Actual Per Pass Final Pass Final Pass Depth Widths Width of Cut This value is calculated based on the number of passes and the Final Cut depth If a Final Pass is defined the amount of the final pass is removed from the calculation of the Actual Per Pass value If the number of passes is greater than 1 it is possible to designate a Final Pass that will have a cut depth that is different from the other passes A common use for this is to cut mostly through the material with the passes preceding the Final Pass and reserve a small thickness that will be cut with the final pass to separate the pieces being cut from the substrate This is the depth of the Final Pass It will obviously be a depth that is less than the Final Depth of the entire cut In addition to the cut depth it is also possible to define a Width of Cut This is most commonly defined with a Clean Cut but it may be defined for either a Clean or Rough cut If a Clean cut is defined with a 0 00 width it will essentially be located at the same offset from the contour as the Rough cut It would clean by making another pass next to the rough pass to provide a smoother edge or to possibly fit into areas that the rough tool could not If a width of cut is defined for the Clean cut then the Rough cut is offset away from the finished surface by the amount of the width The Rough cut
334. rameter must divide evenly into the size of the X size The settings for the Offset parameter must divide evenly into the size of the Y size The image below illustrates how the contours line up at the edges of the piece The contours were copied and moved to the side of the existing contours You can see that they line up exactly _ _ La Texture Tools Page 337 This is a close up view of the point where the contours meet Basic Noise Texture The parameters used to create this texture are Overlap 1 0 Wavelength 2 0 Horiz Amplitude 0 3750 Vert Amplitude 0 25 Offset 0 15 Noise checked Randomize checked A straight line contour was used as the seed contour A 1 2 ball end tool was used to cut the texture Chip Texture 1 The parameters for the Chip Texture are Overlap 1 0 Wavelength 1 0 Horiz Amplitude 7 0 Vert Amplitude 0 25 Offset 0 25 Noise checked Randomize checked A straight line was used for the seed contour and a 1 inch Ball End tool was used to cut the texture Page 338 Texture Tools Chip Texture 2 The parameters for this texture are Overlap 1 0 Wavelength 0 7 Horiz Amplitude 1 0 Vert Amplitude 0 25 Offset 0 20 Noise checked Randomize checked This texture was cut using a 1 inch Ball End tool Wavy Noise Texture The parameters for this texture are Overlap 0 1
335. ration is completed The following graphic illustrates how the Reference Line and Scaling Line lengths are used to determine the Scale Factor L1 Reference Line lt lt L2 Scaling Line Scale Factor L2 L1 Page 114 Arranging Contours Using the Scale One Dimension option a will scale the selected objects along the reference line If the reference line is drawn horizontal then the scaling will be done along the X axis If the reference line is drawn vertical then the scaling will be done along the Y axis If the reference line is drawn at some other angle then the selection will be distorted along the line The following images show one dimensional scaling along the X axis and along another line Scaling along the X Axis Scaling along an arbitrary line Arranging Contours Page 115 Rotate Tool Menu Transform Rotate Toolbar Object Edit Rotate The Rotate tool allows you to rotate selected objects both precisely using a defined rotation center point and a rotation angle and interactively by defining a rotation center a starting direction and a finished direction You can also choose to perform the rotation using a combination of interactive and precise input Following is a definition of the elements of the Rotate toolbar This allows the rotation center to be defined precisely This is the axis about which the rotation will be completed In the top view the axis will most often be de
336. relief The relief information is loaded into the Slices Dialog 3 Inthis example we created 1 slice with a thickness of 1 0175 The bottom of the slice is located 30 from the bottom of the relief 4 As you change the parameters you will notice that the pink lines represent the slice position 6 The first image of the top view shows the outline of the new contour that the slice has created 7 The second image shows the rendered view of the object Modifying and Combining Reliefs Relief Dimensions Height 1 3175 Top 1 3175 Bottom 0 0000 Slice slice slices al Thickness 131 fg m Slice Current Slice f Slices 1 Thickness 1 3175 Thickness 1 3175 4 es Bottorn 0 0000 al Current Slice 1 a Create current slice Thickness 1 0 75 al Bottom 0 3000 al Create all slices Page 299 Example 2 This example is dividing the relief into 3 Click and hold the Merge Relief fh icon to open the flyout toolbar then click on the Slices Icon Ell This will open the Slices Dialog Change the number of slices to 3 This example shows the slices will each be 4392 thick Slice Slices C Create current slice a ai Current Slice i ka The Current Slice slice 1 is 0 4392 Thickness 0 4392 al Bottom 0 8783 al Create all slices shown with the pink lines The bottom of the slice is positioned at 8783 You can see the layer lines in the front view Change
337. ressing F2 to TE Precision Input Center A mest recon neu Change to desired parameters Click on the Move tab and enter the desired X position of Location the relief 3 9532 ud This option works best when snails i the Front view is active 0 0000 a because then the button box selection applies to the X and Z location of the relief Include toolpaths Select Island Fill Add a 14 inch ball nose tool When a relief is selected the Island Fill Parameters option Apply to relief is Optimization Standard 7 activated in the parameters a a 7 section Make sure this is a 7 checked Choose Apply to BRU OISHIBEE surface and Apply overcut Carve into surface a Enter overcut amount of 0 08 Apply Overcut w Overcut amount O 08 Usually the overcut amount should be set at a little less than one half of the diameter of the tool Click in the edit box for the 1 4 inch tool to activate the Cut Definitions dialog Enter a final depth of 0 60 EJ Deoths Surbace Final Depth Offset from surface Step Rough Enter fill overlap of 85 Fora finished surface the overlap percentage will typically vary Fill between 80 and 95 Overlap 85 0000 depending on the material and the quality of the finished surface that is required Comer tags a 3D Toolpaths Page 361 20 Enter number of passes as 1 In this example we are not defining a rough cut tool and the assumption is that the 1 4 inch ball end mill to
338. riety of help methods are available to fit your budget as well as your urgency to offer true value and peace of mind Support in North America New and upgraded products qualify for 90 Days Free Support from the date of purchase During these first 90 days unlimited free technical support is available in North America by calling our Technical Support Team Line 800 229 9044 Page 6 Welcome Technical Support Hours Monday Friday 8 00 AM 5 00PM MST E Support Esupport SAintl biz Questions regarding current version products can be submitted to our e Support at no charge at any time Replies are generally made within one business day Fax Support Questions regarding current version products can be submitted to our Technical Support Fax line at anytime Replies are generally made within one business day Contact Fax Support Line 801 401 7840 Corporate Office 1490 N 2200 West Suite 120 Salt Lake City UT 84116 USA Tel 800 229 9066 Tel 800 229 9068 Fax 801 401 7234 European Office Minevastraat 14 Bis B 1930 Zaventem Belgium Tel 32 2 725 5295 Fax 32 2 725 2809 Welcome Page 7 Page 8 Welcome 2 Getting Started Workflow Design Toolpath Output The graphic above illustrates the basic concept for completing a project in EnRoute It may seem overly simplistic but it does have a valuable practical use When you are working in EnRoute you are at all times within one of these steps of the
339. rity to Minimize Tool Changes The default Priority is designed to minimize tool changes in the output 1 Tool 2 Object 3 Strategy 4 Bundle 5 Pass Page 208 Output to Machine If your output uses two tools say a 4 end mill and a 90 degree conic all of the toolpaths associated with the first tool would come first followed by all of the toolpaths associated with the second tool Setting the Priority to Cut Each Object Completely Before Continuing There may be times when minimizing tool changes is not the most important thing to you For example the output may contain a number of toolpath groups and it is more important that you cut out each piece one at a time in order to allow you to progress with other work in the shop In that case you may want to move Object to the top of the priority list If each object toolpath group uses both the 1 2 end mill and the 90 degree conic from the example above there would be a tool change required as each object cuts out This might increase the number of tool changes significantly but it would allow you to get finished pieces off the table before the entire job is complete Returning to the Default Priority Settings Click Default Order to return the Priority settings to their default order Setting the Tool Order Clicking the Tool Order button displays the Tools list which lists the priorities assigned to the different tool types used in the design These settings are used
340. rl and Alt Key and press the number 5 in the 10 key keyboard to move to the center of the plate The image is now in the center of the plate 6 Using the rectangle tool and the snap tool you can quickly place a contour at the edge of the plate Note The settings for the grid have been set at 1 inch intervals Click on the Snap to Grid icon This will turn on the snap feature 7 Click on the Rectangle icon Lj This will open the rectangle tool Make sure that the construct rectangle by corners is selected Move the cursor to the top left corner of the plate click to place the first corner Drag the cursor to the bottom right corner of the plate and left click to place Texture Tools Precision Input Center Change to desired parameters Scale Rotate Move Dimensions 13 0000 width 140000 Height M 0 0000 Depth Include toolpathe Scale Factor 0 8667 width i 0 8667 Height 7 0 5667 Depth e Froportional Page 343 the opposite corner of the rectangle This will place the contour needed to apply the Routing Offset toolpaths to cut out the design The toolpath will be applied later The next step is to create the contours for the photo image Creating the Seed Contour The drawing tools are used to create the seed contours for the rapid texture design The seed contour is the starting point for the Rapid Texture process When the R
341. rotate the selection about the Z axis This means that the objects are rotated in the X Y plane Enter the desired rotation angle and click on the OK button to complete the rotation The center of rotation defaults to the center of the selection however it can be placed to a different location if desired Arranging Contours Page 109 E Precision Input Center co E eee Change to desired parameters Scale Rotate Move K Rotation axis Rotate Center AEN 0000 deg TOS ais CO Y axis 13 21 R5 r e Z aris 0 0000 T ft In order to Move the selection click on the Move tab select the corner of the selection for which you want to specify the location and then enter the coordinates for that location Click on the OK button to execute the move E Precision Input Center bad e E Change to desired parameters Location 3 9532 Pi gt 6 8870 Y el 0 0000 Z Include toolpaths When specifying the corner of the selection to move the active viewport defines which plane is active In the top view the X Y plane is active and the corner points are located on the plane nearest the viewer For reliefs this means that the points are located on the top of the relief In the front view the corner points are located on the X Z plane on the side of the object closest to the viewer Note The Include Toolpaths checkbox lets you choose whether toolpaths are included in the size and location coordinates for the sel
342. round relief using an angle of 25 degrees 3 Select the relief and then select Revolve or select the Surface menu and then Create Surface Revolve 4 Click on Add to select that option 5 Select the Normal application method 6 Define a Start Angle of 0 0 and an End Angle of 180 00 7 Click to select the profile contour you Plant he eaateure io be enon i want to revolve and then click Next Step P_ in the wizard af epopry x Revolutions and Extrusions Page 233 8 Click on the vertical contour to identify the axis of revolution This step is Select the axis of revolution Optional optional aj Ore x 9 Click on the Execute button to complete 10 The following shows a rendered perspective view of the resulting relief Create a Mesh Surface Creating a mesh surface using the Revolve tool is almost the same as using this tool to modify a relief Key differences are that it is not necessary to identify a relief to modify you need to select the mesh object option and then you need to define the mesh parameters of slices and stacks The resulting mesh object can then be used to modify a relief but first you can scale rotate and position the object so that when you add it to a relief it has the effect you need You can also define the number of slices and stacks using the faceted nature of the object to your advantage The following steps illustrate the method of creating a mesh object using the R
343. rs may not support the speeds defined in the Material Library The driver for the machine will override speeds that are defined to be too fast for the machine Adding a Material to the Library Menu Setup Material Library Toolbar Libraries Material Library 1 Click Material Library ih Material Library Mame New Material Name Yew Materia Direction Conventional Climb Feed Plunge Dwell Spindle 2 Click New inec ah l inec h sec w pm 3 Enter the parameters for the new material Name The name of the material Reload Configuring the Software Page 199 Direction Conventional Climb Feed Plunge Dwell Spindle 4 Click Save Select the direction in which the tool will cut across the plate Left to right milling Right to left milling The speed at which the cutting tool moves through the material machining or cutting speed The speed at which the tool moves down into the material The amount of time to wait once the cutting tool has moved down into the material This is used to make sure the tool is all the way into the material before it starts routing or engraving It is also useful if there is a concern about chip removal The speed at which the tool will spin Deleting a Material from the Library Menu Setup Material Library Toolbar Libraries Material Library 1 Click Material Library ik 2 Select the material from the Name li
