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CHAIN OPTIONS

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CHAIN OPTIONS

Use the Chain Options dialog box to establish how the selected chains are used for a Dynamic
Mill, Dynamic Contour, or Area Mill toolpath. Select or deselect chains for the various types. You
can also preview your selected chains to ensure you have selected the correct geometry. For
Dynamic Contour toolpaths, only machining regions are available, and you cannot preview your
chains.

The Chain Options dialog box is modeless, allowing you to manipulate the graphics window
while selecting your chains.

Parameters

NOTE
Not all options are available for all toolpaths.

Machining regions
Select an area to be machined. You can select multiple machining regions. Use the
machining region strategy options to determine the cutting strategy.

NOTE
If the machining regions are open chains, you can extend the open chain to
stock with the options under Open chain extension to stock.

Stay inside
This strategy is enabled by default and keeps the toolpath inside the selected machining
region. Use this strategy when machining pockets.

From outside
Select to use free-flowing motion to machine features, such as standing bosses or cores.
This strategy causes the toolpath to start from the outside and work its way in.

None (ignore stock)

Select to ignore the stock and to not extend the open chain selected for the machining
region.

Tangent
Select to extend the open chain selected for the machining region tangentially to the
stock.

Shortest distance
Select to extend the open chain selected for the machining region by the shortest
distance to the stock.

Avoidance regions
Select an area to be avoided during machining. You can select multiple avoidance regions.

Air regions
Select an area where there is no material. This allows the tool to travel through it when
machining. Use the following guidelines when selecting an air region:

l An open air region chain can be paired with an open machining region chain. The
endpoints must match XY coordinates.
l An open air region chain can be paired with a closed machining region chain, but
the elements of the open air chain (solid edges, lines, arcs, or splines contained in
the chain) must lie completely on the machining boundary, however the endpoints
of the open air region chain do not need to match exactly.

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l You can have multiple open and closed air region chains for each closed machining
region chain.

NOTE
You can select a segment of a closed machining region chain to allow the
tool to approach from the outside of the selected segment.

Containment regions
Select an area outside of which the tool cannot travel. You can select multiple
containment regions.

Entry chains
Select a chain where the tool enters the part. You can select multiple entry chains.

Preview chains
Select this button to preview your currently selected machining regions, air regions, and
containment regions. Use Color to customize the colors or change the colors through the
Colors page in the System Configuration dialog box.

Color
Click this button to open the Preview Chains Colors dialog box. Use this dialog box to
set the preview chains colors.

Select
Returns you to the graphics window to select a geometry chain.

Remove
Removes all selected geometry chains from the toolpath for that selected region or chain.

Don't show this dialog again this session

Select to use the last method chosen for the remainder of this Mastercam session. Closing
and reopening Mastercam causes the Chain Options dialog box to display again.

Related topics
l 2D High Speed Mill Toolpaths
l Preview Chains Colors

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