Process Table

task target This task shows you how use the Process Table. This table gives a tabular view of the Process, or a given Part Operation or a given Manufacturing Program. It provides an alternative view to the PPR tree.

From a Manufacturing Program or a Part Operation selection in the PPR tree, the Process Table command activates a Process View in which the various operations of the Manufacturing Program or Part Operation are presented in a table format.
If no pre-selection is performed, the Process Table shows the detail of all the Part Operations of the Process document.
scenario 1. Open the Processfinal.CATProcess document. The Setup Editor window appears showing the PPR tree as follows. The part is displayed held in place by fixtures, with the stock hidden.
  2. Right-click the Part Operation in the tree, then select Process Table . The Process Table appears presenting the Part Operation, the Manufacturing Program and the various operations in a table format.
  3. Right-click in the Process Table to access a contextual menu as follows:

These commands allow you to customize the table and manage the program.
 

Column Filter

Select the columns that you want to include in the Process Table. You can use the Cntl and Shift keys to make multiple selections.

Other columns in process table can be used to visualize tool information: nominal diameter, corner radius/nose radius, cutting length, body diameter, and non-cutting diameter.

The following parameters can also be accessed: Tool Number, Corrector Id, Corrector Number, and Radius Number. The tool number can be edited.

If the Activate Collision Checking check box is set in the Part Operation dialog box, then a Collision status column will indicate whether any collisions have been detected.
   

Column Order

You can change the order of the filtered columns in the Process Table by selecting a line and moving it in the list by means of the Up / Down buttons.
 

Select by String

You can use the pop-up that appears to search for any character string in the Process Table (pocket, for example). All lines containing the searched string will be selected.
  Compared with the Process Table shown above, the following table has:
  • re-ordered columns
  • all pocketing operations selected.
    This was done by using the Select by String command with string set to 'pocket'.
   

Selected Objects

When you right-click selected line or lines in the Process Table, you access a menu of contextual commands. For example, in the case of the selected pocketing operations above, the following menu is displayed:
    A number of parameters (such as Machining feedrate, Spindle speed, Machining tolerance, Retract feedrate and Approach feedrate) can be edited contextually. In the example above, the Cutting mode (climb or conventional), Maximum depth of cut, and Offset on check can also be edited for the selected Pocketing operations.

Note that these edit commands are displayed in the contextual menu only if the Column Filter makes them visible in the Process Table.

How to Edit a Parameter of a Single Machining Operation

  • Select a machining operation in the table.
  • Right-click on the selected line.
  • Choose the parameter to be edited (machining feedrate, for example).
  • Edit the parameters in the pop-up that appears.

How to Globally Edit a Parameter of Several Machining Operations

  • Select the desired machining operations in the table (for example, all the pocketing operations).
  • Right-click on a selected line.
  • Choose the parameter to be edited (machining feedrate, for example).
  • Edit the parameters in the pop-up that appears.



    In this example, the machining feedrate of all the pocketing operations will be changed as follows:
information   If you click From in the Edit Parameters pop-up, you will be prompted to select a machining operation in the PPR tree. The parameter value will be taken from the selected operation.
   

Delete

The Delete contextual command allows you to delete one or more lines in the Process Table.
   

Rename Current View

You can specify up to four different named views in the Process Table. The procedure is as follows:

  • Select a view from the View list.
  • Customize the table using the Column Order and Column Filter commands (for example, to show cutting condition information):
    • right-click in the table and select Rename Current View
    • enter the name for the view in the pop-up that appears and click OK.

Here is an example of such a view:
information   Any modifications done to the Process using the contextual commands are propagated to the PPR tree.

Operations that are locked cannot be edited using the contextual commands.

If the parameter is defined by a formula, this is indicated in the Process Table:

 and the Edit Parameter pop-up:

end of task