Video Mode for Material Removal Simulation Using Tool Path Data

To learn more about this mode, refer to:

• Tools > Options > Machining > Photo/Video tab for information about the available customizing facilities.
• Material Removal Simulation for information about the methodology to employ for user representation of tools, stock considerations, and so on.
• the NC Manufacturing Verification User's Guide for information about the additional capabilities available (such as Analysis) if the NC Manufacturing Verification product is installed.

Notes:

• Although there is no material removal with Probing operations, the Video mode can be used to check for collisions. Collisions can be detected between the holder and stock or between the tool (stylus) and stock during Rapid motion.
• It is also possible to simulate material removal in Video mode using NC code. See Video Mode for Material Removal Simulation Using NC Code.

The part is displayed held in place by fixtures. The stock is in Hide mode.

There are three Video simulation modes:

Full Video: Video simulation for complete program or part operation (depending on setting)

Video from Last Saved Result: Video simulation from saved result of the previous Video simulation.

Mixed Photo/Video: Photo simulation is up to the operation just before the selected operation, then Video simulation is done on the selected operation.

The rest of the scenario illustrates how to use Full Video and Video from Last Saved Result.

• Select the Stop at tool change check box if you want the simulation to stop each time a tool change is encountered in the program.
• Select the desired Collisions detection option to either:
  • ignore collisions during the Video simulation
  • stop the Video simulation at the first collision
  • continue the Video simulation even when collisions are detected. In this case, you can consult the list of collisions at the end of the simulation.
• Select the Touch is collision check box if you want touch (or contact) type of collision to be detected.
• Select the Video simulation in protected mode check box to continue the Video simulation by skipping any cuts that cause errors.

Note: A progress bar appears showing the progress of the simulation and the estimated remaining time. You can interrupt the simulation by clicking Cancel.

or F5 key to position the tool at the start of the simulation

or F6 key to run the simulation backward

or F4 key to request a pause in the simulation

or F7 key to run the simulation forward

or F8 key to run forward up to the end of simulation. No intermediate graphics update is made to save on rendering time. A progress indicator shows the computation progression and the final machined stock appears.

If the Replay mode is set to:

• Point to Point, the number of points value specifies the number of points to be run through at each step of the replay.
• Continuous, the slider position is taken into account for adjusting the speed of the simulation. For improved performance, intermediate graphics are not updated when the slider is used to increase simulation speed.

Please note that you can store Video result files (CATProduct) in the same folder as the CATProcess or at any other location. See Tools > Options > Machining > Output for more information.

A check-mark appears on the Facing.1 operation in the tree.

Click OK to quit the Replay dialog box.

The figure below shows the state of the replay at the end of the Pocketing.1 operation.

The figure below shows the state of the replay at the end of the Pocketing.2 operation.

A check-mark now appears on the Pocketing.2 operation in the tree.

Then run the simulation up to the last operation in the program.

Note that:

• the Collision detection setting must be set to Continue.
• the tool holder is taken into account during collision checking.

Click Save Video Result in a CATProduct .
A dialog box appears allowing you to save the Video result in a CATProduct.

Please note the following points about this capability.

• It combines previous version Save Video Result in CGR (CATIA graphic representation) and Associate Video Result to Machining Operation (WPC information).
  This helps to avoid open stock problems when used in another Setup thanks to precision of the WPC data.
• Result can be saved in interactive (as shown above) or batch mode (see Generate a CATProduct in Batch Mode).
• You can add the CATProduct to the PPR tree using Insert > Existing Component or the Product Context contextual command.

More About Video Mode

Associating and Loading a Video Result CATProduct

The Associate Video Result to Machining Operation command after a material removal simulation using the Full Video command or Video from last saved result command, allows you to generate a CATProduct at a location specified  in Tools > Options > Machining > Output. Note that this CATProduct does not have an associated CGR .

An operation that has an associated Video Result CATProduct is indicated by a check-mark in the tree.

The Load Simulation Result command is available in the contextual menu of a machining operation which has an associated Video Result CATProduct. This command opens the CATProduct in a Video window for analysis of the machined stock, collision results, and so on.

The commands available in the Analysis toolbar that appears depend on the Machining products that are installed. Any icons that are "greyed out" are not available in the current context (but they will be available for other functionalities that share this toolbar)..

Removing a Video Result CATProduct

An association that has been established between the generated CATProduct and the operation will be removed if you execute Remove Video Result from the contextual menu of the operation.

A Video Result may become incoherent if operations used in its creation are modified. You should remove incoherent Video Results.

Performance

Reduced Video simulation performance may be experienced in the when a user representation (CATProduct or CATPart) is associated to the tool. To improve Video performance, if possible, try running the Video without the user representation.

If an end mill or a face mill with a non-cutting diameter poses performance problems, select the Disconnect tool core diameter check box to ignore this diameter. This can help to improve performance.

For more information, see Tools > Options > Machining > Photo/Video > Performance.

Influence of Minimum Discretization Step

Turning Operations

• Any collisions between the part and the 2D profile of the lathe insert and insert holder are detected.
• For user representations of lathe tools, the insert holder does not participate in material removal (regardless of Rapid or Feed mode) and is used only in collision detection.

Sub-elements in Hide/Show

If you select a Body (which may be in Show or Hide mode) as Stock, Design or Fixture then only sub-elements of the Body that are in Show mode will be used during material removal simulation. Hidden sub-elements will be ignored in the simulation.

Tools That Are Not Collision Checked

Boring Bars and Two Sides Chamfering tools are not collision checked in Video mode.

Video Behavior for Circular Arcs

Wherever there are arc segments in the tool path, circular arc commands are given as input for the Video simulation by default.

In this case there are no intermediate interpolated points where the Video can be stopped. Running one step of the Video will simulate machining of the arc segment.

To see the intermediate interpolated points (running one step), the 2D circular interpol check box must not be selected in the Numerical Control tab of the part operation's Machine Editor dialog box.

Tool Holder Behavior

Collision Detection

In Video simulation, for a default V5 tool-holder assembly or a user tool representation, holder part also cuts material of stock and/or fixture.

Behavior depends on the Collision detection setting in the Tools > Options > Machining > Photo/Video tab:

• When Collision detection is set to Ignore, detection is de-activated: the holder cuts material and no color is set, even when there are valid collisions of holder.
• When Collision detection is set to Stop or Continue, detection is activated: the holder cuts material and the cut material is displayed in red to indicate collision.

Example:
Circular Milling operation with default End Mill with 2-stage holder defined:

Material is cut by holder due to nature of tool path and the interaction between the tool-holder assembly and the stock.

Video simulation with Collision detection is set to Ignore:

Video Simulation with Collision detection is set to Stop or Continue:

Tool Holders for Turning

Prior to R19, only convex tool holders were supported. Concave tool holders (see figure below) are now also supported. Most tool holders for turning are "concave".

Note: Convex and concave tool holders can be defined as follows:

• Convex tool holder: Consider any two points in the holder. The line segment that joins them must be completely contained in the holder.
• Concave tool holder: There are two points in the holder, such that a portion of the line segment that joins them lies outside the holder.

TRACUT Display Mode

During the toolpath replay before getting into the Video simulation mode, select the desired option TRACUT ON or TRACUT OFF that you want to see in the Video simulation. You cannot change the TRACUT ON/OFF selection during the Video simulation.

Open Fixture Management

Solid fixtures should be closed for the Video mode to work properly. Closed fixtures are managed for collision detection. If there is a collision between the tool and a closed fixture, material will be removed from the fixture.

However, open fixtures are managed for collision detection only. If there is a collision between the tool and the open fixture, material will not be removed from the fixture.