PowerMill 2019Paolo Bastianelli

Tips & Tricks

30 day free-trial of PowerMill Ultimate

Access all functionality

Includes 3-axis post-processing

Export G-code for a selection of NC controllers

Access to “Getting Started” video tutorials

www.autodesk.com/powermill-getting-started

PowerMill 2019 - Free trial available

Key benefit:

Greater opportunity to try PowerMill technologyPowerMill Ultimate Visit free-trial page

3 Lessons on Instructables (here)

More will be added in the future

Lessons available also for FeatureCAM, ArtCAM and general machining

Useful for beginners or to show prospects

PowerMill Free Classes

PowerMill will now automatically re-apply some edits to a recycled/copied toolpath

This will happen if:

The “Edit history replay” checkbox is ticked (File->Options->Application Options->Toolpaths->Calculation)

In the History tab of your toolpath form, the “Automatically replay edits” checkbox is ticked.

Both should be on by default

Automatic edits replay

Easy way to create a Tool Holder from a 3D model

Import the CAD of the holder (generally provided by supplier)

Create an empty Pattern and use the “Spun Profile” option

Create your holder from the selected pattern

Tool Holder Creation

Rotate your view around an axis in the current view:

Hold down Shift + Alt + Click and hold your Left/Right/Middle mouse button

Keyboard Shortcut 1

Select all existing surfaces of a specific colour on your model:

Hold down Ctrl + Alt + Left mouse click on the colour you want to select

Keyboard Shortcut 2

Make sure your rectangle boundary has all points on one plane:

Hold Ctrl down when selecting your second point

Keyboard Shortcut 3

Create a copy of toolpaths, NC programs, tools, patterns, boundaries, workplanes, sets and even models without accessing the right-click menu:

Hold down Ctrl then drag the item onto the category name

Drop the item and a copy will appear

Copying items

If you want to quickly analyse or export your Tool Database:

Open the Tool Database

Right-click anywhere on the columns header of the Search Results window

Select Copy

Paste on Excel (or equivalent software)

Quick Tool Database Analysis/Export

When working in one unit system, it may happen to have a dimension/value referenced in the other unit system

For example, project in metric but some tool dimensions are in inches

Simply type “in” or “mm” after the input value, then hit “Tab” and PowerMill will convert it automatically.

Metric/imperial units

Easily change given parameters in multiple toolpaths by utilising Named Parameters

Example: multiple toolpaths calculated with different tolerances

Activate toolpath with desired tolerance

Shift-select all toolpaths where tolerance has to be changed

Right-click -> Edit -> Set Named Parameter

Type “Tolerance”

For a list of Parameters:

Help->Documentation->Parameters

Setting named parameters

Similarly, you can load settings like Block dimensions and Leads & Links from a toolpath

Example: wrong Lead In moves on one toolpath

Activate toolpath with wrong moves

Right-click on a toolpath with the correct ones and select “Load Settings”

Load Settings

To have easier access to “hidden” settings

Right-click on Status Bar and select “Customise Status Bar”

Define a label and an expression

Easiest way to change the expression is to right-click on the field and select “Edit Expression”

Customise Status Bar

Model Triangulation

Bad finish is not always due to toolpath tolerance!

In many cases toolpath quality is highly dependant on how PowerMilltriangulates your models

To display triangles on a part, open the Model Drawing Options form, then click Ctrl+Tab to open the “hidden” menu that allows to draw triangles on your part

This will only work if you have a toolpath ready to be calculated/recycled with modified mesh settings

Model triangulation

Model triangulation

Before re-triangulating After re-triangulating