CNC Layers

You can specify the layer names to use during the CNC Machining Export. These layer names are what you will use to attach your machining instructions to within your CNC Software.

There are two strategies that you can employ for your layer names. You can name each layer uniquely (as shown above), OR you can use a common name for all circles (shelf Pins, Dowels, Screws... and have CabinetSense uniquely identify the different kinds of holes based on diameter and depth. With this strategy, you would give a common name to all of your layers that are representing circles. You would then enable the Hole Diameter and optionally hole depth options

Add Hole Diameter

When enabled, CabinetSense will append the circle diameter to the layer name using the format "D<9999><units>". The units will be mm when a metric diameter is detected otherwise inches are assumed.

Examples are:

• Hole D15mm
• Hole D5mm
• Hole D0.0125 - all imperial diameters are displayed in decimal notation.

When Diameter <=

This field is used with "Add Hole Diameter" described above. The hole diameter is appended to the layer name only when the diameter is less than or equal to this amount. This gives you the flexibility to uniquely identify smaller holes that you have proper sized tools available in your CNC ATC. Holes larger than this size would be routered out rather than being drilled.

Add Hole Depth

You may want to further qualify your layer name by the depth of hole being drilled/routered. The format of the depth information is "d<9999><units>". If used in conjunction with the hole diameter, the depth will follow the diameter information.

Examples are:

• Hole d12mm
• Hole d-dt - (IE. drill completely through the material)
• Hole d0.0125 - all imperial diameters are displayed as decimal notation.
• Hole D5mm d12mm - (Diameter is 5mm with a depth of 12mm)

Add Box Width

Add Box Width will Include the actual box width in your layer name (example w25mm)

Pocket Clearing Tool Widths

If you also include this option when using Box Widths, you layer name will be generated with the largest tool diameter that can fit inside the box that you are cutting. The tool width field is a comma delimited string that uses the same format as all numeric fields in the machining database. Note that you can mix imperial and metric measures and that the tool sizes can be entered in any order.

Using the example data in the screen image at the top of the page, If you were cutting out a 5/8" wide rectangle, CabinetSense would select the 0.50" diameter tool (as this is the largest tooling specified that can fit inside this rectangle. The layer name would be generated with a tw0.50 specification to inform you that the tool width option was selected and that the tool size to use is 0.50".

Tool widths are actual dimensions

When checked, the tool widths entered in the Pocket Clearing tool widths are actual diameters and CabinetSense will use them to optimize dado processing.

Prepend Front Side Layer:

This attribute is only used when you use the Drill Optimization of Front-Back Layers.

The value of this attribute will be added to the front of all layer names for any machining assigned to the front (primary) face of the part.

Prepend Back Side Layer:

This attribute is only used when you use the Drill Optimization of Front-Back Layers.

The value of this attribute will be added to the front of all layer names for any machining assigned to the back face of the part.

Drill-through

In addition to the above layer names, CS may generate layer names if you have chosen a Drill-through strategy (see preferences). If a drill point is selected to be drilled through from the opposing face, it's layer name will be appended with "_DT". For example if a shelf pin is selected, it's layer name will be Shelf Pin-DT.

Layer Name Format

There is an inconsistency in how CabinetSense would format layer names. This only presented itself for clients who used one of the Drill in one Pass drill optimization methods.

These clients could get a layer name that began with DT_ while all other Drill Thru names would have the DT formed as part of the depth information. You can now standardize the format by setting the format in your CNC Layer Names section of your Machining Database.

choose from:

• DT_layername-diameter-depth: This is the original way that layer names were formatted and existing clients continue to use this (unless they change this setting).
• Layername-diameter-depth/DT: (default) This ensures that all layer names are the same.