Macro Parameters

With the exception of the Roughing, that offers only the Build by user graphic mode for pre-and post-macros in addition to automatic macros, and Isoparametric Machining operations, you are offered three different methods to add macros:

the catalog method, by using macros already built and stored in a catalog. For more information on how to save or load an existing macro, please refer to Build and use a macros catalog.
the graphic method, by using the macros proposed by the application. It is a quick method, that does not require the definition of the parameters. However, you can double-click the representation of the macro, or use its contextual menu, to tune up the parameters.
the numeric method, by defining the macros parameters.

The numeric method corresponds roughly to the method offered in the previous releases.

Click to switch from the graphic mode to the numeric mode.

PP Words can be inserted. Please see Defining Macros for more information.

Dialog box in the graphic method

Dialog box in the graphic method, using the Build by user macros

Dialog box in the numeric mode

With the cursor in the viewer window of the dialog box, you can zoom in and out and pan the paths.
Place your cursor on a portion of the macro path. Right click to display the contextual menu.

Delete and Insert are available for the Build by user macros.
The parameters dialog box can also be launched by double-clicking a portion of the path in the viewer.
You can also double-click a label in the viewer. This will start the Edit dialog box of the corresponding parameter.

The graph displayed in the viewer of the dialog box is a generic representation of a macro mode.
It is not the true representation of the macro you are using or defining. To check the result of you settings, press Replay.

For each operation, you can define the following macros:

Approach,
Retract,
Linking Retract,
Linking Approach,
Clearance,
Between passes (not available for Spiral Milling, Pencil),
Between passes Link (not available for Spiral Milling, Pencil, ZLevel).

Note that Between Passes has been split into Between passes and Between passes Link. Between passes Link corresponds to the highlighted portion of the path below:

The macros are listed as follows:

In the Macro column, you find the type of the macro,
In the Name column, you find the name of the macro,
In the Mode column, you find the machining mode of the macro.

By default, the application has affected a machining mode to each macro:

To affect another machining mode to a macro, select the macro line in the Macro Management frame,
then select a machining mode in the Mode list.

Here are the available modes:

For Approach, Retract, Between passes:

Along tool axis,
Along a vector,
Normal,
Tangent to movement,
None,
Back,
Circular,
Box,
Prolonged movement,
High speed milling(not available for Sweep Roughing, Spiral Milling, Pencil),
Build by user.

For Linking Retract, Linking Approach:

Along tool axis,
Along a vector,
Normal,
Tangent to movement,
None,
Back,
Circular,
Box,
Prolonged movement,
High speed milling(not available for Sweep Roughing, Pencil),
Defined by Approach/Retract,
Build by user.

For Clearance:

Optimized,
Along tool axis,
Perpendicular to safety plane(not available for ZLevel).

For Between passes Link (not available for Pencil):

Straight,
High speed milling(not available for Sweep Roughing),
Prolonged movement,
Defined by Approach.

Note that the Circular macro corresponds to the former one, with an automatic definition of the plane,
while Add circular within a plane motion correspond to the former one, with a manual definition of the plane.

To avoid inconsistencies, ZLeveloperations offer only the relevant macros:

Approach,
Retract,
Linking Retract,
Linking Approach,
Clearance,
Between passes,

and their associated machining modes:

Along tool axis,
Along a vector
To a point (only in the build by user mode),
Circular,
Circular or ramping,
Ramping,
Prolonged movement,
Defined by Approach/Retract (for Between passes only)

For the same reason, the items of the contextual menu may be limited to the relevant ones.

If the defined motion does not belong to the Z plane, the normal projection of the motion is taken into account.
For To a point, if the point is defined inside the material, the tool path cannot be computed, an error message is displayed.
In the Defined by Approach/Retract mode, the between pass motion is replaced by a linking retract motion and a linking approach motion.

