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      <title>Zlevel Milling</title>
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      <div class="title_topic2" id="xps10_pagetitle">Zlevel Milling</div>
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               <p class="para_td">Overview</p>
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               <p class="para_td"><a class="links" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="top.openFile('mfgmilling/zlevel_dialog.html');return(false);">Options</a> 
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      </table><br><p class="para_topic">Zlevel Milling is a fixed axis milling module designed to profile the part modeled from solid bodies/faces at multiple levels. It allows you to cut only steep areas of the part or the entire part. In addition to the Part geometry, you may also specify the cut area geometry as a subset of the Part geometry to limit the areas to be cut. If no cut area geometry is defined, then the entire Part geometry is considered the cut area. During the tool path generation, the processor will trace the geometry, detect the steep areas of the part geometry if requested, order the traced shapes, identify the cut areas to be machined, and cut those areas without gouging the part for all cut levels.</p>
      <p class="para_topic">One key feature of Zlevel Milling is the ability to specify a Steep Angle to distinguish steep from non-steep areas. When Steep Angle is toggled ON, only areas with a steepness greater than the specified Steep Angle are profiled. When Steep Angle is toggled OFF, the entire part is profiled as illustrated below.</p>
      <p align="center"><img align="bottom" src="graphics/zlevel_steep.gif"></p>
      <p class="para_topic">Many of the parameters defined in Zlevel Milling are the same as those require for a Cavity Mill operation. Refer to the section on Cavity Milling for additional details on options not fully described in this section.</p>
      <p class="para_topic">Note that Zlevel cutting can be especially effective for  <a class="links" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="top.openFile('mfgmilling/hsm_overview.html');return(false);">High Speed Machining</a>:
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            <p class="para_item">You can maintain scallop height on steep walls.</p>
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            <p class="para_item">You can cut multiple levels in one operation.</p>
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            <p class="para_item">You can cut multiple features (regions) in one operation.</p>
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            <p class="para_item">You can cut by level (waterline) for thin-walled parts.</p>
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            <p class="para_item">There is wide availability of linear, circular, helical engages at each level.</p>
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            <p class="para_item">You can maintain the tool in constant contact with the material.</p>
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            <p class="para_item">You can finish by using Zlevel for steep walls.</p>
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      <div class="title_division">Advantages to Using Zlevel Instead of Cavity Milling</div>
      <p class="para_division">In some cases, Cavity Milling with a Profile cut method can produce a similar tool path. Because Zlevel is designed for semi-finishing and finishing, there are several advantages to using Zlevel instead of Cavity Milling:</p>
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            <p class="para_item">Zlevel does not require blank geometry.</p>
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            <p class="para_item">Zlevel will use cut area--either selected in the operation or inherited from a mill_area. </p>
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            <p class="para_item">Zlevel can inherit trim boundaries from a mill_area group.</p>
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            <p class="para_item">Zlevel has steep containment.</p>
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            <p class="para_item">When cutting depth first, Zlevel orders by shape, where Cavity Milling orders by region. This means that all levels on an island part shape are cut before moving to the next island.</p>
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            <p class="para_item">On closed shapes, Zlevel can move from level to level by ramping directly on the part, to create a helical-like path.</p>
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            <p class="para_item">On open shapes, Zlevel can cut in alternating directions, creating a zig-zag motion down a wall. </p>
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