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      <title>Operations</title>
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      <div class="title_topic2" id="xps10_pagetitle">Operations </div>
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      <p class="para_topic">The main unit of NX CAM is the setup. The setup consists of all the operations and the environment in which the operations were created. An operation contains a uniquely generated tool path and the information within the tool path: geometry, tool, and machining parameters. An operation is different from an NC program in that one operation generates one tool path and the NC program may generate numerous tool paths. You post process the NC program to create the actual commands that are sent to the CNC controller.</p>
      <div class="title_division"> Four Parents of an Operation</div>
      <p class="para_division">Each operation has four parents. The operations inherit information from each parent and the system uses it to calculate the tool path. The four types of parent groups are given below:</p>
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         <li>
            <p class="para_item">The geometry for the specific operation.</p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">The tooling to be used.</p>
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         <li>
            <p class="para_item">The machining parameters for the operation.</p>
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         <li>
            <p class="para_item">The program that contains the operation.</p>
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      <p class="para_division">These are the four parents that supply information to an operation. For each new operation you need to select these four parent groups. The previous selections remain modal as you create operations so you only need to select what changes. Below is a short description of each of these four Parents.</p>
      <div class="title_division">The geometry for the specific operation</div>
      <p class="para_division">For each operation you must choose the orientation and the geometry. The orientation is defined by a coordinate system and the geometry is defined in various ways, depending on what type of operation you are creating.</p>
      <p class="para_division">The coordinate system, fixture offset, clearance plane and tool axis can all be stored in an orientation group.</p>
      <p class="para_division">The geometry to be machined in each operation needs to be defined either in the geometry parent or within each individual operation. &nbsp;It is usually more convenient to define the geometry in a geometry parent group. If the geometry is specified here it can be used by all the subsequent operations of the parent. For example, if you are going to repeat similar operations on two cavities, you can put the cavity geometry in two groups, and then create or copy the same operations under each group. This saves you from duplicating your efforts.</p>
      <p class="para_division">The geometry also defines the part material, which is used to calculate machining data.</p>
      <div class="title_division">The tooling to be used</div>
      <p class="para_division">Each operation needs a tool to cut the tool path. Tools can be retrieved from a library with hundreds of standard tools, or created as needed. Tools are placed in holders, carriers, and turrets, on a machine tool.</p>
      <p class="para_division">Tools have a tool material that is used to calculate machining data.</p>
      <div class="title_division">The machining parameters for the operation</div>
      <p class="para_division">Each operation contains numerous parameters. The most specific parameters such as engage, retract, and stepover, are stored in the operation. Some parameters are shared by many operations and are stored in the Method parent group. These shared parameters can include the stock, tolerance, feedrates, and display colors.</p>
      <p class="para_division">The method also defines the cut method used to calculate machining data.</p>
      <div class="title_division">The Program that contains the operation</div>
      <p class="para_division">You create programs to help you organize your operations and the order in which the system runs them. If you need two programs (or tape files) for this job, you create a program group for each one, such as tape_1 and tape_2. When you create an operation, you select whether it machines in the program tape_1 or tape_2. Before you postprocess, you can reorder the operations in each program, or move them from one program to the other. </p>
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