Manufacturing > Turning > About the Turning User Interface
  
About the Turning User Interface
The Area Turning, Groove Turning, Profile Turning, and Thread Turning user interfaces consist of the feature icon, feature tab, tabs, and shortcut menus. The feature tab, tabs and shortcut menu are common for defining the Area Turning, Groove Turning, Profile Turning, and Thread Turning steps.
Feature Icon
• —Area Turning
• —Groove Turning
• —Profile Turning
• —Thread Turning
Feature Tab
The feature tab contains the following commands for defining the turning steps:
• Head Selector— Select from the options (default), , , for the machining operation.
 
* The Head Selector option is available only if the selected machine tool is 4–5 Axis Mill/Turn or 2–turret lathe.
• Cutting Tool Selector—Starts the Tool Manager to add a new cutting tool.
• Tool List Box—Select a tool or click Edit Tools to start the Tool Manager and add a new cutting tool. The tool is set to the previous tool by default if it is valid for the step being created. It is set to No Tool for the first step in an operation, or when the previous tool is not valid for the step being created.
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.
• Tool Preview—Shows the tool in the graphics window.
• Orientation—Select the coordinate system that sets the orientation of the step feature.
• Tool path Preview—Shows the tool path in graphics window.
After you define all the required parameters for the tool path, the following buttons are available:
• —Opens thePLAY PATH dialog box to animate the step tool path display.
• —Provides options for gouge checking against selected surfaces of the reference part.
• —Opens VERICUT or NC Check to display the simulation of material removal as the tool is cutting the workpiece.
 
* The VERICUT option is not available for Thread Turning steps.
Tabs
• References—Specify the Turn Profile. This tab is available only for Thread Turning sequences.
• Parameters—Enter basic parameter values for defining the turning step. Click to edit advanced machining parameters. Click to copy machining parameters from another step. By default, the required parameters are defined by relations.
• Clearance—Specify the Start point and End Point for the step tool path.
• Tool Motions—Create, modify, and delete tool motions and CL commands. You can create different types of turning cuts, follow curve, approach motions (Tangent, Normal, Ramp, and Lead In), exit motions (Tangent, Normal, Ramp, and Lead Out), CL commands, Goto motions (GoTo Point, Go Delta, and GoHome), and Connect tool motion.
• Process—Provide the optional information:
◦ Calculated Time—To calculate the machining time for the step, click . The machining time is populated automatically in the Calculated Time box.
◦ Actual Time—Specify the time required for the machine step.
◦ Prerequisites—Specify the step or steps that must be performed before the turning step. Available only if you create the turning steps from the Process Manager.
• Properties—Provide optional information:
◦ Name—Name for the turning step.
◦ —Displays information about the feature.
◦ Comments—Provide comments about the turning step. Click the Accept button to save the comment.
 
* When you create a new step or edit an existing step, some tabs may appear in a different color. This color change identifies tabs that require references or parameters to define the feature, or tabs with errors that must be resolved to complete the feature. When the required references are defined or the error resolved the tab returns to its default color.
Shortcut Menus
The following shortcut menu options are available in the graphics window based on the selected mode:
Step Option
Orientation—Activates the Orientation collector
Start Point—Activates the Start Point collector
End Point—Activates the End Pointcollector
Clear— Clears the selected collector
Tools—Starts the Tool Setup dialog box.
Parameters—Starts the Edit Parameters dialog box.
Tool Motion Options—Activated the Tool Motions tab.
Tool Motion Option
Return to Step Options
• Edit Definition—Available when a cut or tool motion is selected. It redefines the selected cut or tool motion.
• Edit Cut Definition—Available when a follow cut is selected.
• Edit Follow Cut—Available when a follow cut is selected.
Edit Parameters—Available when a cut or tool motion is selected. It modifies the parameters for the selected cut or tool motion.
Delete Tool Motion—Available when a tool motion is selected. It deletes the selected tool motion.
Turning Cut—Based on the turning step being created, the turning cut option is one of the following cuts:
• Area Turning Cut
• Profile Turning Cut
• Groove Turning Cut
Follow Curve
Approach Moves
• Tangent Approach
• Normal Approach
• Lead In
Exit Moves
• Tangent Exit
• Normal Exit
• Lead Out
Moves to a point
• Goto Point
• Go Delta
• Goto Home
CL Command