Radial Slicing
A slicing strategy that builds layers on cylindrical surfaces around a rotary axis, for parts of any angular extent.
One Operation, Three Slicing Strategies
- Planar performs classic planar slicing, with a choice of slicing direction and control over the toolpath normals.
- Offset slices by offset from a non-planar substrate, holding layer height constant over a curved base.
- Radial slices by cylindrical surfaces around a specified rotary axis, with a constant radial step between layers.
Radial Slicing Takes Any Angular Extent
- Fully closed, 360° — rings, cylindrical sleeves and shells.
- With an angular gap, under 360° — turbine blades, propellers and impellers.
- Helical, over 360° — augers and other spiral parts.
Defining the Radial Slicing Zone
- Rotary axis takes a global coordinate axis — X, Y or Z — or Custom for an arbitrary direction vector.
- Top radius and Bottom radius bound the slicing zone radially, and in Auto mode both are read from the feature itself.
- Tool orientation resets the tool normal without changing the toolpath: Normal to surface, Fixed, To rotary axis, Through point, Through curve.
Infill That Follows the Strategy
- Three patterns — Lines, Grid and Triangles — are cut from each non-planar layer by vertical planes.
- For the radial strategy the infill direction defaults to Across rotary axis, so the infill lines wrap around the cylinder.
- Alternate lines direction rotates each successive layer By angle, or By sequence of angles from a cyclic list.
Layer Order and Layer Time
- Sort by prints Layers or Features; Split by layers divides a feature to avoid collisions with printed elements and even out heat.
- Gap to prevent overlapping leaves a gap where a closed contour starts and ends, so the material does not overlap itself.
- Minimum layer time delays a layer printed too fast; Maximum layer time scales the working feed up to fit the limit.
Parameters
- Most defaults are derived from the tool and from the feature itself.
Frequently asked questions
Parts of any angular extent around the rotary axis: fully closed at 360° — rings, cylindrical sleeves and shells; with an angular gap under 360° — turbine blades, propellers and impellers; helical over 360° — augers and spiral parts.
Planar cuts classic planes, with a selectable slicing direction. Offset cuts by offset from a non-planar substrate, keeping layer height constant over a curved base. Radial cuts cylindrical surfaces around a rotary axis, keeping a constant radial step between layers.
The Additive Non-planar 5D add-on ships two operations — Cladding 5D and Non-planar slicing — and is available for any multi-axis milling configuration, Rotary and above. The Additive Planar 3D operations are a separate add-on and are not included in it.
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