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      <title>Optimize</title>
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      <div class="title_topic3" id="xps10_pagetitle">Optimize</div>
      <hr noshade="true">
      <p class="para_topic">Optimize allows you to arrange the order of the points in the tool path. Typically you will want the points arranged to provide the quickest tool path (especially for multi-axis positioning.) However, you also have options to confine the tool path to horizontal or vertical areas (bands) due to other machining constraints, such as clamp locations, machine travel limits, table size, etc.</p>
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            <td valign="top" align="left"><img align="left" src="../graphics/warning.gif" alt="Warning" title="Warning"></td>
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               <div class="para_warning">
                  <p class="para_warning_body">  CAUTION: The Optimize function discards any previously defined Avoid motion. Therefore, use the Avoid option only after you Optimize.</p>
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      <p class="para_topic">After you choose Optimize, the Optimize Points menu provides the following methods of determining the Point to Point tool path.</p>
      <ul>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Shortest Path</p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Horizontal Bands</p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Vertical Bands</p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Repaint Points</p>
         </li>
      </ul>
      <div class="title_division">Shortest Path</div>
      <p class="para_division">Shortest Path - indicates that you wish the processor to order GOTO points based upon efficient machining time. This is usually the preferred method, especially when the number of points is large (i.e., 30 or more) and when a variable tool axis is required. However, the Shortest Path method may require additional processing time in comparison to the other Optimization methods.</p>
      <p class="para_division">After you select this option, you can choose the level of optimization, either Standard or Advanced. The processor determines whether a variable tool-axis is required and, if so, you can choose whether the optimization is based on the Tool-Axis Then Distance method or the Distance Only method. Optionally, you can select start/end points or start/end tool axis for the tool path.</p>
      <p class="para_division">After optimization of the tool path, its total length and the total angular change of the tool axis are displayed. You can then Accept or Reject the optimization result.</p>
      <p class="para_division">After you choose Shortest Path, the Optimization Parameters menu provides the following options:</p>
      <ul>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Level</p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Based On</p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Start Point</p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">End Point</p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Start Tool Axis</p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">End Tool Axis</p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Optimize</p>
         </li>
      </ul>
      <p class="para_division">Level - refers to the amount of time you want the processor to use in determining the shortest tool path. Your choices are:</p>
      <p class="para_division">Standard - Select the new start point of the tool path by indicating a CL-point. The order of the remaining points is determined in a manner similar to chaining: the second CL-point is the CL-point closest to the start point, the third point is the point closest to the second point, etc.</p>
      <p class="para_division">Advanced may take considerably longer processing time than the Standard method in determining the shortest tool path. However, this method increases machine time efficiency.</p>
      <div class="figure">
         <p align="center"><img align="bottom" src="graphics/ptpt_optimat22.gif"></p>
      </div>
      <div class="title_figure">Comparing Tool Path Lengths</div>
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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: Because the two Levels, Standard, and Advanced, use different processing methods, there are (rare) occasions when the Standard method can produce a shorter tool path than the Advanced method.</p>
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      <p class="para_division">Based On - refers to the distance between tool path points.</p>
      <p class="para_division">For a fixed axis tool path, your only option is:</p>
      <p class="para_division">Distance - This option determines the shortest path by computing the traversal time in the direction of the tool axis, and in the plane normal to the tool axis.</p>
      <p class="para_division">For a variable tool axis tool path, you can select either:</p>
      <p class="para_division">Distance Only - This option determines the shortest path by computing time traversing 3D distances between points. The tool axis is ignored.</p>
      <p class="para_division">Tool Axis Then Distance - This option determines the shortest path by adding the time required for changing the tool axis as well as the traversal time between points.</p>
      <div class="figure">
         <p align="center"><img align="bottom" src="graphics/ptpt_optimfi01.gif"></p>
      </div>
      <div class="title_figure">Based On</div>
      <p class="para_division">Start (and End) Point - refers to the starting (and ending) coordinates of the tool path. You can select the point with the cursor or use the following Select Start (or End) Point menu options to select the Start Point or End Point.</p>
      <ul>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Automatic</p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Current Start Point</p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Current End Point</p>
