How To Question

[gigdog]

When viewing the part file in regular mode with the toolpath selected you can see the green nodes at the end of each line. Can the nodes be moved to the other end of the line and cause the cutter to move in a back and forth motion rather than jogging back to the opposite side to make the next cut?

[frank]

Hi Raymond,

You have to be in node editing mode, click on the black node at the opposite end of the line and then "Shift P" will move the start node. You then have to edit and calculate your toolpath again to chage the direction of your toolpath.

[jsfrost]

While we are on the subject, a option for zig-zag toolpath rather than jogging back, ideally with a last pass offset option has been on my wish list for a while. This would frequently result in modest cut time reduction if the cut must be done in multiple passes.

As Frank says, a zig-zag can be accomplished by going to edit mode, changing the line end, and re-toolpathing. This accomplishes the toolpath goal, but for one off projects the design time increase is rarely worth the cut time savings.

[gundog]

I tried editing the start point in node editing on a profile cut and it turned the node green and old start point black but when I run the tool path it moves right back to the start corner nearest the 0,0 cordinate. What am I doing wrong?
Mike

[gundog]

I just figured it out you must click the little box that says use vector start points don't optimize.
Mike