Rule Based Geometry Selection

<< Click to Display Table of Contents >>

Navigation:  MILL Module > Creating Machining Operations > Knowledge Base >

Rule Based Geometry Selection

Available in:

Xpress
 

Standard
checkmark

Expert
checkmark

Professional
checkmark

Premium
checkmark

You can set Geometry Selection Rules for a Knowledge Base.  This allows you to automate the geometry selection process when the Knowledge Base or one of its machining operation is loaded into the Machining Job.  To apply rules to a Knowledge Base, use the K-Bases tab on the Machining Objects Browser.  Refer to the work flow below.

 

tog_minusWork Flow

Here are the basic steps to apply selection rules to your knowledge base.  This process can be complete at the time the KB is saved or afterward.

1.First you need to create a knowledge base.  Create one or more machining operation and they will appear in the Machining Job.

2.Right-click on the Machining Job, Setup or the operation and select Save to Knowledge Base.  Give it a name (ex, My-KB) and location and pick OK.  A file with extension My-KB.vkb is created.  If the Knowledge Base has no selection rules set, a message is displayed allowing you set them at this time or continue with the steps below.  See Create a Knowledge Base for more information.

3.Go to the K-Bases tab of the Machining Objects Browser and select the Load Knowledge Base icon from the toolbar.

4.Navigate to where you saved your knowledge base, select the file (ex., My-KB.vkb) and pick OK.  The machining operations in the knowledge base will be listed user K-Bases.

5.Expand an operation in the knowledge base to locate Selection Rules and double-click on it to display the Geometry Selection Rules dialog.  Use this dialog to set the rules for the operation and pick OK.

6.Use the Save Knowledge Base icon from the toolbar to save your knowledge base.
tog_minusDialog: Geometry Selection Rules > Geometry

The Geometry tab allows you to set selection filters based on the Geometry Types that reside in your part files.  For example, you can set filters so that only rectangles are selected or only circles of a certain size are selected as Control Geometry for a toolpath operation.  Refer to the dialog shown below.

Geometry Selection Rules

Geometry Selection Rules

alert-iconIf you set Geometry Type Filter & Color Filter, geometries that meet both these criteria will be selected.  For example if you set Geometry Type Filter to Circles and Color Filter to Red, this would only select circles that are Red in color. Circles in other colors would not be selected.

This option allows you to use AND/OR logic when combining  the rules specified in each tab in this dialog.  For example, you can combine the Layer Filters tab with the Geometry tab to only select Lines on a certain Layer.  That would be an AND condition.  An OR condition would allow the selection of all Lines as well as all geometry of a certain Layer.  These are powerful options so be sure to experiment before finalizing on which option to use.

Select Geometry to specify additional geometry selection filters.  These filters can be used to select only a certain geometry types when the toolpath operation is Generated after being inserted from your Knowledge Base.

These Geometry Type Filters can be used to select only these (checked) geometry types when the toolpath operation is Generated after being inserted from your Knowledge Base.

The Geometry Size Filters can be used to limit the selection of geometry based on size measured in the default units setting of the part file.

Use diameter range for arcs/circles  

Check this box and then enter the Minimum diameter and Maximum diameter values for the Arcs or Circles to be selected.  For example, you could check the box next to Circles under Geometry Types Filters and then use these values to further limit the selection of circles whose diameters fall within a Min and Max range.

Use bounding box side length range  

Check this box and then enter the Minimum side length and Maximum side length for rectangles to be selected.  For example, you could check the box next to Rectangles under Geometry Types Filters and then use these values to further limit the selection of rectangles whose side lengths fall within these Min and Max values.

Use bounding box diagonal length range  

Check this box and then enter the Minimum Diagonal Length and Maximum Diagonal Length for rectangles to be selected.  For example, you could check the box next to Rectangles under Geometry Types Filters and then use these values to further limit the selection of rectangles whose diagonal lengths fall within these Min and Max values.

The Geometry Property Filters can be used to select only Open or Closed geometry when the toolpath operation is Generated after being inserted from your Knowledge Base.

The Geometry Topology Filters can be used to Ignore or not Ignore outermost curve regions.  For example, if your part has a flat area with inner and outer boundaries, you can use this filter to automatically select the Inner or Outer boundary.
tog_minusDialog: Geometry Selection Rules > Layer Filters Tab

The Layer Filters tab allows you to set selection filters based on the Layers that reside in your part files.  For example, you can set filters so that only the geometry on a specific Layer gets assigned as Control Geometry for a toolpath operation. Refer to the dialog shown below.

Layer Filter Rules

Layer Filter Rules

Select Geometry to specify additional geometry selection filters.  These filters can be used to select only a certain geometry types when the toolpath operation is Generated after being inserted from your Knowledge Base.

This section allows you to select ONLY the Layers that you wish Geometry Selection Rules (from the Geometry tab) to apply to.  Check the box next to the desired Layers available for selection.

Layer Name to Add  

Alternately, you can specify the names of Layers that you want subjected to the Geometry Selection Rules (on the Geometry tab of this dialog).  Enter the name of the Layer and then pick the Add button to add it to the list of Layers.

Names  

This list contains the names of the Layers that you want subjected to the Geometry Selection Rules (on the Geometry tab of this dialog).

Delete Active  

To remove a Layer from the list, select it and then pick the Delete Active button.  This DOES NOT delete the actual Layer in the part file.  It is only removes it from the list of Layers subject to the Geometry Selection Rules (on the Geometry tab of this dialog).
tog_minusDialog: Geometry Selection Rules > Colors Tab

The Color Filters tab allows you to set selection filters based on the Color properties of entities that reside in your part files.  For example, you can set filters so that only the geometry of a specific color attribute gets assigned as Control Geometry for a toolpath operation.  Refer to the dialog shown below.

Color Filter Rules

Color Filter Rules

Use Color Filters  

Check this box to enable Color Filters.  It allows you to set selection filters based on the Color properties of entities that reside in your part files.  For example, you can set filters so that only the geometry of a specific color attribute gets assigned as Control Geometry for a toolpath operation.

Include Color  

Select a color from this Color Selector.  It will be added to the Color Filter List below.

Delete Active  

Select this button to Remove the currently selected Color from the Color Filter List.

Pick Color  

Select this button to pick a Color from your part file.  The dialog will minimize allowing you to select an entity.  It's color will be added to the Color Filter List.

Colors List  

This is the list of colors that will be used when assigning Control Geometry for a toolpath operation.  If a geometry entity has this Color, it will be assigned as Control Geometry.
tog_minusDialog: Geometry Selection Rules > Feature Filters Tab

The Feature Filters tab allows you to set selection filters based on the Feature Types supported by the current operation in your AFM Knowledge Base.  For example, you can set filters so that only Prismatic Pocket Features get assigned as Control Geometry for a the 2½ Pocketing operation in your AFM KB.  Refer to the dialog shown below.  To learn more about using Features in VisualCAM see Features Tab, Machining Objects (Mobs) Browser.

Feature Filters

Feature Filters

This list will display the feature types supported by the active toolpath operation (i.e., the operation that invoked this dialog).  First, select Features from the top of the dialog to display the Feature Filters tab.  Then select the feature types to assign as Control Geometry for the active toolpath operation.