344. rst hinge is from the top of the cabinet Hinge Spacing The distance between the hinges Traditional upper cabinets will typically contain only doors while lower cabinets might contain drawers rather than doors This tab lets you define drawers including number and size of drawers for a lower cabinet design Number of Drawers The number of drawers for this cabinet Top Drawer Height The height of the top drawer Middle Drawer Height The height of the middle drawer Bottom Drawer Height The height of the bottom drawer Equal Drawer Height When this is checked all drawers will have the same height Box Material Thickness The Thickness of the material used for the cabinet Bottom Thickness The distance from the bottom of the cabinet that the pocket will be cut for assembling the cabinet Box side Clearance The distance from the side of the cabinet that the pocket will be cut Box End Clearance Distance from the back of the drawer to the back of the cabinet Rabbet Depth The depth of the pocket cut into the material to assemble the cabinet Creating Contours 5 Boxster B28 fog Ex Glue Gap 0 0200 al End Gap 0 5000 a End Clearance 1 5000 Hole Spacing 6 0000 a Hole Diameter 0 1250 OK Cancel Boxster x Hinge Cup Diameter 36 000 al Hinge Cup Offset 4 000 al Hinge Hole Diameter 6 000 al Hinge Hole Spacing 45 000 Hinge Hole Offset 9 500 al Plate Hole
345. rts If a list file is included in the list that shouldn t be click on the Clear button to clear the parts list and then add the appropriate parts to the list When ATP parameter files are saved the part information in this tab is not saved as part of that file This is because this information represents project specific information that will change with each job Page 381 Note again that the Process buttons remain visible when this tab is active If all of the other parameters have been specified correctly all that is necessary now is to click on the Process lt KCDw gt button to complete the job If the ATP parameters have not been defined the next step is to move on to the Layer Mapping step which is described in the next section Selecting Files with No Active Application In the case where there is not an active design application part files are selected individually rather than by using a List File Click on the Select Files tab and then click on Add to activate an Open Files dialog Find the DXF files to be processed and select them and click on the Open button and they will be added to the parts list in the ATP Select Files Tab 2 Automatic Toolpath Setup C Program Fites EnRoute 3 AutoTP AAStandard atp I Use these Define Layers Ordering and Nesting Select Files Setup buttons to add Files to be processed C AKCDw DXF kiosk_1 kiosk_1_01_Spanner_T op_Front_001F def i i a n d re
346. ry files Simulate 2D F8 This icon activates a mode in which the user can visualize how the toolpaths will be sent to the machine The toolpaths are drawn to the screen in the same sequence that they will be sent to the machine as output KF Statistics regarding the number of tool changes and the number of tool lifts are also presented in this mode In addition the user has the opportunity to modify the order of the toolpaths and then immediately see the effect on the output using the 2D simulation Simulate Ortho This icon activates a mode similar to the 2D Simulation except it is in the perspective view The toolpaths are drawn to the screen in the same sequence that they will be sent to the machine as output Statistics regarding the number of tool changes and the number of tool lifts are also presented in this mode In addition the user has the opportunity to modify the order of the toolpaths and then immediately see the effect on the output using the Simulate Ortho mode 3D Rendered View This icon activates a 3D mode that allows you to view a da solid model of your material and the results of the toolpaths cutting the material This mode is useful for seeing the effects of both 2D and 3D toolpaths Project Toolpaths This tool provides a method for tipping toolpaths vertically It is useful for cutting non horizontal surfaces and is likely most useful for routing offset and fills Set Toolpath Order This tool is
347. ry to exchange your key for a SafeNet Sentinel key If you are already using a SafeNet key then this is not an issue Page 4 Welcome SafeNet Sentinel USB Hardware Key It is necessary to install a hardware key driver in order for the key to function properly This can be accomplished as part of the software installation process It is only necessary to install the hardware key driver one time on a computer Installing the Software If you received an installation CD then place the CD in the CD drive on your computer The installation should start after several seconds If the installation does not start automatically do the following 9 In Windows from the Start menu choose Run 10 Type D setup exe and click the OK button The letter D represents the CD drive on your computer Use the appropriate letter for your CD drive 11 The installation process should start It is also possible that you may have received an EnRoute installer via email or by downloading it from the EnRoute web site In this case you can start the installation process by double clicking on the installer file The EnRoute installer will lead you through several steps to install the software in the desired location on your computer You will also have the opportunity to install the appropriate password for your version of EnRoute during the installation process Following are the installer steps along with an explanation of the appropriate action 1
348. s Layer 2 i By clicking on the Activate all layers icon you can easily switch between the current layer displayed and displaying all of the layers Layers Dialog Menu Setup Toolbar Settings Each layer has several options for display and use These options include On Off Lock and Move Lock A check in the box indicates that this function is turned on for this layer If the Layer is The Objects on the layer On All objects on that layer are displayed and can be selected Off None of the objects on the layer are displayed and none of the objects on that layer can be selected Page 18 Getting Started Lock All of the objects on the layers are displayed but cannot be selected You can still snap to the objects using the snap tools The current layer cannot be locked Lock Move All of the objects on the layers are displayed they can be selected but they cannot be moved Show All layers v OK Layers Color Cancel Current Name On Off Lock Move Lock Layer 1 Ww Layer 2 Iv New Layer 3 lv I Delete Layer 4 lv I Remove Empty Move Up 5 GO xI r Move Down To access the Layers dialog click on the Layers icon To Do The Following Select the Current Check the box in the Current column for that layer Layer The current layer is the layer in which any contours will be created Add a New Layer Click New The la
349. s a group 2 Make changes to the objects using the tools available to edit the text A description of the tools is listed in the above section Edit Existing Text Object Tool Menu Draw Text Edit Existing Text Toolbar Construction Text Edit Existing Text 1 Click and hold the Text Icon A This will open the flyout menu Click on the Edit Existing Text Objects icon 2 Click on the text to edit Q 4 lt Green Point Blue Point Red Point Green Point Click and drag the green point to move the starting point for the line of text objects Blue Point Click and drag the blue points to adjust the spacing between the letters Red Point Click and drag the Red point to equally adjust the spacing of the text objects for the entire line of text l s8 NYG This example shows that the Text was moved using the Green start point Page 74 Creating Contours Convert Text Objects to Curves A Menu Draw Text Convert Text Objects to Curves Toolbar Construction Text Convert Text Objects to Curves In order to toolpath the Text Objects they must first be converted to curves 1 Select the Text Objects 2 Click and hold the Text Icon A to activate the flyout menu Click on the Convert Text Objects to Curves Icon A The text objects show in a purple color After the objects have been converted they will show with the standard color for contours az E in Text Object Converted
350. s in EnRoute a cleanup tolerance of 0 01 inch to 0 001 inch typically works best Step by Step Examples Straight Line Example Many different textures can be created with the Rapid Texture tool The following example is a demonstration of a Rapid Texture created with a straight line as the seed contour 1 Draw the straight line with the line tool Select the line Click on the Rapid Texture icon to open the tool Enter the parameters Size This refers to the size of the panel you wish to create Overlap 0 5 Wavelength 3 Horiz Amplitude 0 4 Vert Amplitude 0 2 Offset 0 2 Select Noise and Randomize Texture Tools Page 319 2 Click on the Preview Button This will show the contours in green and the outline of the panel in yellow The preview allows you to adjust the parameters until you are satisfied with the results Click Apply Note It is not necessary to preview the Rapid Texture contours before applying them If you are confident that you have the correct parameters you can just click the Apply button 3 The contours will overlap the panel outline by the amount that you entered in the overlap parameter 7 o This allows for the tool to follow the n lt j path of the contour through the edge of the panel ensuring that the texture will continue to the edge of the panel i i a 4 The contours are autom
351. s of the cone shape that you wish to create A preview of the shape will show in pink in the position of the entered coordinates Click Apply to accept the shape The contour will then be shown in black 2 You are able to save the shapes that you have designed so that you can easily recall the shapes for your design a FT egal Click the Save button Delete 3 The Template Dialog will open up Template Enter the name of the shape in the dialog and click OK Enter the template name Page 76 Creating Contours Boxster Toolbar Construction Boxster The Boxster Wizard was created in order to provide a simple method for creating cabinet parts in EnRoute using a pre defined construction method It uses blind dado joints allowing the user to define sizes material thicknesses and other parameters This tool is not intended to meet the needs of a commercial cabinetmaker but rather provide a method for creating simple cabinet boxes likely for use in a workshop garage Commercial cabinetmaking will require much more control over cabinet types materials and construction methods sigan Ex Box Width Width of the cabinet Box Height Height of the cabinet sawan 24000 SCSCSCSC Box Depth Depth of the cabinet BoxHeight 250000 ay Side Thick Thickness of material for the side of Box Depth 120000 a cabinet Bottom Thick Thickness of material for the bottom of Side Thick 0 7500 cabinet Bottom Thick 0
352. s specified then the flat surface is created above that contours by that amount as shown in the adjacent image Relief Options The relief options allow you to modify the basic relief shapes to create different surface shapes So for a given relief shape such as Round you have the following four different options that allow you to modify how that shape is created Normal This is the default option that is described in the previous Relief Shape section The key distinguishing characteristic of this option is that the relief shape either round or beveled is created based on the specified angle The height of the relief is defined based on the width of the surface at each location As the surface becomes wider or narrower its height is greater or smaller accordingly The following images illustrate this option for both round and beveled relief shapes Page 216 Creating Reliefs Constant Height The Constant Height option changes the way that round and beveled shapes are created Instead of using a relief angle to define the relative steepness of the surface you define a height for the relief and the surface is created to match that height This option creates a surface that can be described as more mechanical looking The way that it varies from the Normal option is most apparent in areas where different parts of a relief merge together The following two graphics illustrate this option ee Scale to Height This option is a var
353. s the order of the strategies required by the current Layer Mapping and Parts list The strategies can be moved in the list to the desired output order Sort Method 2 Automatic Toolpath Setup C Program Files EnRoute 3 AutoTP AAStandard atp 5 x Define Layers Ordering and Nesting KcDw Setup Ordering Options esting Options Strategies Priority Angle Step Gap l a ne Tool Order 30 0 7 Jat 000 in Strategy Order Sort Method th Margin ay foomo Sin 3 Drill JV Multilayer 4 Open Contour Offset I Use holes JV Small parts first Plate size Curae Miscellaneous Width x 36 0000 in Top of plate Height paon a Bottom of plate Thickness z 0 7500 in las mae C Y direction Load Process Active Save Process Files Save As Process KCDw Close The Sort Method defines how parts on a sheet will be sorted This part order is used when the toolpaths are ordered using the Object priority Page 390 Automatic Toolpaths So rt Meth od 2 Automatic Toolpath Setup C Program Files EnRoute 3 AutoTP AAStandard atp loj x Define Layers Ordering and Nesting KCDw Setup lets you select A com So Nesting Options h OW t h e pa rts Method Priority AA a on each sheet Tool Order oo x jo 1o00 in wi l be SO rted Strategy Order 7 Multilayer tih Margin