	Graphic mode Double-click a macro path or a geometry element to modify the macro path or the geometry. Double-click a parameter label to display the edition dialog box to modify the value of this parameter only (since those dialog boxes are standard edition boxes, they are not shown below). Information specific to the graphic mode are displayed on this background color.	Numeric mode Type the required value in the field. Use the interrogation mark to launch the graphic help. Information specific to the numeric mode are displayed on this background color.
	`Along tool axis:` The tool moves along the tool axis for a given `Axial motion Distance`,
	Double-click the violet line to edit the `Axial motion`,	Type the `Axial motion Distance` value.
	For ZLevel operations only: If you set the `Between passes` mode to `Along tool axis` and the `Clearance`mode to `Optimized`, the tool will move in the current plane, as far as possible, and not rise along the tool axis. This tool path will consist of: a motion in retract speed, then a motion in high speed, then an approach motion. This motion is collision free and does not take the `Distance` parameter of the optimized clearance into account. If you want to ignore the optimized clearance in the `Between passes`, set the `Between passes` mode to `Defined by Linking Approach/Retract.`
	`Along a vector` The tool moves along a vector (line motion) for a given `Distance`,
	Double-click the green line to edit the direction.\| Double-click the violet line to edit the `Distance` along the line motion,	Type the `Distance` value. Click `Direction` to edit the vector direction.
	`Normal` The tool moves in a direction perpendicular to the surface being machined (`Perpendicular motion`), for a given `Distance`,
	Double-click the violet line to edit the distance in the `Perpendicular motion`,	Type the `Perpendicular motion Distance`.
	`Tangent to movement` The tool motion is tangent at its end to the rest of the toolpath and is of a given `Distance`, with a vertical angle and a horizontal angle.
	vertical angle horizontal angle
	Double-click the violet line to edit the `Distance` and the `Vertical angle` and `Horizontal angle.`	Type the `Distance` and the `Vertical angle` and `Horizontal angle.`
	`None` No approach nor retract macro is applied. Note that when this macro is selected on `Approach` or `Retract`, no Link to Safety Plane is added, as shown below. If you require a Link to Safety Plane, select `Along tool axis` with an axial motion `Distance` value equal to 0 mm. This is what you will get: (This is not available with an isoparametric machining operation.)
	`Back` The tool doubles back like an arrow above the cutting tool path (`Back motion`). You can either define this type with a `Distance` and a `Height.`
	`Distance` `Height`
	Double-click the violet line to edit the `Distance` and the `Height`	Type the `Distance` and the `Height`
	When you type a `Distance` higher than the cutting tool path to which the macro refers, a tool path `Along Tool Axis` is added, its length being equal to the difference between `Distance` and the length of the cutting tool path.
	`Circular` The tool moves towards/away from the part in an arc (`Circular motion`). The parameters that you can set are: For the `Circular motion`: the `Angular sector`, the `Angular orientation`, the `Radius`, The `Axial motion Distance` If you do not use `Part autolimit`, the curve will be below the surface of the part. `Angular sector` `Angular orientation` `Radius`
	Double-click the arc (yellow line) to edit the `Circular motion`: Double-click the violet line to edit the `Axial motion Distance`.	Type the `Angular sector`, the `Angular orientation`, the `Radius` and the A`xial motion Distance`.
	Note that the `Circular` macro can automatically modify the `Angular orientation` defined by user to avoid collisions. If collisions cannot be avoided, then the `Prolonged Movement` Macro replaces the `Circular` macro. For ZLevel, the `Angular sector` cannot exceed 180 degrees.
	`Ramping` The tool follows a slope defined by the ramping angle. The parameters to define are the `Axial motion Distance` and the `Ramping angle`.
	Double-click the violet line to edit the `Axial motion Distance:` Double-click the yellow line to define the `Ramping angle`:	Type the `Ramping angle` and the `Axial motion Distance`.
	`Circular or ramping` The tool uses either circular or ramping mode depending on whichever is best adapted to the part being machined. The `Circular or ramping motion` is defined by `Angle` `Radius` `Ramping angle`
	The `Prolonged motion` is defined by: `Length` `Angle`
	Double-click the orange line to edit the `Axial motion Distance` Double-click the inclined yellow line to edit the `Prolonged motion:` Double-click the arc to edit the `Circular or ramping motion:`	Type the `Angle`, `Radius` and `Ramping angle` for the `Circular or ramping motion`, the `Length` and `Angle` for the `Prolonged motion`and the `Axial motion Distance`.
	For ZLevel, the `Angular sector`cannot exceed 180 degrees.
	`Box` The tool moves across the diagonal of an imaginary box (`Box motion`), either in a straight line or in a curve (`Linking mode`). The `Box motion` is defined by: the `Distance along the tangent` the `Distance along the tool axis` (can be a negative value) , the `Distance along the normal axis`, the direction of the box diagonal that is defined by whether you want to use the normal to the left or the right of the end of the tool path (`Side of normal axis`). `Left` or `Right` is determined by looking along the tool path in the direction of the approach/retract. the `Linking mode` (`Curved` or `Straight`). The `Axial motion Distance` is the distance that the tool will move in once it has crossed the box. Distance along the tangent Distance along the tool axis Distance along the normal axis
	Double-click the violet line to edit the `Axial motion Distance`: Double-click the arc (yellow line) to edit the `Box motion`:	Type the values of the `Distance/tangent`, `Distance/tool axis`, `Distance/normal axis`, and of the `Axial motion Distance`. Choose from the list which side of the normal axis will determine the direction of the diagonal of the box. Select a `Linking mode` (`Curved` or `Straight`).
	`Prolonged movement` The tool moves in a straight line that may slant upwards. The `Prolonged motion` is defined by: the `Distance`, the `Vertical angle`, the `Horizontal angle`, The `Axial motion` is defined by the `Distance`. The advantage of this mode is that collisions are automatically detected. In the event that a possible collision is detected, the angle will be adjusted to avoid collision. If the angle cannot be adjusted (because of the shape of the part, for instance), the length of the prolongation will be automatically adjusted to avoid collision. Tangent motion Distance Tangent motion Vertical angle, Axial motion Distance
	Double-Click the violet line to edit the Axial motion Distance Double-click the yellow line to edit the `Tangent motion`:	Type the `Distance`, the `Vertical angle`, the `Horizontal angle` and the `Axial motion` `Distance`.
	`High speed milling` The parameters are: `Axial motion Distance`, `Transition radius` is the radius of the arc that goes to the pass `Discretization angle` is a value which, when reduced, gives a smoother tool path. HSM motion Radius HSM motion Discretization angle
	Double-click the violet line to edit the `Axial motion Distance`: Double-click the green arc to edit the `High Speed Milling motion`	Type the `Radius` and the `Discretization angle` defining the `High Speed Milling motion`, and the `Axial motion Distance.`
	`Defined by Approach/Retract, Defined by Approach` The macro used for the Linking Retract, Linking Approach or Between passes Link is that used for the Approach or the Retract.

