Creating Points, Lines, and Arcs

Supported Applications: All Applications
Time Required: 20 - 30 minutes

This exercise will lead you through several common methods of creating geometry in SmartCAM. The emphasis in this "hands-on" exercise is to learn how to draw with SmartCAM, not on creating machinable part geometry.

Geometry is usually imported into SmartCAM from a design package; using DXF, DWG, IGES, Step, or ACIS SAT data files. However, it is important to understand how to manually create geometry in order to make modifications and extensions to the imported CAD geometry or to create process models without importing CAD data.

Concepts Explored

Section One: Start a new Process Model

This exercise assumes a new, empty process model. Use File - New to create a new process model. Save any current work as needed.

Section Two: Create a Layer

In SmartCAM, all editable geometry exists either on a layerClosed Geometry assigned to a layer is not associated to tool or process information and does not produce machine code. When importing a CAD file, SmartCAM attempts to preserve the CAD layer information and creates the imported geometry on like named layers. You can add the tool and process information after the import. Layers can be used to define reference geometry such as clamps, fixtures, or material bounderies. or a process stepClosed The combination of a tool and an operation used to perform one step in the machining process.. Basically, layer geometry is not toolpath while step geometry is toolpath. For the following simple exercises all geometry created will be on layer however the geometry creation operations are the same for both steps and layers.

You will be creating a new Layer, number 2, with a levelClosed Value that represents the machining depth. of -0.5 and a profile topClosed Value that specifies the top of the profile (or stock), as defined in the active workplane. of 0.0.

  1. By default, SmartCAM starts a new process model with Layer geometry active. So, simply set the Layer number by entering 2 in the Insert Properties Bar Step/Layer input box.

  2. On the Insert Properties Bar, set the Profile Top to 0.0 and the Level to -0.5.

If you stop the exercise and restart later, with a fresh SmartCAM process model, please remember to complete these steps. The subsequent exercises in this section may reference the information.

Section Three: Create a Point

Points, when on layers, are usually used to help build construction geometry. They can be changed from a layer to a process step, or created directly using a process step, at which point becomes a rapid-positioning move.

To create Point geometry, select Create - Geometry - Point/Rapid from the main menu or click the Create Geometry icon from the toolbar and select Point/Rapid.

In Graphics View

To create a point by simply picking a location in the graphics view, do the following:

  1. Click on the Point label so that it is the active input. Note that the active input token on a panel has a different text color than the other fields.
  2. Click anywhere in the graphics view.

A point is created where you clicked in the graphics view.

When you are in Free-Coordinate picking mode, the SmartCAM cursor is a large cross-hairs.

On the Insert Properties Bar, enable the Free-Coordinate cursor with its icon.

Enter known coordinates

To type in exact coordinates for the point, do the following:

  1. Click in the appropriate input box and type in the coordinate.
  2. After entering the coordinate, press Tab or Enter to move to the next input box. Or, click on the next input box with your mouse.

Pressing Tab stores your input in the current field and moves to the next input on the panel. It does not trigger the panel and create the point. To make the point you need to use the Enter key after entering the second coordinate location.

Using Distance and Angle from Anchor

You can set an anchor point and then modify the Distance and Angle to set the point position. This, for example, can be used to create a full or partial bolt-hole circle.

To create a point with distance and angle, do the following:

  1. Set the coordinates for the Anchor Point. For example, set them to 0,0.
  2. Set the distance to 2.0
  3. Set the angle to 0.0 and press Enter.
  4. Change the angle to 30.0 and press Enter.
  5. Change the angle to 60.0 and press Enter.
  6. Change the angle to 90.0 and press Enter.

You have just created 90 degrees worth of a bolt-hole circle, with increments of 30 degrees.

Section Four: Create a Line

There are a number of different ways to create a line in SmartCAM. The following explores some of the available methods.

To create Point geometry, select Create - Geometry - Line from the main menu or click the Create Geometry icon from the toolbar and select Line.

Start and End Points

SmartCAM coordinate inputs, such as the Line's Start, End, and Intermediate points, can be set either by typing values into the input boxes or by picking directly in the graphics view.

To create a line by selecting the Start and End points, do the following:

  1. Click on the Start Point label to make it the active input. Click anywhere in the graphics view to set the Start position for the line.
  2. The End Point automatically becomes active. Click anywhere in the graphics view to set the end point.

Notice after setting the Start Point, as you move your mouse around the graphics view, a rubber-band line is drawn from the Start point to the current cursor position.

Using Distance and Angle

Once a Start point is set, you can use Line Angle and Length to create a line.

To create a line with Angle and Distance, do the following:

  1. Set the Start point to 0,0,0. You can type in the values or simply click on the World Axis origin marker.
  2. Set Line Angle to 45. Press Tab or Enter to move to the Length input.
  3. Set Length to 2 and press Enter.

A line is created that starts at the origin point is has a length of 2 and an angle of 45 degrees.

