# US 11,307,559 B2 · Generation of holding tabs for fixing a part during machining > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,307,559 B2 - Document ID: US11307559B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/889,204 - Filed: 2020-06-01 - Published: 2021-12-02 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2020-06-01 - Assignees: Autodesk, Inc. - Applicants: Autodesk, Inc. - Inventors: Lee Sanders; Mark Antony Millership - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11307559B2 ## CPC - G05B 19/4097: characterised by using design data to control NC machines, e.g. CAD/CAM (G05B19/4093 takes precedence) - G05B 2219/35097: Generation of cutter path, offset curve - G05B 2219/35134: 3-D cad-cam - G05B 2219/37087: Cutting forces - Y02P 90/02: Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract Methods, systems, and apparatus, including medium-encoded computer program products, for computer aided design and manufacture of physical structures using subtractive manufacturing systems and techniques include, in one aspect, a method including: obtaining a toolpath specification for a three dimensional model of geometry of a part to be machined from a workpiece; calculating predicted cutting forces to be applied to the workpiece when machining the part; generating a set of holding tabs for the part based on the predicted cutting forces, wherein each of the holding tabs bridge from the part to the workpiece so as to keep the part fixed, in situ, within the workpiece during the machining, and at least one position of a holding tab from the set is determined in accordance with the predicted cutting forces; and providing the set of holding tabs for use by a computer-controlled manufacturing system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method comprising: obtaining a toolpath specification for a three dimensional model of geometry of a part to be machined by a computer-controlled manufacturing system from a workpiece; calculating predicted cutting forces to be applied to the workpiece when machining the part using the toolpath specification; generating a set of holding tabs for the part based on the predicted cutting forces, wherein each of the holding tabs bridges from the part to the workpiece so as to keep the part fixed, in situ, within the workpiece during the machining of the part from the workpiece, and wherein at least one position of a holding tab from the set of holding tabs is determined in accordance with the predicted cutting forces; and providing the set of holding tabs for use during the machining of the part by the computer-controlled manufacturing system. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein positions of the holding tabs of the set of holding tabs and a quantity of the holding tabs are determined in accordance with the predicted cutting forces and one or more directions of the predicted cutting forces. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the holding tabs are defined with sizes in accordance with the predicted cutting forces. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein a shape and an attachment angle defined for a holding tab from the set of holding tabs is determined based on the predicted cutting forces and the one or more directions of the predicted cutting forces. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein generating the set of holding tabs comprises generating a plurality of sets of holding tabs defining different holding tab options to keep the part fixed, in situ, within the workpiece during the machining of the part. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising: receiving a user selection of one of the different holding tab options from the plurality of sets of holding tabs, and wherein providing the set of holding tabs for use during the machining of the part comprises providing the selected one of the different holding tab options as the set of holding tabs to be used when performing the machining of the part. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving input comprising a selection of one or more regions of the three dimensional model of geometry of the part to be excluded for placing of holding tabs, wherein generating the set of holding tabs comprises excluding the one or more regions at the three dimensional model from regions of the part available for connection to holding tabs. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a size of a holding tab is defined based on a type of machining operation to be performed at an area where the holding tab is to be placed, wherein the type of machining operation is associated with a corresponding predicted cutting force to be induced on the part when performing the type of machining operation. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein generating the set of holding tabs comprises: defining a first sub-set of holding tabs from the set of holding tabs by removing one or more holding tabs from the set of holding tabs, wherein the first sub-set of holding tabs is defined to hold the part, in situ, in the workpiece during a semi-finishing operation of the machining to be performed after a roughing operation and before a finishing operation on the part from the workpiece. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein generating the set of holding tabs further comprises: removing one or more holding tabs from the first sub-set of holding tabs to define a second sub-set of holding tabs for use when performing the finishing operation of the machining to provide a finished surface of the part, wherein the second sub-set of holding tabs maintains the part, in situ, within the workpiece during the finishing operation. ### Claim 11 A system comprising: a data processing apparatus including at least one hardware processor; and a non-transitory computer-readable medium encoding instructions of a computer-aided design or manufacturing program, the instructions being configured to cause the data processing apparatus to obtain a toolpath specification for a three dimensional model of geometry of a part to be machined by a computer-controlled manufacturing system from a workpiece; calculate predicted cutting forces to be applied to the workpiece when machining the part using the toolpath specification; generate a set of holding tabs for the part based on the predicted cutting forces, wherein each of the holding tabs bridges from the part to the workpiece so as to keep the part fixed, in situ, within the workpiece during the machining of the part from the workpiece, and wherein at least one position of a holding tab from the set of holding tabs is determined in accordance with the predicted cutting forces; and providing the set of holding tabs for use during the machining of the part by the computer-controlled manufacturing system. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein positions of the holding tabs of the set of holding tabs and a quantity of the holding tabs are determined in accordance with the predicted cutting forces and one or more directions of the predicted cutting forces. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the instructions configured to cause the data processing apparatus to generate the set of holding tabs comprise instructions configured to cause the data processing apparatus to: generate a plurality of sets of holding tabs defining different holding tab options to keep the part fixed, in situ, within the workpiece during the machining of the part. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium encodes the instructions configured to cause the data processing apparatus to: receive a user selection of one of the different holding tab options from the plurality of sets of holding tabs, and wherein the instructions to provide the set of holding tabs for use during the machining of the part comprises instructions configured to cause the data processing apparatus to provide the selected one of the different holding tab options as the set of holding tabs to be used when performing the machining of the part. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium encodes the instructions configured to cause the data processing apparatus to: receive input comprising a selection of one or more regions of the three dimensional model of geometry of the part to be excluded for placing of holding tabs, wherein the instructions to generate the set of holding tabs comprises instructions configured to cause the data processing apparatus to exclude the one or more regions at the three dimensional model from regions of the part available for connection to holding tabs. ### Claim 16 A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoding instructions operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising: obtaining a toolpath specification for a three dimensional model of geometry of a part to be machined by a computer-controlled manufacturing system from a workpiece; calculating predicted cutting forces to be applied to the workpiece when machining the part using the toolpath specification; generating a set of holding tabs for the part based on the predicted cutting forces, wherein each of the holding tabs bridge from the part to the workpiece so as to keep the part fixed, in situ, within the workpiece during the machining of the part from the workpiece, and wherein at least one position of a holding tab from the set of holding tabs is determined in accordance with the predicted cutting forces; and providing the set of holding tabs for use during the machining of the part by the computer-controlled manufacturing system. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein positions of the holding tabs of the set of holding tabs and a quantity of the holding tabs are determined in accordance with the predicted cutting forces and one or more directions of the predicted cutting forces. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein generating the set of holding tabs comprise instructions operable to cause the data processing apparatus to: generate a plurality of sets of holding tabs defining different holding tab options to keep the part fixed, in situ, within the workpiece during the machining of the part. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the operations comprise: receiving a user selection of one of the different holding tab options from the plurality of sets of holding tabs, and wherein providing the set of holding tabs for use during the machining of the part comprises providing the selected one of the different holding tab options as the set of holding tabs to be used when performing the machining of the part. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the operations comprise: receiving input comprising a selection of one or more regions of the three dimensional model of geometry of the part to be excluded for placing of holding tabs, wherein generating the set of holding tabs comprises excluding the one or more regions at the three dimensional model from regions of the part available for connection to holding tabs.