Method of making tool path

Abstract

A method of making a tool path, capable of making a difference in level of a part of a surface being processed inconspicuous, and obtaining a smooth processed surface. According to this method, a shape to which an object surface is to be processed and processing conditions are inputted, and a processing region is designated on the surface to be processed. Reference lines are designated on the processing region, and a tool path on the processing region is calculated on the basis of the reference lines. When the number of the processing region is one, a tool escaping expansion region is added to a terminal end in the picking direction of the processing region, or a tool approaching expansion region is added to a starting end in the picking direction of the processing region. When the number of the processing regions is not smaller than two, a tool escaping expansion region is added to a final end in the picking direction of the processing region precedingly, and a tool approaching expansion region to a starting end in the picking direction of the processing region posteriorly. A tool path on the expansion region is calculated so that a distance thereof measured from the surface to be processed increases as the tool path gets away from the boundary line of the processing region. The data on the tool paths on the processing region and expansion region are outputted.

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