System and process for generating a tool path offset

A computer-aided-manufacturing process comprising the steps of:

• defining a pattern to be machined by a tool having an offset,
• defining a guard zone surrounding said pattern and spaced equidistantly from said pattern by said offset,
• analyzing said pattern for points of intersection, breaking down said pattern into contiguous segments between points of intersection,
• structuring a list of said tool path segments, ordered between intersection points,
• defining tool path chains, responsive to contiguous connected segments of said list;
• validating said tool path chains to define valid tool paths, and,
• guiding the movement of said tool along said valid tool path.

A computer-aided manufacturing system comprising:

• means for providing for input and output communications with a user;
• means for providing a pattern;
• means for defining a guard zone chain which defines a zone equidistantly spaced around said pattern by a predefined offset;
• means for identifying points of intersection of said pattern with said guard zone chain, and means for defining tool path chains between said points of intersection;
• means for validating said tool path chains;
• and,
• means for providing an output representative of validated tool paths which define said pattern;
• wherein said means for validating is further comprised of
• means for projecting a Ray from any point on the tool path chain into space in the plane of the path;
• means for identifying all Ray intersection points with points on said guard zone chain,
• means for providing the direction of tool offset;
• means for determining the direction of the crossing at each Ray intersection point;
• means for determining the final merge direction of said Ray with the tool path;
• means for accumulating a Tally, including means for adding a first value for each left-to-right intersection crossing direction, and a second value for each right-to-left intersection crossing direction, and a third value for a Ray final merge with said tool path chain from the same side as the Tool Offset, a fourth value for left Tool Offset for a Ray final merge with said tool path chain from the opposite side as the Tool Offset, and a fifth value for right Tool Offset for a Ray final merge with said tool path chain from the opposite side as the Tool Offset;
• means for determining the validity of said tool path responsive to the accumulated Tally.

A computer-aided manufacturing process comprising the steps of:

• providing for input and output communications with a user;
• providing a pattern;
• defining a guard zone chain which defines a zone around the pattern;
• identifying all points of intersection of said pattern with said guard zone chain, and defining tool path chains between said points of intersection;
• validating said tool path chains;
• providing an output representative of valid tool paths which define said pattern;
• wherein said step of validating is further comprised of the steps of projecting a Ray from any point on the tool path chain into space in the plane of the path;
• identifying all Ray intersection points with other points on the tool path chain,
• providing the direction of tool offset;
• determining the direction of the tool path crossing at each Ray intersection point;
• determining the final merge direction of the Ray with the tool path;
• accumulating a Tally, including means for adding a first value for each left-to-right tool path crossing direction, and a second value for each right-to-left tool path crossing direction, and a third value for a Ray final merge from the same side as the Tool Offset, a fourth value for left Tool Offset for a Ray final merge from the opposite side as the Tool Offset, and a fifth value for right Tool Offset for a Ray final merge from the opposite side as the Tool Offset;
• determining the validity of said tool path responsive to the accumulated Tally.

A computer-aided manufacturing process comprising the steps of:

• providing for input and output communications with a user;
• providing a pattern;
• defining a guard zone chain which defines a zone around the pattern;
• identifying all points of intersection of said pattern with said guard zone chain, and defining tool path chains between said points of intersection;
• validating said tool path chains;
• providing an output representative of valid tool paths which define said pattern;
• wherein said step of validating is further comprised of the steps of
• projecting a Ray from any point on the tool path chain into space in the plane of the path;
• identifying all Ray intersection points with points on the guard zone chain,
• providing the direction of tool offset;
• determining the direction of the tool path crossing at each Ray intersection point;
• determining the final merge direction of said Ray with said tool path;
• accumulating a Tally, including means for adding a first value for each left-to-right intersection crossing direction, and a second value for each right-to-left intersection crossing direction, and a third value for a Ray final merge with said tool path chain from the same side as the Tool Offset, a fourth value for left Tool Offset for a Ray final merge with said tool path chain from the opposite side as the Tool Offset, and a fifth value for right Tool Offset for a Ray final merge with said tool path chain from the opposite side as the Tool Offset;
• determining the validity of raid tool path responsive to the accumulated Tally.