354. s toolpaths with a 0 20 offset 3D Toolpaths Page 355 Step Rough This option is available with Hatch and Island fills It provides an optional method for creating toolpaths to rough out the relief surface prior to creating the finish toolpaths The advantage of this method is that it creates 2D toolpaths at multiple pass depths that remove as much material as possible at each pass depth Because the toolpaths are 2D they can typically be defined using higher feed rates than 3D toolpaths Also each pass only cuts the portions of the relief it can reach so it is typically more efficient than using multiple passes of standard 3D fills as roughing passes The possible disadvantage of this method is that steps are left for the finish pass The height of the steps is equal to the difference between depths of each pass of the step rough The ball end mill that is used for the finish pass must be capable of cutting the steps that remain after the step rough Material Surface i Pass Pass 2 Step rough hija f x Offset f Relief set from Pass 4 surface Pass 5 The first image shows toolpaths with the step rough option The second image shows a rendered view of these toolpaths Page 356 3D Toolpaths Key 3D Toolpath Concepts Before you start creating 3D toolpaths there are a few things to consider that mostly do not apply in 2D You likely already understand that a three axis router creates 3D objects wit
355. sed to activate a toolbar that presents a number of different options for aligning the objects in a selection The first icon is used to align objects to center both horizontally and vertically The additional icons in this toolbar provide other alignment options Weld This icon is used to activate a toolbar that presents a number of options for welding selected objects The first icon is used to weld objects that are overlapping each other into one single object Additional options include Weld Common and Weld Subtract as well as two interactive welding tools Nest This tool allows you to arrange selected objects into the plate in a configuration that will allow them to be cut out so they will efficiently utilize the material Select the objects you want to nest and then click on the Nest icon This will activate a dialog for specifying nesting options and parameters This icon is also used to activate a toolbar that contains two additional tools Dynamic Nesting and Nesting Report Toolbars and Command Icons Page 33 Toolpaths Toolbar Toolpath x Ee ABAE T amp fe os et eS 5 b Edit Toolpath Plan This icon activates the Plan dialog that allows you to edit the Plan associated with the selected toolpath groups The Plan represents the strategies applied to a toolpath group Routing Offset The Routing Offset command is used to offset or compensate for the engraving or routing tool This will make sure
356. selected text objects ah Select this tool to change the spacing between the text objects A positive value Sir will increase the spacing a negative value will decrease the spacing between characters ap Select this tool to move the location of the selected text up or down A positive value will move up a negative value will move down Click on the preferred alignment of the text Align Left Align Center or Align Right Select this tool to determine which side of a line or curve the selected text is to be placed 1 Click the Add Text Icon A This will open the Precision Toolbar 2 Click to place the cursor in the workspace To place the text on an arc or curve simply click on the contour at the point you wish to start your text The icon may show slanted to the angle of the arc or curve Continue with the following steps 3 Select the text style A preview of the text is shown the right of the text selection dialog All text fonts that are installed in your computer are available to you 4 You may click the arrows in the height field to adjust the nominal height of the text objects The cursor will adjust in size to give you a preview of the size Type the text Press Close to exit the Text tool Creating Contours Page 73 Editing Text Objects 1 Select the text objects to edit by left clicking and dragging the edit selection box around the objects that you wish to edit Objects can be selected individually or a
357. set male E Load Process Active Save Process Files Save As Process KCDw Close Automatic Toolpaths Page 387 Ordering and Nesting After the layer mapping is complete then it is necessary to specify how the toolpaths should be ordered and then how the parts should be nested This part of the process is virtually the same as the ordering and nesting that is performed within the normal EnRoute output process To activate this tab click on the Ordering and Nesting tab in the ATP dialog Ordering Options The ordering options are the same as within EnRoute A detailed description of this is included in Chapter 10 The following provides a description in the context of the ATP Automatic Toolpath Setup C Program Files EnRoute 3 AutoTP AAStandard atp 5 x The Ordering 1 aini Define Layers Ordering and Nesting KCDw Setup O pti 0 n S p rovl d e M Ordering Options Nesting Options the means of E Pity Orde Prioty Ange Sten oe Sis Tool Order 90 0 gt 0 1000 specifying the order of the toolpaths when the output files are created Object Pass Layer Default Order JV Small parts first Strategy Order Sort Method H V Multilayer M Use holes t gt Margin e e poo Si Plate Size Top of plate Width x 96 0000 in Ar ce Height 48 0000 Be i Bottom of plate _ Grain Direction Thickness z 0
358. sign they simply change your view of the information Zooming with the Mouse To zoom in and out using the mouse hold down the CTRL key and drag with the right mouse button Dragging the mouse up or left zooms out down or right zooms in Zooming using a Wheel Mouse Zooming with a wheel mouse is a particularly handy way to get around a drawing Move the cursor to where you want to work and move the wheel backward to zoom out or forward to zoom in Zooming is centered on the cursor location which makes it very easy to zoom into a particular location Page 16 Getting Started Zoom Commands Menu View Toolbar Zoom Function Icon Description Zoom ey The Zoom Window command allows you to select an area to Window magnify 1 Click with the mouse and drag a box around the area you want to magnify 2 Release the left mouse button and the software will zoom in on the selected area Zoom In Ctrl I Zoom Out Ctrl K Zoom to Plate Ctrl P Zoom Previous Zoom in towards the center of the window D Zoom out and enlarge the view of the design Display the entire plate e Return to the previous zoom setting B Zoom to Extents of Zoom in on the currently selected contour or contours Selection 1 1 all r Zoom to Zoom out to display all contours including the plate if one is Extents of designed all Objects ad Redraw Menu View Redraw The Redraw Tool is used to r
359. size to fit the material This option lets you choose the number of bridges in the offset This option lets you choose the spacing of the bridges Rather than specifying the number or spacing of the bridges you may want to define the specific location of the bridges Remember though that even if you specify the bridges by number or distance you can easily edit the location of the bridges after they are created Page 142 Working with Toolpaths This shows the different types of bridges that are available in EnRoute Lift Ramp oN ie a a aaa ns E Smooth S e ae Ramp Mesa i K S Working with Toolpaths Page 143 ie Smooth Mesa Deleting Cuts To delete an unwanted cut from the list of cuts for the strategy select the cut and click Delete tool Saving Strategy Settings as a Template To save the current settings as a template 1 Click the Save as button 2 Type a name for the template and click OK Loading Strategy Settings from a Template To load the settings previously saved as a template select the template from the Strategy list Editing Cut Parameters The Cut Parameters dialog allows you to fine tune the cuts that make up each strategy by changing the cutting parameters from the default values For example if you are cutting a hard material such as aluminum it likely will be necessary to define a greater number of passes that will use a much smaller portion of the available cutting depth of
360. sociated with a single cut A strategy template saves the parameters associated with a strategy including the parameters of each of the cuts that make up the strategy A plan template saves all of the parameters associated with all of the strategies for a given toolpath group as well as the parameters for each of the cuts in each of the strategies The information saved in the templates can then be easily selected and reapplied to a different contour recreating all the work that was done on the original toolpath group in one powerful step For example a common activity is to create male and female routing offsets to be used to cut out different materials so that one may be inlayed into another Both sets of toolpaths can be created based on one set of contours and then selectively used to cut out the material After determining the best combination of parameters for both types of offsets they can be saved as a plan template so that these parameters may be recalled and reapplied at any time Creating Routing Offset Toolpaths Menu Toolpath Routing Offset Toolbar Toolpath Routing Offset The Routing Offset strategy can only be used with closed contours The Routing Offset strategy creates a toolpath that runs either inside or outside the selected closed contour The toolpath is offset from the contour by the radius of the cutting tool so that it will trim right up to the edge of the contour If the cutting tool cannot fit into
361. spin r nE Ee Stacks 12S End Angle 380 0000 2 E f Angles for spin Z Application Method to create a mesh object Wizard prompts Page 236 Revolutions and Extrusions Application Method All of the options for applying the results of the spin operation are the same as the options described in the chapter on relief creation The options for Add Subtract Merge Highest Merge Lowest and Bae su Replace all apply to the situation where the revolution is to be applied to an existing relief For this to be possible it is necessary to select the relief to be modified before starting the Spin command The right most application method option qe allows you to create a mesh object with the Spin command As shown in the dialogs above when this option is selected the parameters required for the command are different than when a relief is to be modified When this option is selected the parameters change providing space to enter the number of slices and stacks that will make up the new object These are described below and the rest of the Spin command is the same whether you are modifying a relief or creating a new mesh object Relief Options These options function similar to how they work in the relief creation tool In this case you have three options Normal Scale to Height and Limit to Height e Normal The new spin surface is created just as the selected profile and other options define it without any vertical scaling
362. st 3 Click Delete If you change your mind after deleting a material click on the Reload button to reload the Material Library from the file The material is not permanently deleted until the Material Library has been saved 4 Click Save Editing the Tool Library Menu Setup Tool Library Toolbar Libraries Tool Library The Tool Library stores the list of all cutting tools which have been defined for the software New tools can be added to the tool library if needed Adding a New Tool to the Tool Library 1 Click Tool library i Page 200 Configuring the Software Tool Library Filter All Tools Sort by No Sort zz Active Color fz 1 4 End Hill End Hill F 3 8 End Hill End Mill E 178 End Hill End Hill F 3 16 End Hill End Hill g 0 001 Small Engrave Engrave 2 E 0 005 Small Engrave Engrave 2 E 0 03 Engrave Engrave 2 0 06 Engrave Engrave 2 Material F 0 02 Engrave Engrave 2 m 174 Ball End Long Ball Nose E 178 Ball End Long Ball Hose E 3 32 Ball End Long Ball Nose Ball Nose oi 01875 in H1 1 2500 ia in Click on the New button Enter a Tool Name for the new tool Select the Tool Type that best fits the tool being added Click OK Select the newly created tool from the list in the tool library dialog Edit the parameters of the new tool in the fields at the bottom of the tool library dialog ONO A wD Save the changes in the tool library see Saving the Tool Li
363. st Precision Toolbar Menu Transform Nest Dynamic Nest Toolbar Object Edit Nest Dynamic Nest 1 Click and hold Nest and then Dynamic Nest a 2 Press the F2 button to open the Precision Toolbar Once you set these parameters they will not change until you open the Precision Toolbar to change them Rotation Steps 10 Fart Offset 0 1000 al Apply Nest Resolution o oo al Plate Margin 0 1000 al Close Rotation Steps The rotation steps refer to the highest number of positions you allow EnRoute to try before placing the object Nest Resolution The higher this number is the longer it will take to nest the object and the object will show more clearly Part Offset The minimum distance between each of the contours being nested Plate Margin The minimum distance between the edge of the plate and the contours being nested Nesting Tool Menu Transform Nest Dynamic Nest Toolbar Object Edit Nest Dynamic Nest The Dynamic Nesting tool allows the user to drag objects onto the plate and have them automatically rotate to fit within the constraints of other objects and the edge of the plate Several parameters allow you to adjust offsets and rotation steps 1 Click and hold Nest and then Dynamic Nest a 2 Left click to select the object It will turn pink 3 Left click to move the object into position While you are dragging the object it will turn in several directions as you locate the area best to nest this obj
364. st corner and then drag the mouse to the location of the opposite corner and click the mouse again to place the rectangle If desired you can continue to create more rectangles Repeat step 2 to place the rectangles 4 Right click to end the rectangle function Hold down the SHIFT key to force the software to draw only squares You can also enter each corner s coordinates into the X and Y fields and click Apply The Corner icons in the Precision Toolbar allow you to create a rectangle with radiused corners Select the style of corner you want and the size of the radius Rectangle by Dimensions Menu Draw Rectangle Toolbar Construction Rectangle By Dimensions To draw a rectangle by defining a starting point and the height and width of the rectangle 1 Click the Rectangle Icon This will bring up the Precision Toolbar Select Draw by Dimensions Page 66 Creating Contours In the Precision Toolbar click the reference grid button that corresponds to the corner side or center point that will be used to position the rectangle Enter the Height and Width values to define the size of the rectangle Left click to place the rectangle or enter the X and Y coordinates for the positioning point To create a rectangle with radiused corners select the style of corner you want and the size of the radius The selected corner option will only be constructed if both the height and width of the rectangle are large enough t
