CAMWorks provides a wizard for defining features that are not recognized automatically or features that need to be defined for your facility’s machining requirements. Wrapped features can be defined interactively for 4th/5th Axis indexing.

2½ Axis Milling includes automatic roughing, contouring (finishing), thread milling and single point (drilling, boring, reaming, tapping) cycles to machine prismatic features.

• Machining algorithms use the latest toolpath and gouge protection methods.
• Cutting cycles provide fast, error-free toolpaths.
• Toolpath optimization based on grid or shortest path method.
• Arc fit splines for Rough, Contour and Face Mill operations.
• Insert Contain and Avoid Areas for Rough and Contour operations.
• Depth processing by area or by level for Rough and Contour operations. 
• Option to automatically generate an Entry Drill operation for Rough and Contour operations.
  

• Canned cycle support: drill, pecking, high speed pecking, variable pecking, bore, bore w/dwell, back boring, fine boring, counter boring, ream, ream w/dwell, tapping, reverse tapping.
• Specify machining depth to tool tip or full tool diameter (drill, bore, tap, ream, and thread mill operations).
• Countersink and center drill operations: automatic calculation of machining depth based on tool size/shape, countersink diameter.

• Patterns: zigzag, zig, pocket in/out, spiral in/out, plunge rough, offset roughing.
• Methods to determine Z machining depth: exact, equal, distance along, exact – island tops, distance along – island tops.
• Wedge machining.
• Option to generate additional roughing passes above islands.
• Machine entire feature or calculate toolpath from WIP or from previous leftover.
• Entry types: plunge, entry drill, ramp, entry hole, spiral, ramp on leadin.
• Retract types: hole center, length & angle.
• Options to generate high-speed toolpaths with no sharp corners.

A Face Mill operation generates toolpaths on a Face feature to square or face off the top of a part.

• Number of passes can be calculated automatically or user defined.
• Option to specify one pass down the middle of the part.

A Contour Mill operation removes material by following the profile shape of pockets, slots, bosses, etc.

• Spring passes.
• Corner machining controls including high speed options for internal corners.
• Methods to determine Z machining depth: exact, equal, distance along.
• Reverse cut direction from level to level when processing to depth by region.
• Reduce and eliminate unnecessary moves when contour machining features with multiple depths and side passes.
• Generate roughing-style toolpath to machine the bottom of a Pocket, Slot, Corner Slot, Open Pocket or Face Feature.
• Change start location for perimeter or any island within the perimeter.
• Leadin/leadout: arc, perpendicular, parallel, none.
• Entry types: entry drill, entry hole, spiral, none.
• Retract types: XY position of the last tool motion, hole center (hole or circular pockets), user-defined.
• Multiple bottom finish options.
• Toolpath diameter compensation, leadins/leadouts, define side to machine when cutting Curve feature.
• Thread milling.