Z Level Mask

[Rick McAllister]

I have had several occasions where I wanted to window select several hundred holes with arc mask on but I had a customers solid and there were multiple Z levels associated with the same diameter hole. I was unable to distinguish between the different Z's and ended up selecting and editing individual holes which became very time consuming and allowed for human error. If anyone feels a Z Depth Mask Feature would be useful please post you opinion. Perhaps enough responces will create a justification for this option.

[Trevor Bailey]

Are the holes that are the same diameter going to be drilled even though they are at different depths? If that is the case, why not drill them all and set the final depth to incremental? If the holes are to be drilled at different depths, take a little time to change the color of the arcs at the various depths, and you will be able to select them very easily that way also.

[cadcam]

Rick,

what if you could just pick the solid and it would tell you the size of the holes and depths and put a drilling program and pick the tools for you.

That would be cool.

We could call solid Drill

Lets see if they are linsten.

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

quote:

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We could call it Solid Drill......

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Nice title, wheredja come up with that one?????

[cadcam]

Well the white rabbit ran by and said it under his breath ,so i took that thought from him.

[gstephens]

Rick:

I assume you've created the circles to define the holes? If so, when doing your window selection for the entities, go to the front or side view and window around them from there (make sure your C-plane is back at Top before your finish the toolpath). You'll be able to distinguish between the various Z-levels that way.

[Karl Oram]

I think I have a good solution for your problem. try the most excellent Chook from TriTech - Levels - It has a Z Sort

First place all your arcs on one level. Turn off any other levels storing other geometry that you dont want affected by the Z sort

then you can do a Z sort were by it will automatically place all the arcs that are on different z depths on different levels.

Eh Voila turn off any levels not required for Drilling ops. I used to use this for organizing point data back in V5.

Regards Caledonian_Karl

[Fred from Université de Sherbrooke]

Karl,

Where's this c-hook?

It's missing from my collection...

[Allan Brown]

http://www.emastercam.com/tools/chooks/list_v7.html

Works A-OK in V8 from what I can tell.

[Glenn Bouman]

Excellent chook

I love the level browse feature.

[Rick McAllister]

Thank you for all the info. I'll hook up with that Chook and give it a try. Sounds like just what the Dr. ordered.