365. start with a flat relief in the shape of a grape leaf and then use the Sweep Two Rails function as a way to create a more realistic surface shape for the leaf 1 First create the 2D artwork In this case that includes a contour for the shape of the leaf contours for the cross sections and two open contours for the rails The contours used for this example are shown to the right 2 Select the leaf contour and use it to create a flat relief 3 Select the relief and then select Sweep Two Rails H Or select the Surface menu and then Create Surface Sweep Two Rails 4 Click on Add to select that option 5 Select the Normal application method 6 Define Height 0 00 and Base 0 0 7 The wizard is prompting to select the first rail Click on the left rail Select the first rail contour and then click the Next i al ael gt fe x step icon LP Jin the wizard Revolutions and Extrusions Page 259 8 The wizard will prompt to select the second rail Click on the right rail contour and then click Next select the second rall Step Lb Jin the wizard 9 The wizard will prompt to select the cross sections Click on the cross section contours Each time EnRoute will draw a green line to show where the contour was placed on the rails The first two you identify will be placed at each end and subsequent sections will be dividing the length 10 You can click and drag on the green lines to move cross
366. t Driver Description Oriver Parameters Open ToolChanger Grill B ank Oriver Speeds H GH 4 4 Driver Units Communication parameter Advanced Parameters 2 Select the driver for the machine from the Current Driver list The Current Driver list displays the drivers which have been selected as active If the driver for your machine is not in the list see Selecting Active Drivers for instructions on adding the driver to the list 3 Edit the driver parameters Configuring the Software Page 193 Driver Description Name The name of the driver file being edited Model The model name of the driver being edited Description The description provides a brief description of the driver such as what type of driver it is or specifically what model of machine it has been created for Driver Parameters Width This provides the width dimension for the machine typically the X axis of the machine Height This provides the height dimension for the machine typically the Y axis of the machine Z Lift This gives the maximum Z axis dimension or thickness of the machine Home This section defines what type of home definition is being provided Position including User Defined Plate Design and Selection It is most typically defined as User Defined which provides a specific location that is not dependant on elements of the design The coordinates of the Home Position can also be defined along with w
367. t of measure desired Status Line The status line along the bottom of the display provides a number of pieces of information On the left side of the status bar the current coordinates of the cursor are constantly updated If objects are selected their size is displayed to the right of the coordinates During operations that require more than a moment or two of processing a status bar is activated to provide feedback of the progress of the task x 5 8820 p 7922 20 0000 Size 20644 y 20644 z 0 0000 Getting Started Page 11 Using Scroll Bars Menu View View Scroll Bars Scroll bars are horizontal and vertical bars located on the bottom and left side of your design area Use them to scroll the design area Click the arrows on both sides to scroll the design area in small increments Click the blank area to move the design area in large increments Click and drag to scroll the design E as El To toggle scroll bars on and off from the View Menu select the View scroll bars option Precision Input Center Menu View Toolbar Settings The Precision Input Center is utilized as an interface for some of EnRoute s activities It can be activated at any time by pressing F2 or clicking on the icon in the Settings toolbar Activating the Precision Input Center by using F2 provides a simple method to move scale or rotate selected objects Other more detailed methods for moving scaling and rotating selected objects are
368. t of the revolve command is the same whether you are modifying a relief or creating a new mesh object Page 230 Revolutions and Extrusions Relief Options These options function similar to how they work in the relief creation tool In this case you have three options Normal Scale to Height and Limit to Height e Normal The revolved surface is created just as the selected profile and axis define it without any vertical scaling e Scale to Height The revolved surface is scaled to match the height parameter as it is applied to the relief This allows you to create a revolved surface and scale it in one step e Limit to Height The revolved surface is limited in height by the height parameter If a portion of the revolved surface extends above this height it is truncated before it is applied to the selected relief Relief Parameters The relief parameters of Height and Base are available when modifying a relief e Height This value defines the height if either the Scale to Height or Limit to Height relief option is selected e Base This value allows you to define a base height that can be added to the revolved surface as it is applied to the selected relief Angles for Revolution The Start Angle and Finish Angle define the portion of a complete 360 degree revolution that will be completed A complete revolution would have a start angle of O degrees and an end angle of 360 degrees A half revolution woul
369. t was defined for one Strategy type into the Cut Parameters dialog for a different strategy type Since different strategies use different cut parameters it is possible that not all of the parameters for the new cut will be defined in the template Creating Open Contour Offset Toolpaths Menu Toolpath Offset Open Contours Toolbar Toolpath Routing Offset Router Offset Open Contour The Open Contour Offset is closely related to the Routing Offset strategy described in the previous sections The key difference is that the Routing Offset strategy is designed to be used with closed contours and Open Contour Offset is designed for open contours You will notice that it is not possible to define bridges with an open contour strategy It is possible however to add bridges to open contours offsets by manually inserting them using the Edit Bridges tool available in the Toolpath menu Bridges on open contour offsets may be inserted and edited the same as other bridges using this tool To create a toolpath using the Open Contour Offset strategy 1 Select the contour you want the toolpath to follow 2 Click and hold Routing Offset tt then Offset Open Contour A 3 Inthe Open Contour Offset dialog select the desired tool from the Available Tools list and click Add Tool The Sort tools by list determines the parameter that is used to sort the Available Tools list It can also filter the tools that are displayed so that only a certain type o
370. te 1 Click the Save as button 2 Type a name for the template and click OK Page 156 Working with Toolpaths Loading Strategy Settings from a Template To load the settings previously saved as a template select the template from the Strategy list Editing Cut Parameters The process for editing cut parameters for the Hatch Fill strategy is nearly identical to that for the Routing Offset strategy The one key difference lies in the parameters for the Fill cut where two additional parameters are defined under Fill Overlap This parameter defines how much adjacent toolpaths will overlap each other in the fill The default value that is created when the Fill Cut is created is 50 percent Legal values are 0 to 99 percent When cutting soft materials you may typically reduce the overlap 10 or 20 percent However when cutting denser materials it may be desirable to increase the overlap percentage to 70 percent or more You will also notice that the overlap percentage has an effect on the finished surface pattern so you may at times use the overlap to create a desired effect Hatch Angle This angle determines the angle measured from horizontal that will be used to create the Hatch Fill Most of the time you will likely use either O0 degrees for horizontal or 90 degrees for vertical toolpaths Other angles can be used to create an effect or to better utilize the shape of the area to be milled Working with Toolpaths Page 1
371. te from the Strategy list Creating Drill Points in the Centers of Contours Menu Toolpath Drill Drill Points in Center Toolbar Toolpath Drill Drill Points in Center The Drill Centers strategy can only be used with closed contours The Drill Centers strategy creates drill points at the centers of each of the selected contours You can specify to select only circles and a range of sizes to use if desired 1 Select the contours you want to create drill points in the center of 2 Click Drill then Drill centers Working with Toolpaths Page 165 3 Inthe Drill Centers dialog select the desired tool from the Available Tools list and click Add Tool The Sort tools by list determines the parameter that is used to sort the Available Tools list It can also filter the tools that are displayed so that only a certain type of tool is visible 4 Inthe tool listing that appears in the list of cuts at the top of the dialog set the Depth of the drill hole It is possible to enter fractional values such as 1 2 in order to let the program calculate the decimal equivalent That way it isn t necessary to remember that the decimal equivalent of 3 16 is 0 1875 5 Select the Drill Centers parameters All contours If selected holes will be drilled in the centers of all the selected contours Circles only If selected holes will only be drilled in the centers of the selected circles Selecting this option displays the following addit
372. ted by the examples later in this section The following simple mesh surface demonstrates the result of sweeping a semi circle and an angled contour along two straight rails This demonstrates how EnRoute transitions between cross sections along the length of the rails This next image demonstrates a more complex surface that was created by using curved rails and curved cross sections Revolutions and Extrusions Page 255 Sweep Two Rails Dialog Selecting the Sweep Two Rails icon rit or selecting the Surface menu and then Create Surface and Sweep Two Rails will activate the Sweep Two Rails dialog This dialog allows you to select the appropriate options and parameters required to create the new surface The Sweep Two Rails dialog provides two sets of parameters depending on whether you have selected the option of creating a mesh object or any other application method for modifying an existing relief If you select an application method for modifying a relief the following dialog is presented Relief parameters L Relief Options a Sweep Two Rails G Normal Height 0 0000 Select the first rail aj ns Scale to height x B B 3 2 amp Base 0 0000 a Ss Limit to height 4 gt p x Application Method to modify the selected relief Wizard prompts If you select the mesh application method then the proper parameters for creating a mesh object are presented in the following dialog ry Sweep Two Rails
373. ted relief or reliefs If you have selected contours in addition to the relief they will be used to create the chamfer otherwise the boundary contours of the relief will be used for the chamfer Chamfer Parameters lt is only necessary to specify two parameters for the chamfer command but depending on the type of relief you are editing your choices can have a dramatic effect on the outcome Base The Base parameter allows you to specify an additional relief height that will be added to the height of the profile contour when the chamfer is performed The effect of this parameter is the same as with other relief creation commands Miter and Centerline The Miter and Centerline specifications allow you to choose how the chamfer tool applies the profile in corners For simple shapes and simple profile shapes you likely won t notice much difference but as the shape of the relief becomes more complex and with different profiles this parameter becomes important When specifying this parameter you have the choice of selecting Miter or Centerline or you have the option of using neither The best way to explain the effect of this parameter is to show a few examples The following image demonstrates the difference between selecting Miter or No Miter using a simple rounded profile for the chamfer Page 266 Chamfering N j p al With Miter f Without Miter There are times when it may be appropriate to use a profile
374. ted so that it can be cut out and the texture will match up to the next panel Refers to the number of panels along the x axis Refers to the number of panels along the y axis This is the amount that the contours will continue past the size of the panel or selected contour Usually 1 2 the width of the tool assigned This assures that the tool will continue to cut the texture correctly all the way to the edge of the panel Template Panels Displacement Parameters Preview Wavelength 2 0000 f Horzizontal Amplitude 2 0000 j Displacement Randomize ey e Noise _ Apply Save Delete Offset 0 2500 f Vertical Amplitude oomo 2 aleve Symmetric Close Wavelength Wavelength is the distance between crests in the texture pattern both vertically and horizontally Since the texture pattern introduces noise into the contours this value is the maximum wavelength used C Offset The distance between the contours Keep in mind the size of the tool that you are planning to use when you set this parameter Horizontal amp Amplitude defines the height of the noise wave both above and below an Vertical axis defined by the offset contours Amplitude is defined both horizontally x Amplitude y plane and vertically z plane Texture Tools Page 317 Displacement Noise Wave Randomize Symmetric Parameters Tab Template Panels Displacement Parameters Preview v Fade Left 0 0000 Resolution 110 al Apply Save Del
