Controlling Tool Priority When Auto Optimizing Sequence

SEQUENCE RATING

The Sequence Rating is an integer number, and usually negative. The more negative the rating, the earlier the tool will be used. typically marking tools are given a default rating of -300, drilling tools a rating of -200, and cutting or beveling tools a rating of -100. A special rating of 1 indicates that no constraint is applied when sequencing the tool, and the tool must be manually placed in the sequence. Note that the sequence rating is enforced as a secondary measure AFTER inside/outside enforcement- ie internal processes should always be cut before an enclosing external porcess.

The magnitude of the rating is unimportant; while the defaults ratings are -300,-200 and -100 these are no ‘stronger ” than if -3,-2 and -1 were applied, however it allows intermediate ratings to be applied.

Example: A milling tool is created, and it will have a default rating of 1- ie no particular constraint on sequence. If the milling is always to be performed as a finishing mill after cutting, then set its rating to say -50. The milling will then be applied after the cutting (rating -100).

A button on the machines page has been added, Auto Sequence Tools, which applies the default sequencing as described above (-300 for marking, -200 for drilling, -100 for cutting/beveling). When this update is first used you are likely to see the tools each have a unique sequence rating from the previous implementation. Applying Auto Sequence Tools in this scenario is recommended.

BEVEL ORDERING

Bevel processes now adjust their individual process rating based on the maximum bevel angle in the process. This should enable the auto sequence optimizer to correctly order bevels from bottom to top as is normally required.