Line Angle and Length also work backwards. You can set the Angle and Length and then pick an End Point. SmartCAM will use the information to solve for the Start Point.

Tangent between two Arcs

A line can be place that is tangent to two arcs.

Before this exercise can be completed, two arcs need to be created. Please do the following:

  1. Select the Arc panel from the Geometry Tool List.
  2. Click on the Full Arc button.
  3. Enter 2.0 as the Radius.
  4. Click on the Center Point label to make it the active token.
  5. Click somewhere in the graphics view. A full circle is drawn.
  6. Click somewhere else in the graphics view. A second full circle is drawn.

Now that the arcs are created, switch back to the Line panel. Then complete the following:

  1. Enable the Which Sol check box. This allows you to select between several different possible solutions, if there are multiple solutions.
  2. Click on the S Tan Arc label to active the input. This is the "Start Tangent Arc" element selector. Click on one of the arcs, that you just created, in the graphics view. The input now contains the element number for the selected arc.
  3. Activate the E Tan Arc input to enter the element number for the "End Tangent Arc" element. Now, click on the second arc.
  4. Since there are multiple solutions, a Which Solution dialog is displayed. Click on the Prev and Next buttons to move through the possible solutions for this line.
  5. When you have the solution you want, press the Accept button.

You now have a line that is tangent to both of the selected arcs.

Section Five: Create an Arc

There are a number of different ways to create an arc in SmartCAM. The following explores some of the available methods.

To create Point geometry, select Create - Geometry - Arc from the main menu or click the Create Geometry icon from the toolbar and select Arc.

Full Circles

To create full circles of a given radius, do the following:

  1. Press the Full Arc button. This fills in the Start Ang and End Ang fields to set the needed Start and End angles.
  2. Enter 2.0 in the Radius field.
  3. Click on the Center Point label to make it the active token. Then click somewhere in the graphics view.

A full circle of the given radius is created where you clicked.

Arcs with known Start and End Angles

To create arcs, with a given radius, and known start and end angles, do the following:

  1. Enter 45 in the Start Angle input (Start Ang).
  2. Enter 120 in the End Angle input (End Ang).
  3. Enter 3 for the radius.
  4. Activate the Center Point coordinate input and pick in the graphics view.

An arc, with a radius of 3, is created where you clicked. It starts at 45 degrees and ends at 120 degrees.

  1. Change the Arc Dir from CCW to CW. This changes the arc direction from counter clockwise to clockwise.
  2. Activate the Center Point and create another arc.

Another arc, with the same radius, and start and end points is created. However, this arc is pointing in the opposite direction of the original.

Arcs with known angles and Start point

SmartCAM will take the information that you have available and try to solve the arc solution.

  1. Use the same Start and End Angle settings from above.
  2. Use the same Radius.
  3. Activate the Start Point coordinate input and pick a location in the graphics view.

SmartCAM will solve the angle for the Start point.

  1. Activate the End Point coordinate input and pick a location in the graphics view.

This time SmartCAM solved the arc for the End point.

Three-point Arcs

To solve an arc with known start, end, and intermediate points do the following:

  • Press the Reset button. This step is not normally needed, but since the panel has settings from the other examples, this will clear them.
  • Activate the Start Point coordinate input. Click somewhere in the graphics view to set the start of the arc.
  • The End Point coordinate automatically becomes active. Click in the graphics view to set the end of the arc.
  • The Int Point (intermediate point) input becomes active. Pick a location in the graphics view for the intermediate point (a point somewhere on the arc between the start and end).

The arc is solved for the three coordinates you provided.

Arc tangent between two lines

SmartCAM can solve for an arc that is tangent to two lines. To do this, complete the following:

Before this example can be completed, two lines must be created.

  1. Select the Line panel from the Geometry Tool List.
  2. Create two lines that intersect.

With the intersecting lines, you can create an arc that is tangent to both lines. Switch back to the Arc panel and do the following:

  1. Enter the Radius for the lines. A small number that will fit between the two lines that you drew will work.
  2. Enable Which Sol to allow you to check each of the possible solutions.
  3. Activate Tangent Elmt S:, the start element. Click on the first line. The lines element number is shown.
  4. The Tangent Elmt E: end element field is automatically activated. Click on the second line. Its element number is shown.
  5. The Which Solution dialog is shown. Use the Prev and Next buttons to move thorough the possible solutions.
  6. On the Which Solution dialog, toggle the Dir list box back and forth between CW and CCW. Then use Next and Prev to see how the direction affects the solution.
  7. Pick a solution and press Accept.

The selected arc is created tangent between the two lines.


SmartCAM has a number of possible ways of creating simple geometry from the information you have. The above exercises are only examples of some of the ways to enter the geometry solutions. Experiment with the other panel fields to see the flexibility in the SmartCAM geometry creation tools.

Done

This exercise is complete.