`Build by user` (available in graphic mode only - see the Sweeping User Task for more information on the operating mode) Predefined macros are proposed through the following icons. You can create a machining path by adding several predefined macros. The current one is colored violet. If necessary, you can double-click the line representing the macro to edit its parameter, or the associated geometry representation to edit this geometry.
`Icon`	`Representation`	`Name`	`Available dialog boxes`
		`Add Tangent motion`
		`Add Horizontal motion`
		`Add Axial motion`
		`Add Circular motion` see also `Circular`
	See Defining Macros	`Add PP word list`
		`Add distance along a line motion` See also `Along a vector`
			Note that in ZLevel, this macro can be created alone of with `Add axial motion` only.
		`Add normal motion` See also`Normal`
		`Add back motion` See also `Back`
		`Add circular within a plane motion`
		`Add box motion` See also `Box`
		`Add prolonged motion` see also `Prolonged movement`
		`Add high speed milling motion` See also `High speed milling`
		`Add motion to a point`	Available in ZLevel - build by user mode. Click the point on the icon, the dialog box disappears. Select a point in the graphic area. Note that this macro can be created alone of with Add axial motion only.
		`Keep machining feedrate`	Applies the machining feedrate to all the macro paths.
		`Remove all motions`
		`Delete selection motion`

`Optimized` This means that if no obstacle is detected between two passes, the tool will not rise to the safety plane (because it is not necessary) and the operation will take less time. In some cases (where areas of the part are higher than the zone you are machining and when you are using a safety plane), the tool will cut into the part. When this happens, choose another clearance mode. In both modes, you can only edit the Distance parameter by double-clicking the label. `Along tool axis` The tool moves up to the defined safety plane along the tool axis. If no safety plane is defined, the safety plane is the upper point of the part. `Perpendicular to safety plane` The tool moves up to the defined safety plane along an axis perpendicular to the safety plane. If no safety plane is defined, the safety plane is the upper point of the part. `Straight` The tool goes directly to the next path.

Macro Parameters

Graphic mode

Numeric mode