Kinematic Simulation

Here is a quick video-guided introduction to how you can use the simulation tool within MillBox:

How do I open the Simulation Tool?

Kinematic simulations can be ran within MillBox after the toolpath calculation has completed.

To get started:

1. Select "Simulation" 
2. Click on Kinematic Simulation to open the Simulation Tool:

When the Kinematic Simulation is ran, the following window will appear with the process to run the simulation:

Using this tool, the user can simulate the calculated toolpaths and visualize the virtual milling of the material on-screen.

What are my controls / keybinds in the Simulation Tool?

ROTATION:

Holding down the Right-Click on the mouse will allow for free-rotation of the parts and fixtures on-screen.

PANNING:

Pressing and holding down the middle-scroll button on mouse allows the user to Pan for view of the screen up, down left and right to situate items on the screen.

ZOOM:

Scrolling up or down on the mouse will appropriately trigger a Dynamic Zoom in the CAM based on the location of the mouse pointer.

How do I navigate the Simulation Tool?

The Simulation tool is broken up into a few main sections. In this article, we will be covering the elements listed under the Simulation Tab.

Let's explore these different areas of the simulation tool:

Play Controls & Simulation Speed

These tools are for controlling the playback and speed of the simulation that is running.

Under the CONTROL options we have:

Step Back / Previous Feed Move - Clicking the down arrow will allow for the option "PREVIOUS FEED SPEED.

1. Step Back Will move one step back in the text of code.
   1. Previous Feed Move will disregard the rapid movements and return to an operation of milling.

Previous Op - This will allow you to return to the begining of the previous toolpath operation.

Run - This will start the simulation

STOP - This will stop the simulation

Fast Forward - Will move the simulation forward (Simulation Run Speed will determine how fast it will move)

Step Fwd / Next Feed Move - Clicking the down arrow will allow for the option "Next Feed SPEED.
2. Step Fwd - This will move one step forward in the line of text.
A. Next Feed Move - This will disregards the rapid movements and will move forward to the next milling operation.

Next Op - This will move to the next toolpath operation within the simulation.

Restart ~ This will restart the simulation from the very begining.

Simulation Run Speed - Dragging the slider on the right to the left or right of the mid-line will either speed up (right) or slow down (left) the speed of the simulation.

Simulation Run Speed

SImulation Run Speed is used to alter the simulation's speed by dragging the pointer on the slider back and forth.

The box in the lower right hand corner, will "POP OUT" the run speed window.

Views

You can modify the current view of the fixture / part using the tools found under these settings.

Fit The fixture / part is centered in its current position.

Isometric returns the fixture / part to its original position.

Top - will position the fixture / part view from a top down view
Front - will show the front of the fixture / part. (Side view)
Right - Will show the right side of the fixture / part. (Side view)

Bottom - will show the bottom of the fixture / part.
Back - will show the back of the fixture / part. (Side view)
Left - will show the left side of the fixture / part. (Side view)

Visualization Tools

Visibility Options

• Tool: the tool itself. Toggles the display of the tool generated.

• Fixture: the component that grips the target part in order to fix it during machining.

• Workpiece (target part): Toggles the display of the Fixture / Original .STL File.

• Stock (in process material): the material that will be machined in order to reach the workpiece's model. Toggles the visualization of the Stock / Blank

• Initial Stock: the initial material that has been provided to the machine

• Machine Housing: the group of components that are not influencing the machine kinematics

NOTE:Certain elements have the option to choose between: Show / Opaque / Transparent / Hide

This functionality uses the following settings:

• Show - uses the standard settings given in the machine definition xml file in the Transparency setting.

• Opaque - set the geometry Transparency level to 0%.

• Transparent - set the geometry Transparency level to 50%.

• Hide - set the geometry Transparency level to 100% (fully hide the geometry)

• Toolpath: is the tool's path. Toggle the visibility of all created Toolpaths - Toolpaths sometimes obstruct the simulation, it's best to turn them off before starting the simulation.

Statistical Data

This area of the simulation tool shows statistical information relevant to the operation being executed / simulated.

Move List

This is a list of various operations that will be executed as part of the milling job on the machine.This list is in chronological order from top to bottom:

You can easily navigate to / through a program using this list and quickly skip to a process that will be executed during milling using this list.
To skip to that operation, simply select one of the listed operations. Keep in mind that the simulation tool may need some time to catch up to your selected point in the program as it has to simulate within a specified tolerance that takes time.

Statistics

This tab gives us some operation-specific information relative to the item we have selected in the Move List. If we scroll down, we can find the diameter of the tool used for a given operation:

Measure

This window within the simulation is used to display errors / collisions that may have occur during the sim process. 

IMPORTANT: When you skip forward within the simulation - you are bypassing any collision checks within the simulation tool. In order to simulate collisions, you must let the simulation run with it's progress uninterrupted (you can speed up the simulation speed).

Simulation - Residual Material

You can also use this window to display any residual material with a color map to indicate thicknesses:

Progress Bar

This bar displays the progress of the simulated project and allows the user to advance or reverse tool path operations; within the simulationed enviroment. If you jump ahead in the tool path operation, the Simulation tool may take some time to process and accurately imitate the movements performed between the gaps, as well as refresh the visualization for the removed material.

IMPORTANT: When you skip forward within the simulation - you are bypassing any collision checks within the simulation tool. In order to simulate collisions, you must let the simulation run with it's progress uninterrupted (you can speed up the simulation speed).