The Lathe Settings Dialog box

The Lathe Settings dialog box contains all of the settings related to the current machine in use.

Machine Page

Machine

• • Make - Designates the make of the desired machine to narrow the actual machine choices down.

  • Model - Sets the model of the machine in use and sets the post processor to use in the Posting page.

NC File Path

• • Select - Sets the folder to which BobCAM saves the finished NC program.

  • Nc File Extension - Sets the file extension that BobCAM automatically adds to the finished NC program file.

Machine Parameters Page

Tolerances

• • Machining - This sets the default tolerance to achieve in the NC program and toolpath. A larger number results in less NC program code but also causes a poorer finish on the part. A smaller setting improves the part, but may cause BobCAM to generate much more NC program code.

  • Spline Facet - When BobCAM breaks up spline entities into lines and arcs for machining, this setting governs how far away the resulting entities can be from the mathematically correct spline. A larger number results in less NC program code but a much less accurate part, and a smaller number produces a more accurate part but may generate more NC program code than desired.

  • Canned Cycle Shift - The shift amount for Type II roughing cycles when under cutting is necessary.

Posting Page

Post Processor

• • Select - Click Select to choose a new .LathePst post processor file to override the default post processor used for the current machine.

Program

• • Number - Change this number to assign a different NC program number in the posted NC program.

Sequence Numbers

• • Start Number - The number in this box designates the starting line number for events in the NC program if the machine is configured to output them.

  • Sequence # Increment - This sets the number to be added to each subsequent line number for the next line.

Sequence Numbers

• • Output Subprograms - Select this check box to allow BobCAM to generate repetitive subprograms in the posted output, if the post processor is set up to do so, to save on machine memory.

  • Subprogram Start # - This sets the first subprogram number that is used in the finished output.

  • Subprogram # Increment - If more than one subprogram is generated, this box sets the number added to the previous subprogram for the next.

Toolpath Output

• • Theoretical Point - BobCAM generates a toolpath from the theoretical point of the tool (the intersection of two tangent lines extending from the extents of the cutting area of the tool).

  • Cutting Arc Center - BobCAM generates the toolpath from the arc center of the tool (inside the extents of the cutting portion of the tool by the size of the tool nose radius).

Comments Page

User Comments

• • 1-15 - This list allows you to add additional comments that are displayed in the program at various points. The post processor configuration file must be set up to specify where each comment appears in the posted output.

• • Output Automatic Comments - If this check box is selected the system outputs the normal feature comments into the program.

• • Output User Comments - If this check box is selected the comments entered into this page are included in the posted program.