Toolpaths inside VISI are tailored towards high speed machining and hard- metal cutting. Smooth corners, smooth stopovers and arc fitting are used to minimize sudden direction changes. The elimination of tool retracts, maintaining a constant tool load and optimised NC code make it easy to successfully program high speed machine tools with VISI.

Adaptive clearance Adaptive clearance toolpaths allow the tool to rough the part in a unique way by roughing out from bottom to top. The principle behind this method is to machine large steps utilizing the full flute length of the tool with a small stepover and then machine the intermediate levels back up the part. Continually repeating the process until the entire component is fully machined. The tool remains on the part as much as possible and the toolpath automatically switches to a trochoidal type motion when the shape of the part requires. This toolpath ensures that there are never any full width cuts and guarantees a constant tool load. Tool wear is spread evenly across the cutting surfaces and the centre of force is half-way up the tool, reducing deflection and the potential for vibration Using adaptive roughing, the cycle automatically adjusts the toolpath for efficient and safe machining, improving cutting conditions and allowing higher machining speeds to be maintained. The result is savings of up to 40% in actual cutting time. Planar surface machining For areas of the part which are flat, VISI will automatically detect these areas and machine them using a flat bottomed tool. The machining time for these areas will be significantly reduced and the surface finish will be greatly improved by using a flat tool. Parallel plane finishing Unidirectional and zigzag toolpaths can be set at any angle. Angle limits can be set for steep and shallow areas eliminating the need for complex geometry boundaries. Optimised cross-machining can be applied to steep areas within one toolpath. This automatically creates additional toolpaths at 90 degrees to the original toolpaths, machining the areas only where necessary to produce a constant surface finish across the entire component. Roughing mode within the Parallel plane toolpath can be used to rough and finish the part in one operation. Smooth stepovers and tangential extensions to the passes can be used to produce a better surface finish and smoother running of the NC file on the machine tool. 3D step over finishing The 3D stepover toolpath provides a constant surface finish irrespective of the component shape. By morphing the toolpath across the surface of the component, one toolpath will finish the entire job, keeping the tool on the surface, minimising retract movements and eliminating duplicate cutter paths. As the toolpath step over is smoothly adapted to the shape of the part, shock loading of the tool will be minimised, enabling the machine tool to run at the optimum feedrate. True spiral / radial finishing ISO-machining Both toolpaths make an ideal finishing strategy for circular components as they are based on an inner and outer circular limit. The spiral toolpath has only one start and one finish point ensuring the tool remains on the component eliminating any redundant moves or sharp direction changes. This toolpath will enable the machine tool to run at very high feederates as it eliminates the acceleration and deceleration caused by sudden changes in direction. The radial toolpath allows upwards only, downwards only or zigzag machining parameters providing complete strategy control. ISO-machining is based on single or multiple surfaces and machines the surface directly instead of creating a triangulated mesh. This strategy is ideal for machining groups of surfaces that make up radii as the contact point of the tool machines to the full edge of the geometry. This flexible strategy is also extremely useful for picking out small areas without having to machine the entire component. All toolpaths are fully gouge protected against neighbouring surfaces with multiple collision detection options available.