I would have liked to make the screenshots on my linux system but the monitor gave up recently.
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The following description is valid for FreeCAD 0.17.9508
uses the menu entries. Of course - if available - the actions can be triggered by their icons as well. Since the icons are included in the menu they can easyly be identified.
Let's assume you have created a model with a cube and a pocket, and you have the Path Working Bench selected.
Create a Job for path operations
All Path actions are collected under a job element. So there is no path without a job.
- Menu->Path->Job
- select the body as a Base Object
- click the Post Processor tab
The postprocessor file contains information about your machine and generates specific code for it.- enter the name of the Output File, i.e. the filename for the generated gcode. E.g. /tmp/myFirstPocket.gcode
- select a Post Processor, e.g. generic
- click OK
Setup and usage of the tool table
- Menu->Path->Edit the Tool Library
- Click the "New Tool" button
- Enter at least a name and a diameter
As an example we create two endmills with a diameter of 3 and 5 mm - When you have defined all your tools click "Export..." and save your tooltable in a file. You can share the same tooltable between different FreeCAD installations by importing it.
You might have more tools in your tooltable than you need for your workpiece, at least I hope it is not vice versa. You can define, which tools to use for your job.
- Select the tools for your job with the checkboxes at the left.
- Click the "Copy checked tools ..."-button between the two lists and add the selected tools to your job.
If you have selected only one tool, it is probably the one you want to use next. Then it is sensible to check the "Create tool controllers" checkbox and delete the default tool controller.
This is usually the first step in a job.
- Menu->Path->Add Tool Controller to the Job
- Double click on the new tool controller in the tree, this opens the dialog for the configuration of the tool controller
- select one of the tools in the job,
- edit the feed and speed rates,
- select the spindle's turning direction
- click OK
Now you are ready to create your first path. The next post will cover this, forum restrictions permit only 5 images