ToolsMillManual

Applied Parameters: CommandMode=NC

Summary

This command is used to manually place rout paths on the current document, and is based on polyline placement. Polylines are useful if you need to close the line, or insert arcs as part of the line, both of which cannot be achieved using standard lines.

Access

This command is accessed from the CAMtastic Editor by choosing the Rout » Manual Rout command from the main menus.

Use

After launching the command, the Select Mill/Drill Tool dialog will appear. Choose the tool you wish to use for routing from the list of available tools. After clicking OK, you will enter polyline placement mode and a filled circle, representing the tool size selected, will appear floating on the cursor. Placement is made by performing the following sequence of actions:

1. Position the cursor at the required location in the workspace and click to anchor the start of the polyline.
2. Move the cursor and click again to place the next vertex point in the polyline.
3. Continue placing further vertices, clicking each time, until the desired shape for the polyline has been achieved.

4. Right-click to pop-up a menu offering a variety of commands that can be applied while in polyline placement mode. The following commands are available from the menu:

   End - ends placement of this specific polyline without closing it.

   Close - closes the line by drawing a line from the last point placed to the starting point and ends placement of this specific polyline.

   Change to Line - changes placement mode to straight lines.

   Change to Arc - changes placement mode to arcs.

   Draw Arc Clockwise - draws arc from previous vertex in clockwise direction.

   Draw Arc C-Clockwise - draws arc from previous vertex in counter-clockwise direction.

   Undo Polyline Changes - deletes the current polyline, remaining in polyline placement mode.

   Snap Change - enables/disables the snap mode during polyline placement.

   Cancel Action - deletes the current polyline and exits polyline placement mode.

5. If ending or closing the polyline, or if undoing changes, you will remain in placement mode. Continue placing further polyline objects, or press Esc to exit polyline placement mode. Alternatively, right-click and select Cancel Action from the pop-up menu.

Tips

1. In order for this command to be available, make sure that you are in the NC Editor, rather than the CAM Editor. Editor selection is carried out from the View menu.
2. A polyline must have at least two distinct vertices before it can be ended.
3. A polyline must have at least three distinct vertices before it can be closed.
4. Polylines will be drawn on the current layer. The current layer is displayed on the CAMtastic panel at the top of the layers list. Double-clicking on any layer in the layers list will cause it to become the current layer.
5. In order to manually rout, tools must already have been defined, otherwise you will get a dialog alerting you to this fact, and you will be directed to the Tool Table dialog (Tables » NC Tools), from where you can add tool definitions.
6. The fastest way to generate tools is to generate NC Drill files from the PCB design document. These are imported into the CAMtastic Editor, and the tool definitions added to the Tool Table dialog.