375. templates This is a good starting point for several different textures Each of these textures can be used as defined or further refined to achieve the precise texture for your design EnRoute then allows for the ability to save any new textures you have created as your own templates This will allow you to build up an inventory of many different textures to retrieve for use with just a few clicks of the mouse Texture Tools Page 309 Applying Textures to a Relief Menu Surface Textures Toolbar 3D Surfaces Textures There are several types of textures available The categories include e Basic Noise e Brick e Cellular e Dots e FlagStone e Flame e Hammered e Hexes e Marble e MudPot e MultiCell e MutiFract e Terrain e Veneer e Weave e Wood Page 310 Texture Tools After selecting the relief click to choose the type of texture to create Each texture choice will bring up a dialog specific to that texture Within the dialogs a template can be selected or specific parameters can be entered to create the desired texture Texture Dialog The first section of the textures dialog will contain the same information for all of the texture types The second section of the dialog will contain the parameters section that is specific to each type of texture The dialog is used in the same manner for each of the different textures The first section of the dialog is described below Templat il Bricks Textur
376. tent jurisdiction to be contrary to law that provision of this License will remain in full force and effect Copyright 2012 by SA International Inc All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic mechanical photocopy recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher Printed in the United States of America The information in this manual is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of SA International Inc Acrobat Reader Copyright 1987 2011 Adobe Systems Incorporated All rights reserved Adobe and Acrobat are trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated which may be registered in certain jurisdictions PostScript software Copyright 1984 1998 Adobe Systems Incorporated All rights reserved Flexi FlexiFAMILY FlexiSIGN Pro FlexiSIGN Plus FlexiEXPERT FlexiSIGN FlexiLETTER FlexiDESIGNER FlexiCUT FlexiENGRAVE PhotoPRINT Server PhotoPRINT PhotoPRINT SE EnRoute Pro EnRoute Plus EnRoute EnRoute Machine Shop and or other SA International products referenced herein are either trademarks or registered trademarks of SA International Inc Illustrator is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated FreeHand is a registered trademark of Macromedia Corporation CorelDRAW is a trademark of Corel Systems Corporation AppleTalk ImageWriter LaserWriter and Maci
377. ternal Apply to relief Carve into surface The parameter here is the choice to carve into the surface rather than to apply to the surface Follow contour E sternal male Internal female Apple relief Apply to surface a daadaa Carve into surface x Froject After entering the appropriate strategy and cut parameters click OK in the strategy dialog to create the toolpaths Look at the job in the Perspective view and see how the contours stay at the top of the plate while the toolpaths follow the underlying relief This tool allows us to create a 2 1 2D toolpath along a 3D object Remember a key to this technique is to select the relief as well as the object when you first activate the toolpath dialog w This is a rendered view of the object after the relief surface has been toolpathed using a hatch fill and the engrave toolpaths have been applied Notice how the engraved word follows the curve of the relief 3D Toolpaths Page 371 Routing Offset Use the same relief as in the previous example to create a routing offset toolpath In this example you will see that creating a routing offset to cut out a relief is no different than creating any other type of routing offset Select the relief Select the Routing Offset icon Tool Add a 1 4 inch End 7 l mmi e Miola adepiroi hicmi Rough i 1 00 Select the External Router Offset Parameters parameter External male nternal f
378. tes for the drill point and Y Page 162 Working with Toolpaths Coordinate By Graphic If this box is checked the X and Y coordinates will be selected with the mouse 5 Add additional drill cuts using other tools as necessary All cuts will share the same drill point coordinates Click OK If you checked the By Graphic box click with the mouse to place drill points on your design Right click to release the tool If the By Graphic box was cleared a single drill point will be created at the specified coordinates Saving Strategy Settings as a Template To save the current settings as a template 1 Click the Save as button 2 Type a name for the template and click OK Loading Strategy Settings from a Template To load the settings previously saved as a template select the template from the Strategy list Creating Drill Circles Menu Toolpath Drill Drill Circles Toolbar Toolpath Drill Drill Circles The Drill Circle strategy creates a circular pattern of drill points centered at the location specified To create a drill circle a hl 1 Click Drill then Drill circle 2 Inthe Drill Point dialog select the desired tool from the Available Tools list and click Add Tool The Sort tools by list determines the parameter that is used to sort the Available Tools list It can also filter the tools that are displayed so that only a certain type of tool is visible 3 Inthe tool listing that appears in the list
379. that does not adhere to the convention of placing the high side of the profile on the left edge of the profile In these cases the Centerline parameter choice will most likely be the appropriate parameter to use The problem is that with the standard Miter option the profile has the problem of cutting off the relief in the corners creating a result that probably won t be correct The Centerline option tells EnRoute that it is necessary to maintain an imaginary bisector of the corner angle and not allow the profile to cut itself off as it moves into and out of the corner Again an illustration provides the best illustration of this issue In the following image you can see that the relief on the left has the problem of getting cut off by the profile as it moves around the outside corners Fortunately the simple solution is to choose the Centerline option Miter Option Centerline Option The Centerline option allows you to utilize profiles that are even more complex The following example shows how to use a profile that replicates a raised panel shape that is common in the cabinet making industry The profile shape is shown below The wide flat section on the left side of the profile is meant to Chamfering Page 267 ensure that it extends across the width of the contours e This profile was used to create the following relief A rounded profile was also used around the outside of the relief Wizard Prompts The Ch
380. the Current slice number to get the exact location for each slice layer The Create all slices parameters was selected so each of the slice layers will be extracted This is the top view of the slices that have been created 5 This is the front view of the slices that have been created Notice the contour lines Page 300 Modifying and Combining Reliefs This image shows a rendered view of each of the separate slice layers that have been created Modifying and Combining Reliefs Page 301 Page 302 Modifying and Combining Reliefs 18 Using Bitmaps Introduction EnRoute utilizes bitmap images as a method for modifying relief surfaces Bitmaps can be useful in creating a texture that makes up part of your design They can also be useful as an efficient method for getting design information into EnRoute that might be difficult to create using other methods EnRoute utilizes the colors or grayscale shading in a bitmap image to modify the height of the relief using parameters that you provide The process of applying a bitmap to a relief is simple but it can be used in many different ways to create intricate surfaces Applying Bitmaps to a Relief The following graphic shows the dialog that is activated by the Apply Bitmap tool This function is activated by Selecting Surface Apply Bitmap or by selecting the Apply Bitmap icon from the 3D Surfaces toolbar A Height of the applied bitmap Height 0 0000 n Apply
381. the Precision Toolbar select Draw by Height and Width S Enter the parameter for the center point Enter the Height and Width values Enter the Angle parameter for the ellipse Click Apply The ellipse will be placed in the workspace D a pN If desired you can continue to draw more ellipses Left click to place more ellipses with the same parameters or enter the new values for the ellipses in the fields as before and click Apply to draw 7 Right click to end the ellipse function Page 70 Creating Contours Drawing and Ellipse by Major and Minor Axis Menu Draw Ellipse Toolbar Construction Ellipse Major and Minor Axis 1 Click the Ellipse Icon This will open the Precision Toolbar Select Ellipse by Major and 2 Left click to place the center point drag and click to define the angle of the major axis and the width of the ellipse drag and click to define the height of the ellipse Minor Axis 3 You can now change to the Ellipse by Height and Width method to continue placing ellipses with the same parameters The preview will show on the screen simply left click to place another ellipse Drawing an Ellipse by Corners Menu Draw Ellipse Toolbar Construction Ellipse Corner to Corner To draw an ellipse by identifying opposite corners of a bounding rectangle 1 Click the Ellipse Icon This will open the Precision Toolbar Select Draw from Corner to Corner i 2 Click to place the first corner the
382. the cursor indicates whether it is a line arc or curve Right clicking on a segment with the mouse opens a shortcut menu listing commands that are specific to the contour that you are working on Exit point edit Fi f 2 K Delete point s Convert to curve Cut contour Show details Pressing F2 will display the Precision Toolbar which will allow you to precisely place each point Edit Points Flyout Menu The Edit Points tools can also be accessed through the Contour Editing Toolbar Click and hold the Point Edit Tool This will open the Flyout toolbar to access other Point Edit Tools tA Pew Editing a Line Segment 1 From the Draw menu select Edit Points ra 2 Select the contour 3 Click and drag the contour points to move them 4 To convert a line into an arc click and drag on the line segment Contour Editing Page 83 5 To convert a line into a curve right click on the line and select Convert to curve Editing a Bezier Curve 1 From the Draw menu select Edit Points re Select the contour 2 3 Click and drag the contour points to move them 4 Click and drag on the handles to change the shape 5 To convert a curve into a line right click on the curve and select Convert to line Editing an Arc 1 From the Draw menu select Edit Points ra Select the contour Click and drag the contour points to move them To change the curve of an arc click on a point on the arc and drag it in or out To convert
383. the different nesting options into one interface so that it is simpler and more straightforward to use 3 Easier to nest multiples Nesting originals a copy or multiple copies of objects can all be accessed in one interface 4 Creation of sheet remnant contours As a result of the nesting process EnRoute can automatically create a contour that represents the remnant or leftover portion of the original sheet This automates a process that was previously something that users had to do manually Contours can be saved in files so that users can manage sheet remnants for future use 5 Use of sheet remnants for nesting EnRoute can now also utilize non rectangular outlines for nesting This allows users to utilize the remnant contours for nesting another step toward automating the process 6 Recognition and use of obstructions EnRoute can automatically recognize contours that are selected as nesting obstructions and will nest around these obstructions This provides a very simple way to avoid clamps on the machine or to avoid a section of the material that is not good for nesting such as knots or other defects in a solid wood panel 7 Common line contour creation for cutting As part of the block nesting process users can choose to create contours that can be used for common line cutting This is useful for cutting rectangular parts because it prevents double cutting of the parts 8 Nesting summary report
384. the driver is capable of determining how much drill information a specific machine requires and how much should be controlled by the machine For the most part you don t have to think about drills at this level but it is important to know that they differ from toolpaths There are six different strategies used to create drill points Each of these strategies is identical in the way that they create the drill points and in how Drill Cut Parameters are defined They differ in how they arrange the drill points Creating Drill Points Menu Toolpath Drill Drill Point Toolbar Toolpath Drill Drill Point The Drill Point strategy creates a single drill point at the location specified To create a drill point 1 Click Drill then Drill point 5 2 Inthe Drill Point dialog select the desired tool from the Available Tools list and click Add Tool The Sort tools by list determines the parameter that is used to sort the Available Tools list It can also filter the tools that are displayed so that only a certain type of tool is visible 3 Inthe tool listing that appears in the list of cuts at the top of the dialog set the Depth of the drill hole It is possible to enter fractional values such as 1 2 in order to let the program calculate the decimal equivalent That way it isn t necessary to remember that the decimal equivalent of 3 16 is 0 1875 4 Enter the Drill Point parameters X Coordinate These are the X and Y coordina
385. the handle and scale the selection If you also press the Shift key while dragging the handle the selection will be scaled proportionately Page 108 Arranging Contours Moving Scaling and Rotating using the Precision Input Center The Precision Input Center has been used in EnRoute historically as the method for precisely locating objects Although new tools are now available for accomplishing these tasks the Precision Input Center is still available for this purpose One of its advantages is that it provides a simple method for precisely sizing and locating objects ss B Precision Input Center lo amp ee Change to desired parameters Scale Rotate Move ok Dimensions Scale Factor 6 31 934 Width x 1 D000 Width 8 6669 Height M 1 OO00 Height fr jo ooa0 Depth Z 1 OOO Depth 2 Include toolpaths W Proportional The Precision Input Center is activated by pressing the F2 key The selection can be scaled by entering values either for Dimensions or Scale Factor In order to proportionally scale the selection make sure that the Proportional checkbox is checked Click on the OK button in order to complete the scaling activity Rotating the selection using the Precision Input Center is similar to scaling After selecting the objects to be rotated and activating the Precision Input Center click on the Rotate tab The rotation axis will be based on the active viewport From the top view you will typically
