Interactive Feature Machining (IFM)

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Interactive Feature Machining (IFM)
tog_minusInteractive Feature Machining (IFM) from the Features Tree

You can right-click on items in your Features tree to perform various operations. 2 Axis and 3 Axis toolpath operations.  An example right-click menu is shown below along with a list of the types of operations you can perform.  The options available are similar to performing a right-click on a feature in your part model (see the topic Interactive Feature Machining (IFM) from Part Features shown below).

feature-icon-right-click-menu

Create Feature-based Operation
Depending on the feature selected, the right-click menu will provide a list of operation types that can be created.  Select an operation from the menu to display the Feature-Based Machining Operation dialog for that operation type.  In the example shown below, 2 Axis Roughing is being selected for the Planar Faces features:

Right-click Options on a Machining Features

Right-click Options on a Machining Features

Create Hole Feature Machining KB

Create Hole Feature Machining KB
This option allows you to create toolpaths for the selected Hole Feature.  The Select/Load/Create Operations for Creating Hole Feature dialog is displayed.

 

Automatic Feature Machining (AFM)
This option allows you to perform Automatic Feature Machining (AFM) based on the default (AFM) Knowledge Base defined in the Features section of the CAM Preferences dialog.  

See Automatic Feature Machining (AFM) for more information.

 

Automatic Feature Machining using KBs  
This option allows you to perform Automatic Feature Machining (AFM) based on the (AFM) Knowledge Base selected from this menu.  When installed VisualCAM includes these AFM KBs (DefaultAFM_INCH and DefaultAFM_MM).

See Automatic Feature Machining (AFM) for more information.

Rename Hole Feature

Rename  
This option allows you to Rename the selected feature.

Delete Hole Feature

Delete  
This option allows you to Delete and remove the selected feature from the Features tree.

Feature Orientation Suppressed

Suppress / Un-suppress
This option is available when a Features Orientation is selected.  It allows you to Suppress or Un-suppress that Orientation from being machined.  When suppressed, the icon will change as shown below:

Orientation Suppressed

Orientation Suppressed

Orientation Unsuppressed

Orientation Unsuppressed
tog_minusInteractive Feature Machining (IFM) from Part Features

After you have performed either AFD or IFD on your part model, you can left-click on a part feature to select a toolpath operation that supports that feature type.  The options available are similar to performing a right-click on items in the Feature Tree (see the topic Interactive Feature Machining (IFM) from the Features Tree shown above).

Right-click options on a Prismatic Pocket feature

Right-click options on a Prismatic Pocket feature

Right-click options on a Hole feature

Right-click options on a Hole feature