How to Create Cut Configs

Creating Cut Configs for different materials and machines enables you to define the available tools, which machining roles they should be used in, and the cutting parameters for each role when analyzing a part in Toolpath.

To create a new Cut Config:

1. Go to the Cut Configs page in Toolpath
2. Select the orange Create Cut Config button in the upper right to create and open a new Cut Config:
   
   
3. Set your default machining preferences in the Summary tab:
   
   
   1. Name the Cut Config by replacing My Cut Config. We recommend naming Cut Configs by MATERIAL and MACHINE.
   2. Set the Material for the cut config from the drop down menu
   3. Set your Default Estimate Preset from the drop down menu
   4. Set your Default Stock Configuration from the drop down menu
   5. Set your Machining Preferences for:
      1. Roughing Stock to Leave (Radial and Axial)
      2. Default Tolerance & Smoothing values for roughing operations
      3. Geometry Deviation Limits. Toolpath will choose tools that result in deviations up to the Suggest Radius Deviations Up To value
      4. Enable or disable Bullnose Substitution. When enabled, Toolpath will allow bullnose endmills with a corner radius of up to the Max Radius value for roughing and finishing operations
      5. Set the machines Tooling Capacity. Maximum Tools per Setup is a soft limit to ensure Toolpath does not use more tools than are available unless required. We recommend starting with your machines tool changer capacity
      6. Set your Drilling Oversize and Undersize Tolerances.
4. Upload, Create, or Select the tool libraries to be used in your Cut Config. These are the tools Toolpath will use when programming your parts.
   1. Upload Libraries at the bottom left hand corner. Toolpath accepts .TOOLS and .JSON libraries from Autodesk Fusion
      
   2. Create a new library with the New Library button, then use Add Tool in the bottom right to start creating tools
   3. Enable libraries already uploaded to Toolpath by clicking on them in the list, or using the kebab menu and selecting "Enable"
      
5. With your tool libraries selected, you can define tool eligibility (which tools are used for which machining operations).
   1. To automatically assign roles, use the Apply Automatic Presets option. This will be shown at the bottom of the screen when roles are not yet defined, and can be accessed anytime through the kebab menu on the tool library:
      
      Automatically generated presets will enable the following tool eligibility:
      
      1. End mills with ≤ 3 Flutes will be eligible for Aluminum
      2. End mills with  ≥ 4 Flutes will be eligible for Low Carbon and Stainless Steels
      3. All other tooling (face mills, chamfer tools, drills, etc) will be eligible for all materials
      4. If "Rough" or "Finish" is present in the Tool Description, Toolpath will only apply Roughing or Finishing presets to the tool
      5. For more information on preset management, please see How to Apply & Manage Tool Presets
6. To edit tool eligibility and the cutting parameters used for each cutting role:
   
   1. Click on a tool in the list
   2. Go to the Presets page:
      
   3. Under Cutting Roles;
      1. Click on a Role to enable or disable it. Enabled roles are shown with the green bars.
      2. Hover over a role and add a STAR to tell Toolpath this tool should be prioritized for that role.
         
      3. Hover over a role and select "Edit Cutting Parameters" (the pencil icon) to edit speeds, feeds, stepdown, and stepover for the tool. This will open the cutting parameters page.
         
      4. Link existing presets or cutting conditions to roles by mapping the preset through the kebab menu or by copying from an existing preset while editing cutting parameters:
         
         
      5. Save the tool with the Green Button in the bottom right.
7. Prioritize use of tool libraries by clicking the triangle, circle, or down arrow icon to the left of their names, or through Change Priority in the kebab menu:
    
   1. Preferred Tool Libraries will be prioritized and should be the tools you have in your machine - your most commonly used tools.
   2. Standard Tool Libraries are tools you have around the shop, but are not loaded in a machine or in a holder
   3. Backup tool libraries will only be used by Toolpath if no tool in a Preferred or Standard library can access a specific part feature
8. Select tool libraries for tools you could order (tool recommendations) in the Recommendations page by clicking on their names. Tool libraries selected in the Recommendations page will be used only when Toolpath cannot machine a feature with your tool libraries. Learn more about the Tool Recommendation Engine here!
9. Set your Default Cut Config in the Cut Configs page through the kebab menu. Your default Cut Config will be the first report generated with any new uploaded parts:
   
10. Cut Configs can be set for projects or for specific part reports:
    1. To set Cut Configs at the project level, please see How to use Project Level Cut Configs
    2. To change the Cut Config in a specific part, use the drop down menu at the top center of the report: