No .sbp files are needed to create the facets. However, you may want to create files to overlay onto the facets (see later in this documentation).

Assume you have already done your setup. If not please see the setup documentation.

Select no if you have already rounded your blank otherwise select yes and follow the screens.

Select 1 section for number of section for this example.

Select facets for the indexer type.

Enter your starting diameter in inches – starts at headstock end. This can be lower or higher than the ending diameter to add taper. (drop down box)

Enter your ending diameter in inches. (drop down box)

Enter the length of the section in inches. (drop down box)

Enter the number of facets desired (drop down box)

Last thing to enter is to check if you do not want to change bits in between facets and do not want the option to insert a stabilizer block underneath the blank for each facets machining. Program will stop and ask for a bit change (you have the option of saying no). If you want to change bits it will run the zzero program after you put the new bit in. It will also ask if you want to put in a stabilizer block or blocks. It asks you to remove them before going to the next facet (please do or you may experience some trauma when the indexer tries to move with blocks under the blank).

If you want the bit changes and or stabilizer blocks hit the done button at the bottom of the screen.

For our example hit no to the overlay option.

Note: If you want to overlay facets you will need to run the facet calculator in the help drop down menu to determine the model size. You would then set up a model of this size and add your features to that - see later in this documentation for an example.

Enter the output .sbp file name.

This screen gives you the Chord lengths you would need to create a model for an overlay file. See next page for a brief geometry lesson.

Here we have a 5 facets within a 5 inch diameter circle:

We need to find out the length of one facet. This is the Chord length in geometry. This value is the height of the model you would need to create to overlay features. The length of the model would be the length you selected for the facet above. In our example it would be 14 inches. So for our example the model size would be Height: 2.93910857 Width: 14.

Geometry is used to determine the amount of scrap material to take off to get down to the Chord. The program does all of these calculations.

Now we will create an ArtCAM model using the values out of the Indexer converter. If you are using the same start and end diameters for your facet you can create overlay toolpaths out of Part Wizard as you will be dealing with no tapers. If you have different diameters start and end you will need to use a program that creates 3D models. I am using ArtCAM Pro to illustrate this method.

I ran the indexer converter to get the values for the facets needed to create the model but it would have been easier to use the facet calculator in the help drop down menu.

I ran it using 2 sections for a tapered up 5 sided facet and a tapered down 5 sided facet. I made each of these 7 inches long.

Here is the last screen with these dimensions:

Notice the IMPORTANT MESSAGES box. This gives dimensions for each section that is a facets section.

In our case the first section has a starting Chord length of 2.057376 inches and an ending Chord length of 2.64519771 inches. It has a model length of 7.00065148 inches and a starting depth of -0.83426662 inches and an ending depth of -0.42977137 inches.

The second facet section has a starting Chord length of 2.64519771 inches and an ending Chord length of 2.057376 inches. It has a model length of 7.00065148 inches and a starting depth of -0.42977137 inches and an ending depth of -0.83426662 inches.

Create a new model with the length equal to above. I rounded to 7. Height should be at least the length of the longest Chord for the section. You will need to create two reliefs for our example one with an upward angle and one with a downward angle.

Create the starting vector of first facet of 2.057376 inches. F9 to center. Transform to X = 0. Then create a second vector of 2.64519771 inches. F9 to center. Transform to X = 7. Join with a line and close with a line making sure that both lines are centered in the model. Now transform the whole vector to left corner 0,0.

We need to set the reliefs up so that the zzero point will be the original zero point of the facets creation. The depths are from this original zzero point.

First, we need to go to toolpaths and delete the material. Notice the delete material button under the Toolpath Operations section.

Next, we will add the material with a top offset of the smallest depth amount for the section.

I rounded this to .43. Notice in the background that the material is now lower than the material boundaries by .43

Now go back to the assistant tab and select the create angled plane option in the relief tools section.

Use cursor to select the points (first at x 0, second at x 7).

Change the first point Z value to the greater of the depths i.e. -.83 rounded and create the angled plane.

Going to 3D view you can see the relief created.

You would do the same for the other facet vector only have the smallest depth to start and the greatest depth to end (opposite of the first facet).

Now go back to the assistant and import your .dxf and center on your vector. Or you could optionally paste a 3D relief onto your angled plane.

Next, select the bird vector and use the vectors create feature option to create the centerline engraved feature.

Put in your feature depth and name and create.

Now go to the toolpaths tab and select feature machining. Select your feature and the tool you want and calculate. This should give you the toolpath to create the first overlay file you would convert for each of your 5 faces for our example or you could set up a border file around the vector with zero depth and use this to alternate from no overlay file to the bird overlay file on different faces.

Now that I’ve completely confused you……

Anyway, same procedure for the other angle – name them something that makes sense so you know which one to use on the up slope and which one to use on the down slope.

Using the simulator you would need to a toolpath to finish the relief to simulate the facet already created. Then you could simulate the bird angle up feature onto the angle as such:

If you want to you can have as many facet sections as you want up to 10 or your machine size. These can be tapered so you can create many different shapes. If you are using a log as your blank you may want to pre round your full log before this process as it would be more accurate between sections. If you pre round your log you can just skip the rounding portion of each section or specify no rounding on your blank. To set up a rounding routine for your whole log you could specify a facet of the length or your log and just run the log rounding portion – i.e. stop after the log is rounded to your satisfaction then start your regular file with all the sections.

Remember to zzero after rounding your log as the .sbp files will start from where the top of the log used to be if you do not.

Always zzero after a bit change. Even if you do not change the bit.

One use for creating an overlay of a facet face would be to drill holes vertical to the face you were on. You could create a model with the hole positioned where you want it and overlay each face with either a border file or a hole file.