Strategy Panel¶
The Strategy Panel appears below the Geometry Browser once geometry is loaded. It configures which toolpath algorithm to run and how the tool should be oriented.
Selecting a strategy¶
Choose one of the three built-in strategies from the dropdown:
| Strategy | Needs | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Follow Curve | At least one edge selected | Traces a tool along selected curves |
| Raster Fill | At least one face selected | Fills selected faces with parallel passes |
| Contour Parallel | Face or edge | Offsets the selection boundary inward in concentric passes |
A warning appears if the required geometry type is not selected.
Strategy parameters¶
Parameters update dynamically based on the chosen strategy.
Feed rate — always visible, sets the tool speed in mm/min (or the units of your machine config).
| Strategy | Extra parameters |
|---|---|
| Follow Curve | Spacing — distance between adjacent curve passes |
| Raster Fill | Spacing — distance between raster lines; Angle ° — raster direction |
| Contour Parallel | Stepover — radial distance between contour passes; Passes — number of offsets |
Path type — a free-text field forwarded to the toolpath engine (e.g. "zig_zag", "one_way").
Orientation rules¶
Rules are applied in order to compute the tool-axis direction at each point. Add a rule with the + Add rule… dropdown. Reorder rules with the ↑ / ↓ arrows; remove them with ×.
| Rule | Parameters | Description |
|---|---|---|
to_normal |
Surface ID | Aligns tool axis to the surface normal of the specified face |
fixed(i,j,k) |
i, j, k | Sets a constant tool-axis vector |
lead(°) |
Angle ° | Tilts the tool forward in the feed direction |
lag(°) |
Angle ° | Tilts the tool backward in the feed direction |
side_tilt(°) |
Angle ° | Tilts the tool sideways (perpendicular to feed) |
avoid_collision |
Max tilt ° | Dynamically backs off tilt to avoid exceeding the given angle |
Rules are evaluated in the order listed, so place avoid_collision last to act as a safety cap on preceding tilt rules.
Generating a toolpath¶
Click GENERATE TOOLPATH to send the current selection, strategy, and orientation rules to the server. On success:
- The toolpath is added to the Toolpath list.
- Generated Python code is stored for review in the Code Panel.
- G-code output (if returned by the server) is available for download.
- The view switches automatically to TOOLPATHS mode.
If the server does not yet support /generate-toolpath, the UI falls back to client-side Python code generation and opens the Code Panel instead.
Previewing Python code¶
Click Preview Python Code to generate the equivalent UTDE Python script locally and open it in the Code Panel without running it.