Inserting a COPY Operator

task target This task shows how to apply a COPY Operator to a delimited sequence of operations in the program.
The sequence is delimited by COPY-INDEX type instructions.
task target Open the CopyTransfoSample.CATPart document.
scenario 1. Create a first Pocketing operation on the first square cut-out. Create a second Pocketing operation using a different tool on the first triangular cut-out.  To create these pockets, make sure that the Island Detection contextual command is not active when define the pocket bottom.
  2. Right-click the Manufacturing Program and select Compute Tool Path.  Select the Compute if necessary option in the pop-up that appears.
3. Select the second Pocketing operation in the program.

Select COPY Operator in the Auxiliary Operations toolbar (Transformation Management Sub-toolbar).

A COPY Operator is inserted in the program after Pocketing.2 and the COPY Operator dialog box appears.

4. Select (Create an INDEX/i instruction) in the dialog box to create an INDEX instruction.
Select an entity in the program to specify the insertion level.
In this scenario, select Tool Change.1 to insert the INDEX instruction before that tool change.

The COPY Operator will apply to the two tool changes and the two pocketing operations.

5. Set the desired number of copies to 3.
6. Set the Transformation type to Translation
Choose the Translation type to Absolute Coordinates.
Specify the translation by setting the Distance along X to -100mm.

7. Click Tool Path Replay to visualize the tool path resulting from the defined COPY Operator.

  8. If needed, select the Syntax tab to consult the syntax that will be applied for the COPY operator.
9. Click OK to create the COPY Operator in the program.
 

More About Inserting a Copy Operator

The possible transformation types are as follows.

  • Translation: choose the desired translation type then specify the translation by:
    • either giving X, Y, Z components in the absolute or the current machining axis system
    • or clicking the Direction area to select a linear geometric element for the direction and giving a length.
  • Rotation: click the Axis area to select a linear geometric element as the axis of rotation then give a rotation angle. If a circular edge is selected, the normal axis of the circle is used.  
  • Mirror: click the Mirror area to select a planar geometric element as the axis of symmetry.
  • Axis to axis: click the From area to select a first machining axis system then the To area to select a second machining axis system. The first axis system will be transformed into the second axis system.
  • Affinity: select a Machining Axis System and define 3 scale factors to be applied along each of its axes: x,y,z. The transformation matrix in the selected Machining Axis System will be:
  • Scale: select a planar surface or a point and a scale factor to be applied along the normal projection on the selected element.
  • Matrix: This transformation will be defined by the matrix definition of the transformation in the absolute Axis System, the current Machining Axis System, or a selected Machining Axis System.

    In case of definition of the matrix in the absolute Axis System or in the current Machining Axis, the matrix of the transformation is stored in the model in the absolute Axis System (it is invariant in this Axis System).
    Choosing one or the other mode only changes the display of the coordinates of the matrix.
    Out of a current Machining Axis System context, the Absolute Axis System will be used to display the matrix.

    In case of definition of the matrix in a selected Machining Axis System, the matrix of the transformation is stored relatively to this selected Machining Axis System.

In the COPY Operator dialog box:

  • You can create an INDEX/NOMORE instruction in the program by clicking (Create an INDEX/i,NOMORE instruction)
  • You can select an existing INDEX to be associated to the COPY operator by clicking (Select an INDEX instruction).

Status Management

COPY Operator will show an Exclamation symbol in standard cases:

  • a reference geometry has been deleted
  • INDEX and INDEX/NOMORE are inconsistent.

COPY Operator will show an Update symbol in standard cases:

  • reference geometry has been modified
  • a parameter has been modified.

COPY Operator can be computed if all the referenced operations:

  • are Up to date or Locked
  • have a Tool Path.

Deactivated Operations

Deactivated operations in the reference sequence are not taken into account when the Copy is processed.

end of task