[phoneman]

In my old CAM when doing contours or profiles I could set holding tabs to keep the part in the stock till all operations were done.

I am trying to find a way to do that in SC8 and so far no go.

Thanks

Dave

[mountaindew]

This example assumes you have experience in sprut and using model tabs , fixture tabs and general navigation

Please ignore screws I used for real when holding this part and concentrate on the lines and how I used them in this example

Few ways to setup tabs to hold material during operations
I found one way is to draw lines extending out from model in cad software.
I tend to add extra lines to aid in setting up operations like this or locate coordinate on. "thread called going cagey"
Then use those lines as tabs of un machined material for holding part.
In that thread snapped lines outline and bisect the model and the proposed stock its to be milled out of
Attachment 248804
To add tabs for machining in that example, I would draw lines where I want tabs from 3d model part out to edges of stock or the cage in this case.
Then select the tab lines and add them to the fixture list by using the EXTRUDE option under fixture tab for the operations that mill part and create tabs.
Attachment 248806
In the example I selected the center lines to use for tab extrusions
Then added those to the fixture list with some thickness or "stock" in this case .05 on each side of line and full thickness.
This can be varied as desired both in x,y, and z
Attachment 248808.
Note now the lines form a red extrusion as a fixture and the tools will mill around them as shown.

Thus can be done for the perimeter edges so the tabs have something to connect to.
In this case I selected those lines and give tem stock and thickness and now it mills only features inside .
Attachment 248810

Setting the min and max levels will allow operations to mill down to top of tab levels set and then avoid the tab.
This can be done for multi sided parts with tabs at different levels and locations


Note the max level is set 0.1 down from top of stock, all operations will mill down to this level before avoiding the fixture or "tab"
This can be set up and used on all sides of the part g54-g55 whatever the model requires and sprut will avoid these tabs on each side if they are included in fixture list.

This was a quick example using an existing file.
when doing this planning where your tabs go and drawing them in locations that don't trap tools or cause other problems would be required.
Also more perimeter material for tabs to join to would also be required. I did not do this on the existing model and example just for ease of showing how its done.
hope this helps
md

[MichaelHenry]

This tutorial was created for SC7 but will probably work in SC8.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3COWJq5pFY

Mike

[mountaindew]

Works the same in 8
The 2nd part is more or less the example above.
Only he extruded circles for the tabs where I used lines . Many ways to do thus as I mentioned above.
And a better example of just using 2d paths for milling just along part edge up to tabs!
My example above allows tabs for any type or combination of operations and different levels on different sides.
Little more complex example that I figured out and learned from watching this video!
md

[phoneman]

Thanks for all the examples and the video link. I new there had to be a way to do it just could not fine any reference in the help system.

Dave