How to use

1 Draw the part

• Draw half the profile as a side view, centre line along X.
• Put 0,0 at the centre of the tip: where the face meets the centre line.
• Draw the outside edge from the face to the chuck end. Y is the radius.
• Lines, arcs, polylines and splines are fine. A centre line and back face can be drawn too.
• Save as DXF or DWG, in mm.

2 Load it

Drop the file on card 1 (or browse…). You'll see the length, the smallest and largest diameter and any warnings. Open with the example part to see how it works.

3 Blank and tool

• Enter the blank length and diameter, or press Fit to part.
• Pick the tool. The picture shows the insert and its programmed point (red dot). A 55° D insert follows steep recesses better than an 80° C insert.
• Set the nose radius of the insert you've fitted.
• Program the: nose radius centre (default) or imaginary tip. With the centre, the path sits one nose radius off the drawing all round. Set the tool to match (section 7).

4 Cutting and setup

• Cut depth: how much comes off the radius per roughing pass. Finishing cut depth: what's left for the finish pass.
• Feeds in mm/min (each pass can be changed later). Back-off: how far the tool comes straight out after a cut.
• Safe X / Safe Y: used at the start, for every stop and at the end. Y is negative and must be outside the blank.

5 Check the preview

• Top: the finished part. Bottom: the blank in the chuck, tool paths on the front (lower) side.
• roughing · finishing · rapids (dashed) · M0 stop.
• Red shading: the tool can't reach there (a groove, or a recess too steep for the insert). Pick another tool, or leave it for grooving.
• ▶ plays it, ⏪ ⏩ jump between passes, the speed button cycles 1× 2× 5× 10× ½×. Scroll to zoom, drag to pan, double-click to fit.

6 Passes

• Change the feed of any pass.
• Tick Safe + M0 to stop after that pass: the tool goes to safe and waits so you can clear the swarf. Press cycle start to carry on.
• Tick several rows to set their feed or stops together. Click a row to jump the preview to it.

7 G-code and the machine

1. Copy or Download the program. The first M0 asks you to fit and touch off the tool.
2. Set the tool to match Program the (the first M0 repeats it). Nose radius centre: touch the face and set X to +R (e.g. X0.400); take a skim, measure the diameter and set Y to minus half of it minus R (Ø21.40, R0.4 → Y-11.100). Imaginary tip: touch the face and set X0; set Y to minus half the diameter (Ø21.40 → Y-10.700).
3. Dry-run clear of the work first, and watch the first pass.