386. the image shows the result of using this option to create a new relief Note that the result is a flat relief This result is caused by the fact that a flat surface is the lowest surface over the entire area of the relief so that is the result This indicates that this option should not be used when creating new reliefs The bottom image demonstrates the result of modifying an existing relief using the same contour The relief is modified only in areas where the new profile is lower than the existing relief In areas where the new profile is higher than the existing relief the existing relief is not modified This option will likely be appropriate only in special applications Note that using the Merge Lowest option to create a new relief will result in a flat surface being created Replace The Replace option is also used primarily to modify an existing relief If it is used to create a new relief the result is the same as the Add option When it is used to modify a relief the applied profile takes the place of the existing relief wherever the new profile overlaps the existing profile The following image shows the result of the Replace option used to create and modify a relief In this image the top letter was created as a new relief The bottom relief was modified using the contour of the letter You can see that the relief created by the letter takes the place or replaces the existing relief Page 220 Creati
387. the parameters until you are satisfied with the contours Click Apply Page 322 Texture Tools 3 The contours are created with the defined overlap 4 In this image the seed contour is ae ee located in a different position and is Perils EF ae shorter TAPE k As you can see from the preview and then the contours if you are trying to texture the entire panel you would need to lengthen the seed contour so that the offset contours will cover the entire area of the panel iA anean ae i rat 7 Hi ji yr a h Texture Tools Page 323 5 Move the contours to the desired position vertically Then select the contours and add a 2D Engrave toolpath to the contours In this example a 1 inch Ball End Tool was used Make sure that the Follow contour parameter is checked Engrave Parameters 3D engrave toolpath E Follow contour e External male R Internal female R Apply relief R 6 A Routing Offset toolpath is applied to the outline contour to cut out the panel You can then simulate the toolpaths with the Simulate Ortho tool to get a good idea of how the texture will look 7 Once again we have used the same contours but we have changed the tool to 120 degree conic tool The simulation tool allows you to see the difference that the tool used will make in the final texture that will be cut Page 324 Texture Tools Example with Closed Contours C
388. the position of the text under the arrow line Gol E b Ordering Tab The Ordering tab allows you to define default ordering preferences so that when toolpaths are automatically ordered by EnRoute the order will follow your preferences The layout of this dialog is essentially the same as the ordering dialog that is presented in other tools such as Output 2D Simulate Ortho Simulate and the Rendering tool And they are all related lt is possible from each of those other ordering tools to reset the ordering to match these preferences and it is also possible to send the current ordering settings in a file to the ordering preferences For example maybe you have defined your preferences so that Routing Offset strategies come before Drill strategies And then you find that when you prepare your jobs for output you always change the Strategy Order so that the routing offsets go last From within the output dialog you can easily make those updated choices become your ordering preferences Then the next time you create a design that includes routing offsets and drills the default ordering settings will reflect the updated preferences that have the routing offset after the drills Preferences General Initialization Display Units Grid ViewSetup Relief Start Points Dimensions Ordering Priority Order Priority Order Tool Object Tool Order Strategy Strategy Order Pass Object Order Layer Z WV Small parts first
389. the tool to create only horizontal and vertical lines You can also press the F2 key to enter each starting and ending points coordinates into the Precision Input Center Enter each point s coordinates into the X Y and Z fields and click OK Polyarc Menu Draw Draw Line Toolbar Construction Draw Polyarc Draw Polyarc The new Polyarc tool allows you to construct a series of lines and arcs to form a new contour Although it is always possible to construct lines and arcs as separate entities and then join them together to form a contour this tool allows you to accomplish both tasks together After activating the Polyarc command the Precision Toolbar is activated allowing you to choose between line and arc mode The following table defines the buttons in the Precision Toolbar that present the available options for constructing lines and arcs AS Line This toggles the segment creation mode to the line mode Arc This toggles the segment creation mode to the arc mode Z Position This allows you to define a position for either the start of a segment or the end of the active segment Creating Contours Page 61 Direction This allows you to define a direction for either the line or arc you are creating If you are defining a line the direction is the direction of the line If you are defining an arc the direction is the direction of the tangent to the arc relative to the previous segment If it is the first segment
390. they are able to cut out sharp corners better when using conic tools for instance However 3D toolpaths using conic tools require a tremendous number of computations in order to accurately and reliably create the desired effect For the user it is a simple matter of deciding if the toolpaths should be 2D or 3D The software then performs the required computations to create the appropriate type of toolpaths If you are defining a deep engrave strategy it is often better to use a fill strategy with a 3D Clean Working with Toolpaths Page 171 pass so that if the engrave toolpath doesn t go all the way to the bottom the fill tool can finish milling the bottom surface 1 Select the contour you want the toolpath to follow 2 Click Engrave uy 3 Inthe Engrave dialog select the desired tool from the Available Tools list Click Add Tool The Sort tools by list determines the parameter that is used to sort the Available Tools list It can also filter the tools that are displayed so that only a certain type of tool is visible Only those tools that are capable of engraving including conic engrave and tapered tools may be defined as engrave cuts The first tool in the list is always defined as the Engrave tool and it is typically used as the main cutting tool Any additional tools serve as Rough tools primarily used to remove excess material The typical scenario in the case of a deep engraving toolpath is to define a Rough cut that
391. this table will change depending on the active design application This is controlled by the information that is provided by each application Editable columns in the KP2t table Automatic Toolpath Setup C Program Files EnRov lt 3 AutoTP AAStanda da tp loj x Define Layers Ordering and Nesting KCDw Set r m alae design2 shop design2_CNCList txt Number of Parts 128 Clear Unit a Allow Rotation u Fot Part Name width Length Thickness Material Type Nie Quantity Rotate Angle Mirrored or Back M Drawer Sides 3 5000 20 0000 0 7500 3 4 Plywood 1 2 m O oo A O F M Drawer Ends Front 3 5000 20 5000 0 7500 3 4 Plywood 1 180 10 O F IV Drawer Ends Back 3 5000 205000 0 7500 3 4 Plywood 1 A O o0 A O F MV Drawer Bottom 19 6875 19 1875 0 2500 1 4 Plywood 1 180 oo O F IV Drawer Sides 5 5000 20 0000 0 7500 3 4 Plywood 1 2m O 10 A E F M Drawer Ends Front 5 5000 20 5000 0 7500 3 4 Plywood 1 1 E omo H o F M Drawer Ends Back 5 5000 205000 0 7500 3 4 Plywood 1 130 10 sO F M Drawer Bottom 19 6875 191875 0 2500 1 4 Plywood 1 1 o 00 A O F M Drawer Sides 5 5000 20 0000 O 7500 3 4 Plywood 1 2 M O oo H O F M Drawer Ends Front 5 5000 20 5000 0 7500 3 4 Plywood 1 180 10 O F xl Load Process Active Save Process Files Save As Process KCDw Close Automatic Toolpaths It is possible to process multiple jobs simply by adding more than one list file to the list of pa
392. tion The following image shows an example of a printout of a job processed in the ATP a te iosk_1_01_Side_Left_OO1F fiosk_1_01_Side_Right_O01F kiosk_1_01_Door_Blank 003Fikiosk_1_01_Door_Blank_001F t A jt kiosk_1_01_Bottom_001F Create label output This tells EnRoute to generate label output using the parameters defined in the Label Settings on this dialog Labels provide a higher level of tracking ability for the parts This is an option that can be added to the standard EnRoute Wood package that allows you to design and generate individual labels for each part that you process in the ATP Labels can form a key part of a manufacturing process EnRoute uses an XML format that makes it easy for design applications to provide a wide range of information to EnRoute that can be passed along to each label Information about edge banding customer finishes or virtually any other information can be included in labels Following is an example label It was designed to include standard information about the filename dimensions and material It also includes a thumbnail view of the nested sheet that shows which part this label is for along with an arrow that indicates the orientation of the part on the sheet Automatic Toolpaths Page 395 Filename kiosk_1_01_Door_Blank_003F dxf Dimensions 21 825 X 19 825 X TO Name Door Blank Material 3 4 Plywood Output Settings These two parameters
393. tiple contours using one of the following methods e Hold down the SHIFT key and click on the contours one after the other e Click and drag to draw a selection box around the contours e From the Edit menu select Select All to select all contours in the current design Automatic Sorting for Open Curves Containers and Holes Whenever one or more contours are selected the software automatically checks to see whether the contours are open curves containers or holes By default all closed curves are classified as containers If a closed contour is completely contained within another closed contour the outside contour is identified as a container and the inside contour is identified as a hole in that container The contour of the hole forms an inner edge to the container contour The following illustration shows two contours being selected converted to a container and hole and being filled with a Hatch Fill toolpath By default open curves are color coded purple containers are color coded blue and holes are color coded red Cutting Copying and Pasting Contours Menu Edit Cut or Paste Toolbar File Cut or Paste To cut and paste contours 1 Select the contours to cut do 3 Select the design where the contours are to be pasted 2 From the Edit menu choose Cut or press Ctrl X Arranging Contours Page 105 4 From the Edit menu choose Paste or press Ctrl V E When there is more than one design window
394. to curves so that you can then apply toolpaths Textures Toolbar Textures x zi mn E A E AN i E Id te mia Ed i si ph pf Basic Noise Texture This texture creates a bumpy surface using just a power parameter and the scale of the texture Brick Texture This is a simple Bricks and Mortar texture that can be applied to reliefs Page 44 Toolbars and Command Icons Cellular Texture Cellular Texture breaks up space into cells or regions appear to be selected to fit together but have a random grain direction Flame Texture Flames texture simulates the look of flames i Flagstone Texture Flagstone texture simulates a mosaic of stone tiles The stones ts Hammered Texture This texture can create many different looks of textures Hexes Texture Hexes texture produces a hexagonal or honeycomb pattern ed Marble Texture Marble texture produces a pattern of veins in the relief Mudpot Texture The Mudpot texture basically looks like the surface of bubbling mud ge MultiCell Texture The MultiCell texture is related to the cellular texture but with more control parameters Cellular texture breaks up space into cells or regions The point being evaluated falls into one cell The texture calculates the distance to the center of that cell and centers of adjoining cells Combining these distances gives different effects Ea MultiFract Texture MultiFract texture can be generally describ
395. to sort the cuts by tool type in the Tool stage of the sorting process For example if a 1 end mill tool will be used to cut separate pieces out of the plate you should make that tool the lowest priority so that any other cuts that need to be made to the piece will be made before it is separated from the plate Reordering Tools Drag the tool entries up and down in the list to assign their priorities Click on the row header on the left edge of the entry to select it then drag the entry up or down by the header Defining Tools as Unused Clearing the check box in the Use column to the right of a tool will prevent any cuts that use that tool from being output Setting the Strategy Order Clicking the Strategy Order button displays the Strategies list which lists the priorities assigned to the different toolpath strategies that appear in the design These settings are used to sort the cuts by strategy in the Strategy stage of the sorting process For example if you used the same contours to create both male and female Routing Offset toolpaths for an inlay job you would not want to send both strategies to the machine at the same time because you would use different material to cut out the male offset than you would for the female offset So you would move one of the strategies lower on the list or even mark it unused Drag the strategy entries up and down in the list to assign their priorities Click on the row header on the left e