         </li>
      </ul>
      <p class="para_division">Automatic allows the processor to determine the start and end points. In this case, the point that you first choose to include in the tool path will not necessarily be the Start Point. The processor determines the Start Point based upon the shortest tool path.</p>
      <p class="para_division">Current Start Point allows you to use the point that you first choose to include in the tool path as the Start (or End) Point. If the points are already optimized, then this option will use the current Start Point (which either you or the processor may have selected).</p>
      <p class="para_division">Current End Point - allows you to use the last point that you choose to include in the tool path as the Start (or End) Point. If the points are already optimized, then this option will use the current End Point (which either you or the processor may have selected).</p>
      <p class="para_division">Start (and End) Tool Axis - allows you to specify the tool axis at the beginning (or end) of the tool path if:</p>
      <ol type="1" start="1">
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">The processor determines a variable tool axis</p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">You selected Based On, Tool Axis Then Distance</p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">You selected Start (or End) Point, Automatic. (If you did not select Start (or End) Point, Automatic, then this option is set to Automatic.)</p>
         </li>
      </ol>
      <p class="para_division">The Select Start (or End) Tool Axis menu allows the following methods of determining the beginning and end tool axis:</p>
      <ul>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Automatic</p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Current Start Tool Axis</p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Current End Tool Axis</p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Vector</p>
         </li>
      </ul>
      <p class="para_division">Automatic, Current Start and End Tool Axis - see Start Point.</p>
      <p class="para_division">Vector - allows you to select a tool axis using the Vector Subfunction.</p>
      <p class="para_division">Optimize - initiates the optimization process.</p>
      <p class="para_division">After optimization, the Optimization Result menu appears showing the before and after results of Optimization. You are provided the total length of the tool path both before and after optimization, and the total angular change of the tool axis both before and after optimization.</p>
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            <td valign="top" align="left"><img align="left" src="../graphics/note.gif" alt="Note" title="Note"></td>
            <td valign="bottom" align="left" width="100%">
               <div class="para_note">
                  <p class="para_note_body"> NOTE: If this is the first time you are optimizing, the Before Distance and Tool Axis are determined by the order that you initially elected the points to include in the tool path.</p>
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            </td>
         </tr>
      </table>
      <div class="title_division">Horizontal Bands</div>
      <p class="para_division">Horizontal Bands - allows you to define a series of horizontal bands to contain and direct a zig-zag tool motion parallel to the work coordinate XC axis. The bands are defined by pairs of horizontal lines, and are sequenced in the order they are defined. They are either:</p>
      <p class="para_division">Ascending - If you choose this option, the system orders from minimum XC values to maximum XC values all points in the first band and in all subsequent odd-numbered bands (1, 3, 5, etc.). Points in the second and in all subsequent even numbered bands (2, 4, 6, etc.) are ordered from maximum XC values to minimum XC values.</p>
      <p class="para_division">Descending - If you choose this option, the system numbers points in the odd-numbered bands (1, 3, 5, etc.) from maximum XC value to minimum XC value, and points in the even numbered bands (2, 4, 6, etc.) from minimum XC value to maximum XC value.</p>
      <div class="figure">
         <p align="center"><img align="bottom" src="graphics/ptpt_optimat21.gif"></p>
      </div>
      <div class="title_figure">Ascending and Descending CL-Points</div>
      <p class="para_division">After you define the first band order, use the screen cursor to choose a position on the screen through which the first line for the horizontal band passes. The system displays a line through that point and parallel to the work coordinate XC axis.</p>
      <p class="para_division">Next, choose a point for the second horizontal line to define the first band.</p>
      <p class="para_division">Repeat this process of defining two lines for each band until you have defined all bands, and then choose OK. The system sequences the CL-points and returns to the Point-To-Point Geometry menu.</p>
      <p class="para_division">The system omits CL-points which were selected but not included in any of the bands.</p>
      <div class="figure">
         <p align="center"><img align="bottom" src="graphics/ptpt_optimat20.gif"></p>
      </div>
      <div class="title_figure">Points Optimized by Horizontal Bands</div>
      <div class="title_division">Vertical Bands</div>
      <p class="para_division">Vertical Bands is the same as Optimize by Horizontal Bands, except that the bands are parallel to the work coordinate YC axis and the points in each band are sequenced according to YC coordinates.</p>
      <div class="title_division">Repaint Points</div>
      <p class="para_division">Repaint Points allows you to control the repaint of all the selected points after each optimization. Repaint Points toggles between YES and NO. When Repaint Points is set to YES, the system will redisplay the sequence number of each point.</p>
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