Stop Machining Blind
No human can visualize the 3D part data inside of a chunk of material on the table of a machine tool. Only a computer generated image can show you the relationship of the stock to the part data. Without this information, your working in the dark and making (hopefully) educated guesses about what to do next. Why guess when the RSM visualization feature can show you exactly where your at and let you make an informed decision about what comes next.


3D Stock Model View
The stock model view is yet another visualization feature of Prospector that is presented as a tabbed view every time you create a new 3D program. This view is a quick approximation of the state of the stock. What you are seeing on the screen should look exactly like the steel on your machine tool.

Remaining Stock Model


How much stock is left? Where is it? Where should I cut next?

The remaining stock model (RSM) feature always knows and shows you where and how much stock is left on the job. This information is absolutely essential for programming efficient cutter paths. Unless you know precisely where the stock is, it is simply not possible to create the most efficient programs.

The first step in creating a new 3D program is identifying the area to be machined. This is where RSM comes in to assist you. A computer-generated image - the RSM View - of what remains to be machined is displayed in a separate tabbed view. The image is color-coded to reflect how much stock is present in different areas. By working with a slider control, the image can be manipulated to highlight specific ranges of stock depths. This allows you to better understand the stock condition which leads to making better decision about where to machine and how to machine. Think of it as your own high-tech guidance system telling you where to machine next.

The RSM view of the state of the remaining stock is presented as a separate tabbed view whenever you create a 3D program. Using the slider-bar control, the model is recolored to indicate stock depths. In this example, cutter containment areas (windows) were created by a single click of the mouse to encompass areas in green.

When you indicate where you would like to machine by creating windows, information specific to those areas is reported in the RSM dialog control. This data includes:

  • Minimum radius - the smallest radius in the area. This is a key piece of information to make a wise choice for the tool to be used to machine the area. The default PowerSource rules for tool selection will factor in minimum radius when choosing a tool for the program to make sure the radii can be effectively machined.

  • Depth - indicates how deep the area is. This factors in both part and stock condition. Understanding the depth for each area is important to selecting tool setups. Often times if makes sense to program areas of shallow depths together so a shorter tool setup can be used and return later to program the deeper areas with a longer tool setup.

  • Stock - reports the maximum amount of stock inside an area. If a certain area has much more stock than others that you've chosen, it may make sense to machine that separately using a different strategy or an option to walk the cutter down into the stock.


Why This Matters....

  • Never miss an area. RSM ensures that an area is the job is not accidentally missed. It's crystal clear where the stock is so it is just not possible for an operator to miss an area.

  • No wasted machine time. Why cut in areas where the stock has already been removed? This is probably the #1 problem today with traditional CAM systems that force you to program "blind". The tendency is to over-machine the job or be too conservative just to "play it safe".

  • Smart machining decisions. The precise information about candidate areas to machine allows PowerSource and the user to make optimal choices for machining strategy, tooling, speeds and feeds as well as ordering of programs.

  • RSM data is cumulative and always current. Starting from either a block or a constant amount of stock over the entire part, the RSM information reflects the affects of all the programs prior to the one you are currently creating. This is true even if the previous programs were edited or their order was changed. Even programs run previously in a different setup on the machine are factored into the RSM display.