396. to the geometry of the contour EnRoute will automatically determine the cut type based on the strategy type and the order of cuts applied in the strategy Any available options are presented so that the user may choose the desired cut type for the selected tool In routing offsets the first cut defined is automatically defined as the Rough cut This may typically be to the only tool defined in the strategy If a second cut is defined it is designated as a Clean cut and its defined width has the effect of moving the Rough cut away from the geometry by the defined amount The Clean cut type allows the Rough cut to remove material around the perimeter of the finished part to be followed by the Clean cut which finishes the final cutout of the part It is now possible to also include a Fine cut on routing offsets The Fine tool has Working with Toolpaths Page 145 always been available with Island and Hatch fills and it now serves a similar purpose with routing offsets The Fine tool is intended to be able to fit into corners and tight areas in the design into which the rough tool or the clean tool can t fit The following graphic illustrates the letter a being cut with three different strategies The first only uses a Rough cut the second uses both Rough and Clean cuts and the third employs the same Rough and Clean cuts and also adds a Fine cut to ensure that all parts of the geometry can be reached There are lots of ways to
397. to the relief Step 2 The profile i passed around one side of the relief The shape of the relief after Step 2 Step 2 The profile is passed around the other side The final shape of the relief Notice that the profile was truncated where it was cut off in Step 3 The following image shows how this looks with a relief in EnRoute Standard Chamfer Dialog Activate the Chamfer dialog by clicking on the Chamfer icon h or by selecting the Surface menu item and then Chamfer Chamfer Prior to activating the command select the relief you want edit If you want to use separate contours to create the chamfered surface and then have this applied to the selected relief then you also need to select these contours before activating the Chamfer dialog You can edit more than one relief with a chamfer operation just by selecting all of the reliefs you want to edit before you start the command Chamfering Page 265 S Chamfer Parameters n o w Chamfer Contours Base 0 0000 a Select the chamfering contour forthe shapes f geng Miter BA B aS oS IY Centerline L lt Fe Application Method to modify the selected relief Wizard prompts Application Method All of the options for applying the results of this operation are the same as the options described in the chapter on relief creation The options for Add Subtract Merge Highest Merge Lowest and Replace ae Sse all apply to the selec
398. toCAD to generate their designs and then would like to process these designs in EnRoute This option makes it easy to accomplish this task Process lt Active Design Application gt This button processes the files that have been specified for the active design application The button text changes depending on which design application is active For example if KCDw is the active design application the button will read Process KCDw Selecting the Active Design Application If you are using one of the supported design applications this should be set first before starting the process of defining the layer mapping and processing files After this has been set EnRoute will remember this setting so it won t be necessary to define it again unless you change design applications To set this parameter click on the Setup tab and select the desired application from the list in the dropdown as shown below 2 Automatic Toolpath Setup C Program Files EnRoute 3 AutoTP AAStandard atp Define Layers Ordering and Nesting KCDw Setup Design application Kuy Dutput Options iJe Extreme JV Create output file FlexiCABS Output Settings Label Settings Output Path C dnefiles KCDW Label Design zj linet ETE henn Label Format File X Automatic Toolpaths Page 379 Note Notice that it is possible to select No active application as an option too If this option is selected then individual DXF f
399. tools that are displayed so that only a certain type of tool is visible 4 Inthe tool listing that appears in the list of cuts at the top of the dialog set the Depth of the Cut It is possible to enter fractional values such as 1 2 in order to let the program calculate the decimal equivalent That way it isn t necessary to remember that the decimal equivalent of 3 16 is 0 1875 Page 174 Working with Toolpaths 5 Add additional cuts using other tools as necessary The first tool in the list is always defined as the Pyramid tool and it is typically used as the main cutting tool The second tool is defined as the Rough tool and is primarily used to remove excess material The Rough tool is typically a medium sized end mill tool The third tool is defined as the Offset tool and is used to cut around the outside of the Pyramid cut either to create a relief or to cut the pyramid away from the surrounding plate 6 Set the Pyramid parameters Return Height Move to The height of any vertical edge that is to be created below the beveled portion of the contour In order for the return height to be meaningful it is necessary to move the toolpath down to the bottom of the material so that the return will be created when the pieces are cut out Surface Depth Plate Cut Depth Thickness Return Height If checked the bottom edge of the return height if any will be aligned with the Working with To
400. ts Icon This will open the flyout menu click on the Smooth Approximation Tool Icon aa 2 Click on the contour to place the first point 3 Click on the contour to place the second point This will show a pink preview of the new segment At this point you can adjust the new points and use the handles to change the shape of the new segment 4 Once you get the new portion of the segment to look the way you want it press the Enter key to accept the change Noise Distortion Menu Transform Distort Noise Distortion Toolbar Object Edit Scale Distort Add Noise to contours or Contour Editing Edit Points Add Noise to contours One of the common criticisms of the computer aided designs particularly for creative applications is that the designs typically look computer generated Everything is too precise and too perfect Successful designers often create imperfections in their designs in order to make them look more natural The Rapid Texture tool that was introduced in EnRoute 4 has been very successful at offering a method of creating surfaces that look natural and therefore interesting to the eye EnRoute 5 extends the ways that you can introduce noise into your designs by providing noise distortion tools for contours toolpaths and reliefs By defining parameters you can introduce distortions ranging from very small to dramatic The goal is to provide creative tools that allow you to create effects that make your
401. tudio EnRoute imports 3D files saved using this format e STL STereo Lithography is a standard method created for sharing 3D mesh surface data EnRoute imports STL mesh objects Creating 3D Meshes with EnRoute Tools Within EnRoute there are a number of ways to create 3D meshes Most of these methods are described in detail along with the tools that provide this option Refer to the manual sections that describe the Revolve Spin Extrude and Sweep Two Rails functions to see how to create these types of mesh objects Primitives Menu Surface Create Primitive Toolbar 3D Surfaces Create Primitive Objects i The Primitives tool is used to create a range of basic 3D shapes These shapes can be used to build more complex shapes or they can be used as design elements in your relief You likely won t need them too often but they can come in handy Sphere Cylinder Cone Plane Box Page 278 Using 3D Meshes To access the Primitives dialog click the Primitives icon fy or select the Surface menu and then click Create Primitive The following dialog will be activated oe 0000 al Slices E Radius 1 0000 l Create i 0 0000 al Stacks 12 al Height 1 0000 al Close 0 0000 iw Close bottom Primitive selection buttons Selected Primitive Parameters Whichever primitive button is active will activate the parameters for that primitive type The parameters are similar between primitive
402. types but they are specific to that type The following table lists the different parameter types along with an explanation of what that parameter defines X Y and Z These are the coordinates for the location of the center of the primitive This is the number of sections either around the circumference of the object or along one axis This is the number of sections along one axis typically the z axis of the object This is half the diameter of a circular dimension of the object This is the z dimension of the object This is the dimension along one axis of the object such as X Size Sweep Angle For the Torus object this is the number of degrees of the sweep of the object around the outer radius Close top or Close Bottom You can choose whether Cylinders Cones and Boxes should have surfaces that cover their tops and bottoms Using 3D Meshes Page 279 Applying Meshes to a Relief Menu Surface Apply Mesh Toolbar 3D Surfaces Apply Mesh to Relief After meshes are created or imported their primary function is to be used to modify relief surfaces The Apply Mesh gt In order to enable the Apply Mesh function it is necessary to have at least one relief and one mesh in your selection After selection a mesh and a relief click on the Apply Mesh icon gt or select the Surface menu and Apply Mesh to activate the dialog To complete the function just click on the Apply button tool is used to acco
403. ubtract tool 1 Select the contour you want to subtract from 2 Select the other contours to subtract from the first 3 Click and hold Weld then Weld Subtract ra Arranging Contours Page 125 Weld Jigsaw Menu Transform Weld Weld Jigsaw Toolbar Object Edit Weld Weld Jigsaw The Weld Jigsaw tool allows you to create shapes based on the apparent intersections of contours in your design After activating the Jigsaw tool you can move the cursor over the contours in your design and the software will outline closed shapes that it might create Contours that are on different levels will act as though they are on the same level When you find the closed shape you want just click in the shape and that closed contour will be created in place in the design You can then drag to the shape away from the existing contours Note in the example above that the Jigsaw tool works with any type of graphic in the design including both closed and open contours This can be very useful when constructing closed shapes for toolpathing The traditional CAD method of construction would require constructing lines and curves and then trimming them at intersection points followed by joining them to create a closed shape That method still works but the Jigsaw tool can often get to the same result in fewer steps 1 Click and hold Weld then Weld Jigsaw F Move the cursor over your design to see the contours that can be created by the tool
404. uge into the relief Apply Overcut Overcut amount Fills Only allows EnRoute to compensate for the characteristics of the ball end mills used to create 3D objects Without this parameter the outside edges of your object would have a scalloped effect Overcut allows the toolpath to be created OUTSIDE the boundaries of the relief to eliminate this problem As a rule of thumb overcut should be set to a little less than 12 the tool diameter on the finish pass Apply to surface Wf Carve into surface Apply Overcut a Overcut amount 0 5000 Page 354 3D Toolpaths Cut Definition Parameters In the Cut Definition dialog there are a few more parameters that are new in 3D Cut Definition Cut Templates z Current Tool 3 8 End Mill i Cancel Pot terms Curent Value Urt a Save as Cut type Fill Library Depths Fill Passes Gl Hl 4 Feeds and Speeds Ce ll E Ent E sit Parameters Oper In the Depths section Offset from surface allows you to set how close you want the toolpaths to follow the surface of the relief Usually this is defined for a roughing pass to ensure that the roughing pass does not damage the finished surface The offset distance is determined by many factors including type of material type of tool roughing and finish and how fast you want the roughing pass to run Depths Surface 0 0000 i Final Depth 7500 Offset from surface 0 2000 Step Rough E The following show
405. ur in EnRoute 3 Select the square contour and create a 100 dpi limited height beveled relief using an angle of 45 degrees 4 Select the relief and the clipart and then select the Baroque Chamfer icon At 5 Click on the Add icon to select that option 6 Select the Limit Height application method Define Height 0 50 and Base 0 0 8 The wizard is prompting to select the chamfer profile contour for the outside curves Click on the Outside open contour be profile to select it Click on _ 4 gt ZA x the forward arrow Select the chamfering contour for the shapes al 9 The wizard is prompting to y mn select the chamfer profile Select the chamfering contour for the holes a contour for the inside Optional curves Click on the inside be sti a profile to 4 gt y x 10 Click on the Execute button to complete the command Chamfering Page 275 11 The following shows a rendered perspective view of the resulting relief Page 276 Chamfering 16 Using 3D Meshes Introduction The 3D modeling process uses 3D surfaces to define and depict the objects in the design There are several different ways to accomplish this In EnRoute reliefs are used as the method for defining and manipulating 3D surfaces that are used to create toolpaths for output Another common method of defining 3D objects is as 3D meshes These obje
406. urn you to the previous zoom display Zoom to Extents of Selection Use the Zoom Selection command to display the selected group in the current layout Zoom to Extents of all Objects Use the Zoom to the Extents command to display all design objects in the current file This will include the plate if one is defined Toolbars and Command Icons Settings Toolbar 1 Define Layers F7 This icon activates a dialog that allows the user to manage the layers that are used to store drawing elements Within this dialog you can specify the active layer Change Layers Activates a dialog that allows you to change the layer to store the current selection Toggle the layers toolbar Opens or closes the layers toolbar Toggle the snaps toolbar Opens or closes the snaps toolbar Precision Input Tool Opens the Precision Input Dialog Libraries Toolbar Libraries x Fei UE iy Redefine the Current Plate This activates the dialog to define the plate in the current drawing The Plate provides a good reference during the design process and it also provides a means of making sure that toolpaths stay within the limits of the material you are using Create Plate from Selected Contour This tool allows the user to select a contour shape to be used as the plate This allows for the easy use of remnant materials Material Library F4 The Material Library provides a method for customizing settings
