CAM Tools

This documentation is a work in progress. Please don't mark it as translatable since it will change in the next hours and days.

Description

Tools in the Path workbench are handled differently than in other CAM packages

There are several concepts that the user needs to understand:

ToolShapes: ToolShapes are templates for creating toolbits. Toolshapes are FreeCAD documents that model the tool using named constraints. The toolshape is an _abstract_ tool template from which tool instances (called toolbits) are created. For example, all endmills will share the same toolshape file.

ToolBit: Toolbits are instances of a toolshape. A toolbit will have _specific_ values for each of the named constraints in the toolshape. A toolbit is used in a Path Job through a Tool Controller (TC)

Toolbit Library: A library is an arbitrary collection of toolbits. The specific tools in a library is entirely up to the user. Possible use cases for libraries:

* A hobbyist user may have only one library for all of the tools they own.
* A library may contain all the tools used for a specific material like aluminum or wood
* A library may have toolbits for working on specific material
* A library may hold toolbits from a specific supplier
* A library may correspond to an automatic tool changer layout.

The File:Path Tools.svg Tool xxxxx

Dialogs

The user will typically interact with the tool management system in two different workflows. Each workflow has dedicated GUI elements.

Toolbit Dock For using tools in a Path Job
Toolbit Library Manager For managing the users Toolbit collection

Only the creation of new toolshapes cannot be done from the toolmanager. This is an advanced topic. (see toolshape creation)

Organization

When FreeCAD is installed a default hierarchy of tool libraries and toolbits is created in the installation directory (Mod/Path/)

 Tools
   + Bit
   + Library
   + Shape

The user, however, is free to store their toolbits and libraries anywhere they wish. Even custom toolshapes can be stored in arbitrary locations where they can be backed up. The user is encouraged, however, to use a logical structure as shown above to keep toolbits and libraries organized.