Common Operation Parameters¶

Reference: Depth, height, and tool controller parameters shared by all CAM operations.

Overview¶

Every CAM operation has a common set of depth and height parameters that control how far the tool cuts and how it moves between cuts. These parameters are set per-operation or inherited from the Job's Setup Sheet.

Depths¶

Parameter	Description
Start Depth	Z level where cutting begins (top of the feature)
Final Depth	Z level at the bottom of the cut
Step Down	Maximum depth of cut per Z-level pass

The tool moves from Start Depth down to Final Depth in steps of Step Down. A smaller Step Down means more passes but less load per pass.

Rule of thumb for Step Down: 25–50 % of the tool diameter for end mills in soft materials; 10–25 % for hard materials or small tools.

Heights¶

Parameter	Description
Clearance Height	Z level for rapid moves between separate cut regions
Safe Height	Z level for repositioning above the stock between operations

Clearance Height must be above all stock features and clamps. Safe Height should be at least 5–10 mm above the top of the stock.

Tool Controller¶

Each operation has a Tool Controller property that selects which tool and feed/speed settings to use for that operation. Tool Controllers are configured in the Job and reference a tool bit from the library.

See Tool Controller for details.

Setup Sheet inheritance¶

Operations inherit default parameter values from the Job's Setup Sheet but can override any parameter individually. If you change a parameter in the Setup Sheet after operations have been created, operations that have not been overridden will update automatically.