407. used to manually set the order of the objects T as they will be used to generate output The user can define the order using different methods for sorting the objects or define the specific order by selecting the sequence with this tool Page 32 Toolbars and Command Icons Object Edit Toolbar Object Edit x bar i pi t AB is 2 a wo P eto nd Selection Tool This is the main selection tool in EnRoute for selecting rotating and scaling objects Move Tool Shift F5 This tool allows the user to precisely move an object Scale Shift F6 This tool is used to precisely scale objects By selecting a group of objects and then clicking on the scale icon the user can enter precise size or scale information to change the size of the selection Rotate Shift F7 This tool is used to either interactively or precisely rotate selected objects Mirror Object Shift F8 This tool is used to interactively mirror an object Group Ctrl G This command is used to group two or more objects together so they may be selected and manipulated as a unit After the objects have been placed in a group they can be selected as a group by clicking on any member of the group Also they may be released to return them to their original state as separate objects Ungroup Ctrl U This command is used to release objects from a group to their Original state as separate objects Alignment This icon can be u
408. utilize different cut types along with different cut depths in order to accomplish complex cutting tasks in EnRoute Depths Surface This is the distance from the top of the plate to the top of the cut A large Depth portion of the time this will be left at the default value of 0 00 There are times however when it may be appropriate for the Surface to be set down from the top of the plate possibly if this cut is to be performed after another cut that has removed part of the material depth Final This is the depth of the cut measured from the Surface depth If the Depth Surface depth is set to 0 00 then the Final Depth is measured from the top of the plate If the Surface depth is greater than 0 00 then the Final Depth will be measured starting from the Surface Depth For example a Surface Depth of 0 50 and a Final Depth of 0 50 would produce an actual cut depth of 1 00 Passes Number This shows the number of passes that will be created EnRoute calculates the minimum number of passes required based on the Final Depth and the Max per Pass that is allowed for the selected tool It is not possible to define a number of passes less than the minimum but it is quite common to define the number of passes greater than the minimum in order to reduce the amount of material that is removed with each pass Max This value is initially calculated based on the dimensions of the selected Per tool However it is possible to reduce this value in orde
409. ve down into the material on a diagonal line as viewed from the side Points Arcs Lines Not all toolpath start points may be moved and not all start points are eligible to include Entry Exit toolpaths Generally this type of editing is most applicable to Routing Offset toolpaths Moving Eniry Exit Points Menu Toolpath Edit Entry Exit To move an entry exit point 1 Select the toolpaths you want to edit Page 178 Working with Toolpaths 2 From the Toolpath menu select Edit Entry Exit 3 Click on the entry exit point and drag it to its new location along the toolpath Moving entry exit points on a toolpath can use the snap settings to more precisely locate the desired point Moving Entry Exit Points for Individual Cutting Passes By default each of the cutting passes for a given cut will have identical entry exit points When you move the entry exit points for one you move them for all of the cutting passes To move the entry exit points for a single cutting pass 1 Press F10 2 Inthe View Setup tab of the Setup Preferences dialog set Depth to the cutting depth of the pass you want to edit 3 Click OK Only the single cutting pass at this depth is displayed editable 4 Select the toolpath you want to edit 5 From the Toolpath menu select Edit Entry Exit 6 Click on the entry exit point and drag it to its new location along the toolpath 7 Press F10 8 Inthe View Setup tab of the Setup Preferenc
410. volutions and Extrusions 12 Click on the Execute button to complete the command 13 An object similar to the one shown to the right will be created 14 This image shows a rendered view of the object You can adjust the number of Slices and Stacks to change the smoothness of the object Revolutions and Extrusions Page 245 Extrude Menu Surface Create Surfaces Extrude Toolbar 3D Surfaces Extrude G The Extrude tool provides a means to extrude a profile or profiles along a path to either modify a relief or create a mesh object While the previous two tools are used to spin and revolve profiles around a central axis this tool creates its surface along a path Otherwise it is very similar to the Spin and Revolve tools Two options that provide some additional flexibility include the ability to change the size of the profiles as they are extruded and the ability to rotate the profiles as they are extruded These options allow you to create some interesting surfaces as will be demonstrated in the examples in this section The image below shows an extrusion where the profile was rotated as it was extruded Page 246 Revolutions and Extrusions Extrude Dialog Selecting the Extrude icon G or selecting the Surface menu and then Create Surface and Extrude will activate the Extrude dialog This dialog allows you to select the appropriate options and parameters required to create the new surface
411. w documents when they are opened Check to display designs in the 4 view mode by default Prompt for Plate Check to open the Define Plate dialog automatically when a new design Page 22 Getting Started Small Part Size Threshold Solutions Path Display Tab This parameter is used by EnRoute for selecting small parts when the option to output small parts first is selected in the output dialog This defines the path of any installed 3 party applications that provide additional functionality to EnRoute The Display tab allows the user to define which colors are associated with the different types of drawing elements To change a color 1 Double click on the color you want to change 2 Select the color desired and click OK 3 Click OK to exit and save any changes Show Layer Colors Update Buttons Real time rendered panning Check this box to show the colors assigned to the individual layers This should typically be checked It allows EnRoute to update buttons so that buttons are only enabled when they are appropriate based on the current status of the selected objects If it is not checked then buttons will be left enabled even though they might not be functional EnRoute now offers the ability to have full time rendered move pan rotate of reliefs in the perspective view allowing users to spin their designs around to better understand how they will look when completed If real time panning for s
412. want the scale operation to be proportional make sure this checkbox is checked If you want to make a copy of the selection make sure this checkbox is checked Enter either the desired Size or Scale Factor Choose the desired corner to serve as the anchor point for the scaling operation oS ot ok pe e Click on the Apply button to perform the scaling operation Arranging Contours Page 113 To Scale a selection interactively 1 Select the objects to be scaled Click on the Scale Icon a select it from the Transform menu or press Shift F6 Choose the scaling option you prefer z Lie In this case choose Scale Two ey Dimensions Click on the point you would like as the anchor point for the scaling operation This can be a specific point if you would like the selection to remain in a specific location or it can be any point on the screen if the location is not important This point is the start point of the reference line Click on another point that will serve as the end point of the reference line Again this point can be a specific point so that the reference line is a specific length or it can be any point in the view The next point defines the length of the scaling line The scale factor for the scaling operation is based on the proportional length of the reference line relative to the scaling line Both lengths are defined from the anchor point After the scaling line is defined then the scaling ope
413. y When a new design is created the Define Plate dialog opens The Define Plate dialog allows you to specify the dimensions of the material on which you are working as well as the type of material Working with Files Page 53 The following options are available User Defined Fit Plate to Design Fit Plate to Selection Width Height Thickness X Y Origin X Y Margin Surface Option Material OK Cancel Save As Remove Material Library If this option is selected you can enter the Origin Width and Height of the material to be used If this option is selected a plate will automatically be created with height and width values based on the current design If this option is selected a plate will be created based on the currently selected contours The measurement of the plate along the X axis The measurement of the plate along the Y axis The measurement of the plate along the Z axis The X Y Origin is the position of the lower left corner of the plate If a margin is entered a second dashed rectangle is created on the inside of the plate s edges The margin is used to help create the layout It can be very helpful for masking out the locations of clamps Surface at top of plate tells the program that you have set the surface at the top of the material If you choose surface at bottom of plate this means that you will set the surface at the top of the table or bottom of the material
414. y given Strategy template for more than one cut depth or thickness of material Design Depth refers to the depth that the selected Strategy was configured for When Strategy Templates are created the strategy is specified with a specific depth If a routing offset depth is set to a depth of 0 50 inches then this is the depth at which toolpaths will be created when this strategy is applied If this strategy is used to cut out material that is 0 50 inches thick then this works great However if also want to use this same strategy to cut out material that is 0 75 inches thick there could be a problem The Design Depth parameter helps solve the problem In this case would set Design Depth to 0 50 inches and click on Use Depth to put a check in the checkbox When the DXF geometry is created by the design application it is typically placed at the depth at which it is intended to cut Contours that are to be cut at 0 50 inches are placed 0 50 inches below zero in the vertical Z axis If Design Depth is specified and Use Depth is checked EnRoute uses the vertical position of the contour to determine whether to automatically adjust the Strategy depth Page 386 Automatic Toolpaths In our example if the contour is at 0 50 then no changes are made but if the contour is at say 0 75 then the strategy would be modified to have a depth of 0 75 This means that the same strategy could be assigned to layers that will import geometry at d
415. y removed the points at which the contour crosses itself will be indicated with contour loop indicators Check to display direction arrows on open contours Page 24 Getting Started Popup menu Check to enable a right click with the mouse to bring up a popup menu for the on Right Click tool you are using Toolpath Items Toolpaths Check this box to display the toolpaths Direction Check this box to display direction arrows on toolpaths Entry Exit Check this box and the Start Point to display the Entry Exit positions for each toolpath Bridges Check this box to display the location of toolpath bridges Start Check this box to display a small circle with an X in the middle at the start point of Point each toolpath If you want to see Lead In Lead Out toolpaths make sure the Start Point is turned on also Toolpath The Width option determines how toolpaths are displayed on screen There are two Width options Lines The toolpaths are displayed as lines with directional arrows Default By The toolpaths are displayed using the diameter of the tool used to create Tool the toolpath This option will give you a better idea of what the final piece will look like after it has been machined The Simulate 2D command located in the Machining Menu will show the same thing as the By Tool option in addition to showing the cutting sequence Depth This option controls how the depth of the toolpaths affects the way they are displayed All All
416. yer is added to the bottom of the list and is automatically selected as the current layer Delete Layers Select the layer and click Delete If there are contours contained in that layer you will be asked to confirm your action If you delete the layer its contents will also be deleted Remove Empty Click on the Remove Empty button to remove all layers that are empty This is useful in helping to clean up a drawing by removing empty layers Rename a Layer Edit the text in the Name column for that layer Highlight and type the new name Change the Color Click on the color displayed in the Color column for that layer A standard of a Layer Windows color selector window will open Select the new color and click OK Moving Layers To move a layer select the layer and click on Move Up or Move Down You can also move a layer by dragging the row header at the left edge of the list Hide or Display In the On and Off column check On to display a layer Off to hide it The Layers current layer cannot be hidden Getting Started Page 19 Lock a Layer Unlock a Layer Save Changes and Exiting Cancel Changes Check the box in the Lock column to lock a layer Contours contained in a locked layer cannot be edited or deleted Clear the box in the Lock column to unlock the layer The current layer cannot be locked Click OK to save all changes and close the dialog Click Cancel to close the dialog without saving any changes Changing a C

EnRoute 5 - EnRoute Software

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