PowerMill

Lesson 7 – Automatic Collision Avoidance

Objectives
• To demonstrate the application of five axis collision avoidance.

Introduction
• Automatic Collision Avoidance can be applied to Vertical alignment
operations in cases where the Shank or Holder would otherwise clash with
the component. If parts of the component still cannot be machined without
a tool collision, then these areas will not be included as part of the toolpath.
Note: Automatic Collision Avoidance is not applicable to Swarf
Finishing.

Exercise 1 – Automatic Collision Avoidance

• Right mouse click in the graphics area and from the menu select Delete
All, then select File tab > Options > Reset Forms.

• Select the File tab > Open > Project:-

...\PMData\five_axis\CollisionAvoidance\AutoCollisionAvoid2_Start

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• Select File & Save As > Project:-

…\COURSEWORK\PMProjects\AutoCollisionAvoid-EX1

• Select Toolpath Edit > Edit panel > Verification to open the Toolpath
Verification dialog.

• Untick all boxes except Calculate collision depth.

• Apply both Gouge and Collision checks (Report only) on all 3 existing
toolpaths using Shank and Holder clearance values of 1 and 2
respectively.

The Area Clearance strategy is Gouge and Collision safe while the two 3D
Offset finishing strategies although reported back as Gouge free are not
Collision safe relative to the Shank and Holder.

• Activate the toolpath BN5-Walls-FIN1.

• From the toolpath menu select Settings and then Recycle the
toolpath.

• Go to the Tool Axis page and tick the box to enable Automatic collision
avoidance.

This adds another page below the Tool Axis options called Collision Avoidance.

• Select the Collision avoidance page and input the Tilt Method as Lean,
Holder clearance 2, Shank clearance 1, and a Smoothing Distance of 10.

• Calculate the toolpath.

• Recycle the Toolpath named BN5-Floor-FIN2 with the addition of the

same Collision avoidance settings as above.

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The 2 finishing toolpaths are now automatically registered as collision safe

(Blue).

• Take a view from the front and Simulate the 2 finishing toolpaths.

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• Select File tab > Save.

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Exercise 2 – Automatic Collision Avoidance

• Right mouse click in the graphics area and from the menu select Delete
All, then select File tab > Options > Reset Forms.

• Select the File tab > Open > Project:-

...\PMData\five_axis\CollisionAvoidance\DashboardPanel-A1_Start

• Select File & Save As > Project:-

…\COURSEWORK\PMProjects\Dashboard-EX1

The Project contains 11 toolpaths all of which have had Collision Checking
applied with Shank and Holder clearances values of 1 and 2 respectively.

All the toolpaths are safe apart from BN3-FIN1-OP2 which is not collision
safe relative to the Shank and Holder.

• Activate the toolpath named D16TR3-RGH-1-OP2 to reinstate the original

settings.

• Select an ISO 1 view, and then run a full ViewMill simulation on both NC
Programs, OP1 and OP2.

• Activate the toolpath BN3-FIN1-OP2 and select Settings to open the

strategy dialog.

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• Select Recycle and from the Tool Axis page tick the box for Automatic
Collision Avoidance.

• Select the Collision avoidance page and input the Tilt Method as Lean,
Holder clearance 2, Shank clearance 1, and a Smoothing Distance of 3.

• Calculate the toolpath.

• Run a ViewMill Simulation of the updated Toolpath.

• Select File tab > Save.

Summary
• A demonstration of the five axis collision avoidance options.

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