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2D : (in terms of CAM) Cuts are all made to the same depth along a single plane (typically XY) and may be described by a single monochrome (b/w) 2D drawing. Plasma cutters and lasercutters which are not doing engraving are limited to 2D, as are engraving machines which cut to only a single depth. The simplest form of CAM, any program should be able to create such a file. See Toolpaths section.
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6s and 9s :(in terms of machining) Description of the preferred shape of chips cut by the machine.
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A
A-Axis :The A Axis usually refers to the first rotational (the fourth axis when added to a machine with X-, Y- and Z-axes) of a CNC machine. The fourth axis sits underneath a typical X,Y,Z setup. Picture a stepper or servo controlled lathe on the table of a typical 3 axis machine. That is your 4th axis. It is important to understand the difference between A axis and B axis. The A axis is the rotational axis around the X-axis. While the B axis is the rotational axis around the Y-axis. The picture below demonstrates an A-axis setup.
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Axis (cnc) :In Geometry there are three axes of movement (X, Y, Z). It is therefore confusing at first to hear of a 5 or 6 axis CNC machine. How can there be more than 3 axes? In CNC terminology an axis is either a linear or rotary freedom of movement.
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B
B-Axis : Usually the axis of circular motion of the spindle about the Y-Axis.
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Bounding Box : A bounding box is used in CAD drawing to get a rough estimate of how much volume a 3D object contains. A bounding box is defined as the smallest box that can be drawn and still contain the object(s) you are “bounding”. This is useful in CNC when trying to figure out how large of stock to need to start with in order to mill out the model.
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C
C-Axis : The C Axis is the rotational axis around the Z axis. In and of itself a machine with just C Axis capability would be pretty useless. But if you couple it with B Axis movement you have a 5 axis machine with incredible versatility.
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Cutter Offset : Cutter offset is the distance from the surface of part to bottom of tool along the z axis. In practice cutter offset is a predetermined distance from the surface of the workpiece that allows for the safe and rapid movement of the cutting tool between cutting operations.
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D
Dado (US and Canada) : A slot (housing in the UK, trench in Europe) cut into the surface of a material, normally only used in woodworking where it signifies a groove made across the grain of the wood. Through dadoes pass from one side to the other (and have only two sides and a bottom), stopped are closed at one end (or both) ends.
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Dwell Time : Timed delay of a set duration added to a control program for specific machining operations.
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E
E-Stop / Emergency Stop : An e-stop or emergency stop is the control that stops all machine operation in the event of a crash, runaway machine, or some dangerous or potentially dangerous situation. True emergency stop devices cut power to spindles, drives and any other powered element of a machine so that all sources of potential danger can be eliminated with a button.
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Extrude : Uses a curve and direction to create a 3D version of the original curve.
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F
Face Mill or Face Milling : A face mill is a type of mill cutter that contains multiple cutting teeth and is often used to remove large amounts of material. In face milling, the cutter is mounted on a spindle having an axis of rotation perpendicular to the workpiece surface. The milled surface results from the action of cutting edges located on the periphery and face of the cutter.
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Flute Length : Length of flutes or grooves. This length will determine how deeply an endmill will actually be able to cut. Note that it is possible to continue to cut deeper, but the shaft of the endmill will rub, generating friction heat which is not recommended (and a tapered endmill with a shaft thicker than the cutting diameter will require relief cuts to clear for the taper and shaft).
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G
G-Code : A defined set of command instructions and parameters which determine how a machine will move and function. Named for the ''G'' movement commands which are most frequently used and which were the only ones defined when the language was named. Usually indicated by the file extensions .gc, .gcode, .tap, .nc, .ngc, &c. See CAD, CAM, and G-code section.
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Groove : A slot or trench cut along the grain. Through grooves will pass from one end to the other, stopped will be housed within the material on one (or both) ends.
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H
Homing : Typically, the use of switches (homing switches, a subset of limit switches) to determine the machine origin, usually under the micro-controller’s control. One can also approximate this manually.
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I
Indexing : To rotate or move from one position to another in order to perform a set of operations. c.f., ''Tiling''
Interference : Intentional overlap of two parts. c.f., ''Allowance'', ''Clearance'', ''Tolerance''
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J
Jig : Tool used to control the location of a cutting tool. c.f., ''Fixture''
Jogging : The use of special-purpose buttons or commands to move the spindle/carriage/gantry under power into a particular position.
