Manufacturing > Milling > Face Milling > To Create a Face Milling NC Sequence
  
To Create a Face Milling NC Sequence
1. Ensure that the active operation references a Mill or Mill/Turn workcell..
2. Click Mill > Face. The Face Milling tab opens.
 
* You can also create or edit a step from the Process Manager. For details, see To Insert a Milling Step.
3. Select , , , or for milling on Head 1, Head 2, Head 3, or Head 4.
 
* The Head Selector options are available only if the operation references a Mill-Turn or Lathe, and if both heads are activated in the work center.
4. Click Tool Manager or select Edit Tools from the tool list box to open the Tools Setup dialog box and add a new cutting tool or change tool parameters. The tool list only includes tools that are valid for the step.
 
* To show tools for the current step and the active head on the machine tool, set the INCLUDE_ALL_TOOLS_IN_LIST option to YES.
Alternatively, right-click in the graphics window and select Tools.
5. To preview the cutting tool and its orientation in the graphics window, click to the right of the tool list box. The button becomes available once a tool is selected.
Alternatively, right-click the graphics window and select the Tool Preview option on the shortcut menu. After you select a tool, the Tool Preview option is available on the shortcut menu of the graphics window.
To exit the tool preview, right-click the graphics window and select Cancel tool preview from the shortcut menu.
6. To change the coordinate system that defines the orientation of the step, click the collector adjacent to and select a coordinate system. If the operation coordinate system differs from the step coordinate system, right-click the collector for the following commands:
◦ Default—Replaces the selected coordinate system with the default reference. The default is the orientation that is copied from the previous step or from the operation.
◦ Information—Displays the information of the selected coordinate system.
 
* After you specify a coordinate system for an NC sequence, it remains in effect until you change it.
Alternatively, right-click the graphics window and select Orientation from the shortcut menu.
7. On the References tab, select Surface or Mill Window from the Type list.
Select a Mill Window or a plane, or select several coplanar faces parallel to the retract plane. You can also create features asynchronously using the options in the Geometry group on the Face Milling tab.
 
* To use a Mill Window as a machining reference automatically, select the Mill Window before creating a Face Milling step. The collector on the References tab populates the Mill Window and sets the Type option to Mill Window.
8. On the Parameters tab, specify the required manufacturing parameters.
You can also click to copy parameters from an earlier step or click to edit parameters specific to face milling. By default, the required parameters are defined by relations that you can modify from the Relations dialog box.
Alternatively, right-click the graphics window and select Parameters from the shortcut menu.
9. On the Clearance tab, optionally specify the following:
◦ Retract—Specify the Type, Reference, Orientation, and Value for the retract definition
◦ Start and End Points—Specify the Start point and End Point for the step tool path.
Alternatively, right-click the graphics window and select Retract. You can also select the Start Point and End Point of the cutting tool from the shortcut menu.
10. On the Options tab, optionally select or provide values for the following options:
◦ Cutting Tool Adapter
—Select a part or assembly to use as a cutting tool adapter.
◦ Entry Point—Select or create an entry point for the cut motion.
◦ Approach Axis—Select an axis to be used by the tool as an approach to the surface being machined.
◦ First Slice Only—Applies the approach motion to the first slice.
◦ Exit Axis—Select an axis to be used by the tool as an exit to the surface being machined.
◦ Last Slice Only—Applies the exit motion to the last slice.
Alternatively, right-click the graphics window and select Approach Axis, Exit Axis, and Entry Point from the shortcut menu.
11. Select options on the Tool Motions tab to create, modify, and delete tool motions and CL commands for defining cut motions. For details on all the tool motions, see the topics under Related Links.
Alternatively, right-click the graphics window and select Tool Motion Options.
 
* The Return to Step Options option on the shortcut menu in the graphics window enables you to switch from editing tool motions and editing step references. This option is available only when all references for tool path computation are successfully defined.
12. Click to get a dynamic preview of the tool path in the graphics window.
13. On the Process tab, optionally use any of the following options for the machining step:
◦ Calculated Time—Click to automatically calculate the machining time for the step. The Calculated Time box shows the time.
◦ Actual Time—Specify the machining time.
◦ Prerequisites—Click . The Select Step dialog box opens. Select an existing step that is a prerequisite for the new face milling step. Click OK.
 
* The Prerequisites option is available on the Process tab while creating or editing a step from the Process Manager.
14. On the Properties tab, optionally specify the name or comments for the step.
◦ Name—Displays the name of the step. You can type another name.
◦ Comments—Type the comments associated with the step in the text box or use the following options:
▪ —Read in an existing text file containing step comments and replace any current step comments.
▪ —Insert the contents of an existing text file of step comments at the cursor location. Preserve any current step comments
▪ —Save current step comments in a text file.
▪ —Accept the current step comments.
15. After you define the mandatory step elements, the following buttons become available:
◦ To play the tool path, click .
◦ To perform gouge checking against surfaces of the reference part, click .
◦ To view the simulation of material removal as the tool is cutting the workpiece, click . The Material Removal tab with integrated simulation environment opens.
16. Select one of the following options to complete the sequence:
◦ Click to save the changes.
◦ Click to pause the process and use one of the asynchronous tools. Click to resume.
◦ Click to cancel the changes.