Machining Operations

Adding Operations

Operations are created from selected geometry. The general workflow is:

1. Select one or more compatible features in the feature tree or on the canvas.
2. In the CAM panel, click Add to open the operation menu.
3. The menu is a vertical list of every operation type. Each row has an info chevron that expands an example card describing the cut. Click the row's add button to create the operation.
4. For operations that support rough and finish passes, choose Rough, Finish, or Rough + Finish.

If the selection is not compatible with the chosen operation type, a hint message explains what is needed. Fix the selection and try again. The hint row also offers a Select all button that selects every feature compatible with that operation in one click — handy when you want to, say, drill every circle or pocket every closed cutout at once.

From the Feature Context Menu

You can also create an operation directly from a feature. Right-click a feature in the feature tree (or on the canvas) and open the Create operation submenu. It lists only the operations that are valid for that feature — a closed subtract feature offers Pocket, Edge Route Inside, and V-Carve; a circle offers Drill; and so on — so you can add the right operation in one step without hunting through the full menu.

Which Operation Do I Need?

Start from what you want to cut. This table maps the common goals to the operation that does the job — click through to its description and parameters below.

Operation Types

Feature Requirements by Operation

Operation Parameters

Select an operation in the list to edit its parameters in the right panel. Selecting an operation also highlights its target features on the canvas and in the feature tree, so you can see at a glance exactly which geometry that operation will cut before you adjust anything.

Common Parameters

Pocket and Surface Clean Parameters

Offset-pattern passes simplify their internal polylines back into arcs and full circles where the geometry allows, with redundant points cleaned up via RDP simplification. The result is shorter, smoother G-code with fewer line segments — especially on circular and rounded-corner pockets.

3D Surface Parameters

3D Surface Rough, Finish, and Cleanup all target an imported model feature. Surrounding add features, subtract pockets, tabs, and clamps are protected automatically. Linking moves between cuts are optimized to reduce rapid travel, and Cut Direction is applied per-side so mixed outer / hole contours all cut in the requested direction.

Waterline Quality Controls

When 3D Surface Finish uses the Waterline pattern, an extra group of quality controls becomes available. These trade extra computation for cleaner steep-wall finishes. The planner now snaps each ring's entry to the matching point on the ring above and below — successive levels enter the cut at the same XY location, eliminating spiral seams down steep walls — and tip-cap paths over rounded apex regions are smoother.

Edge Route Parameters

V-Carve Parameters

Engrave Parameters

Drill Parameters

Booklet (PDF Setup Sheet)

Every operation's parameters include a Booklet field with an Export PDF button. It produces a printable setup sheet for that operation — tool, feeds and speeds, target features, toolpath stats, and a toolpath snapshot. See Operation Booklets for what the document contains.

Rest Machining

When you add an Edge Route Inside or Edge Route Outside operation, PureCut CNC can automatically generate a rest region — a derived feature that represents the material left behind by the first tool that a smaller tool can clean up.

The rest region is created as a separate editable feature. The original operation targets are preserved unchanged. The rest operation targets the generated region with its tool reference cleared, so you can assign a different (typically smaller) tool to it independently.

Reassigning Operation Targets

To change which features an operation applies to, select the new features in the feature tree or on the canvas, then click Use current selection in the operation's properties panel. If the selection is not compatible, a message explains why.

You can include one or more Region features in any operation's target list to restrict where it cuts. Regions don't replace the machining target — they filter the generated toolpath to the union of the selected region profiles. With no regions selected, the operation cuts the full extent of its machining target.

Reordering Operations

Operations are executed in the order they appear in the list. Drag operations in the list to reorder them. The order affects the G-code output — operations are exported in list order.