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K
Kerf :The empty space left behind in stock after making a cut.
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L
Lead-In and Lead-Out : The terms “lead-in” and “lead-out” refer to how a CNC part program approaches and leaves the part when cutting. Most CAM programs have parameters for describing the type of approach and exit strategy that will be employed in cutting a part. These cutting strategies can range from directly plunging and retracting the tool (no lead-in or lead-out) to arching toolpaths which “kiss” the origin after a soft lead-in. These cutting strategy decisions vary based on workholding, fixtures, material choices, etc. See Toolpaths section.
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Length of Cut : How much of the end mill has a cutting area on it
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M
Machining Margin (MeshCAM) : The distance outside the geometry outline which MeshCAM will allow the endmill to go.
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MDI (Manual Digital Interface) : An interface area where commands may be directly sent to the machine to control it, or query it for its status.
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N
NEMA : industry group which defines the standard for sizing of electrical motors which are used in most CNC machines. The motors are sized in decimal inches by the mount hole spacing and the decimal point omitted. Hence the mounting holes for a NEMA 23 motor are spaced 2.3 inches on center.
Nesting : The arrangement of parts to be cut so as to make the most efficient use of material.
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O
OAL (Over all length) :How long the bit is in total from one end to the other.
Offset : Difference between one distance or dimension and another.
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P
Peck Drilling : Peck drill is a “canned cycle” drilling operation in which the bit advances into the hole retracts to clear chips and/or flood the hole with coolant and then advances further, retracts, etc. Peck drilling is often used for holes that are three or four times deeper than the drill diameter.
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Profile : A 2d cut into the material, following a closed path --- the result will be a cut-out piece and a cut in the stock material and may be either inside (the path will define the shape left in the stock material) or outside (the profile will define the shape cut out of the stock material). The depth parameter specifies the depth of cut into the material and should be negative. See Toolpaths section.
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Q
Quill : The sleeve of a drill press or lathe headstock in which the spindle is mounted.
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R
Rabbet : A recess cut into the edge of a material creating a step. The English term is rebate.
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Runout : The inaccuracy of a rotating mechanical system, specifically the degree to which a tool does not rotate exactly in line with its axis.
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S
Safety Height : How high the Z-axis lifts up to ensure that the bit doesn't damage your part. c.f., Retract Height above.
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Surface Feet per Minute (SFM) : The speed at which the flutes of the endmill move over the material as the machine cuts, based on the endmill diameter and spindle RPM. See Feeds & speeds section.
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T
Tiling : Cutting out a design or part one section at a time.
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Typical (or TYP) : (in CAD) TYP means typical to all identical features, e.g., if there are multiple bolt patterns and only one is dimensioned with "TYP" on all DIMs, then all the bolt patterns are exactly the same.
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U
USB : Universal Serial Bus, a standard computer connection used for a wide variety of computer peripherals which is used to connect to the Arduino which up is used to run [[Grbl]] which functions as a control board for the system.
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V
Vector : Colloquially in graphics, the depiction of an image as a series of dots, lines, arcs, circles, Bézier curves, and stroked and filled regions. Contrast with pixel.
Vice (Vise in American English) : A tool which is attached to a table or bench, using two flat surfaces to hold stock for machining (or woodworking) operations, usually tightened with a screw mechanism.
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W
WCS : work coordinate system
X
X-Axis : Gantry machines (including Shapeoko) are usually labelled X for the axis along the gantry (left and right, with right being positive). X moves just the carriage on the gantry. One may switch the X- and Y- axes if that better suits one working setup, but to avoid confusion, when referring to the physical aspects of the machine, one should use non-switched descriptors. On a lathe, it is the X-axis which determines the diameter of the cutting.
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Y
Y-Axis : Gantry machines (including Shapeoko) are usually labelled Y for across the gantry (toward and away from you, with away being positive). Y moves the whole gantry. One may switch the X- and Y- axes if that better suits one working setup, but to avoid confusion, when referring to the physical aspects of the machine, one should use non-switched descriptors.
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Zero : Colloquially, the origin point of the current work coordinate system, or current mounted stock. Often will need to be set via relative off-sets, one axis at a time.
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