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      <title>Tool Axis</title>
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      <div class="title_topic2" id="xps10_pagetitle">Tool Axis</div>
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      <p class="para_topic">Tool Axis allows you to define Fixed and Variable Tool Axis orientations. A Fixed Tool Axis remains parallel to a specified vector. A Variable Tool Axis constantly changes orientation as it moves along the Tool Path.</p>
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         <p align="center"><img align="bottom" src="graphics/surfcont_tfi05.gif"></p>
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      <div class="title_figure">Fixed and Variable Axis</div>
      <p class="para_topic">If you specified Fixed Contour as the operation type, only the Fixed Tool Axis options are available. If you specify Variable Contour as the operation type, all Tool Axis options (except Fixed) are available.</p>
      <p class="para_topic">The Tool Axis is defined as a vector that points away from the tip of the tool and toward the tool holder.</p>
      <div class="figure">
         <p align="center"><img align="bottom" src="graphics/surfcont_figuressc82.gif"></p>
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      <div class="title_figure">Tool Axis Vector</div>
      <p class="para_topic">The Tool Axis can be defined by entering coordinate values, selecting Geometry, specifying the axis relative or normal to the Part Surfaces, or specifying the axis relative or normal to the Drive Surfaces.</p>
      <p class="para_topic">When using the Surface Area Drive Method to create a Tool Path directly on the Drive Surfaces, be sure to correctly define the Material Side Vector. The Material Side Vector determines the side of the Drive Surfaces the tool contacts. The Material Side Vector must point towards the material to be removed (in the same direction as the Tool Axis Vector).</p>
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         <p align="center"><img align="bottom" src="graphics/surfcont_figuressc83.gif"></p>
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      <div class="title_figure">Material Side Vector</div>
      <p class="para_topic">Some tool axes depend on the Part Surface normal and some do not. Those that do not depend on the Part Surface normal (all those except Normal to Part, Relative to Part, 4-Axis Normal to Part, 4-Axis Relative to Part, Dual 4-Axis on Part) will position to the edge of the Part Surface (when Remove Edge Tracing is OFF) even though the tool tip is outside the edge of the Part Surface. See Remove Edge Traces for more information.</p>
      <p class="para_topic">Tool axes that depend on the Part Surface normal for their orientation (Normal to Part, Relative to Part, 4-Axis Normal to Part, 4-Axis Relative to Part, Dual 4-Axis on Part) will not position to the edge of the Part Surface if the tool tip lies outside the edge. This is because the normal is undefined. As a result, these tool axes always behave as though edge tracing is OFF ( see Remove Edge Traces).</p>
      <p class="para_topic">In the following figure, for example, the edge of the projected Drive Surface is coincident with the edge of the Part Surface, causing contact points to be generated on the very edge of the Part Surface. The Normal to Part tool axis cannot position the tool to the Part Surface where the tip lies outside the edge of the Part Surface. The tool retracts, traverses, engages (according to the specified Avoidance moves), and continues cutting when it can again position to the edge of the Part Surface.</p>
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         <p align="center"><img align="bottom" src="graphics/surfcont_figuressc84.gif"></p>
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      <div class="title_figure">Part Surface Dependent Tool Axes Cannot Position when Tool Tip Positions Outside Part Surface</div>
      <p class="para_topic">To prevent this behavior and allow the tool to cut along the full length of the first pass, you can increase the Start Step % value very slightly (e.g. .001). Refer to Start Step for more information.</p>
      <p class="para_topic">When you select Tool Axis, the system prompts you to use one of the following methods to define the axis orientation. Notice that these methods are grouped into categories.</p>
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            <td valign="top" align="left"><img align="left" src="../graphics/note.gif" alt="Note" title="Note"></td>
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               <div class="para_note">
                  <p class="para_note_body"> NOTE: The Verify Tool Axis menu option is no longer available. To verify an existing Tool Axis, simply select the same Tool Axis option as the current Tool Axis to display the values of points, planes, vectors and rotation angles defining the Tool Axis in the current operation.</p>
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      <p class="para_topic">Tool Position also can be defined at the boundary level, at the boundary member level, and the group level, using Custom Boundary Data.</p>
      <div class="title_division">+ZM Axis</div>
      <p class="para_division">+ZM Axis specifies the tool axis along the +Z axis of the MCS. It outputs this fixed tool axis in the first GOTO point of each tool path (like all other fixed axis options) when Output CLSF is used. This forced tool axis output is necessary to ensure that the tool path in the CLSF from an operation has a valid tool axis and is not affected by the tool axis from the previous path.</p>
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