Toolpaths, THC & Reach
At a glance
- Select cut-chart values from the wall thickness at each feature
- Offset kerf to the waste side with leads, pierces, THC events, and continuous corner motion
- Block unreachable faces and unsevered walls before a program can be posted
Generate turns the nested Tube job into rotary toolpaths. JetCad3 chooses the cut-chart row from the wall thickness under each cut, then applies the selected speed mode, kerf, feed, pierce settings, cut height, and arc voltage.
Kerf offsets stay on the waste side. Holes and slots offset inward; end cuts offset toward the discarded end or the next part. Leads and pierces are checked against the stock, neighboring parts, and the compensated edges. THC engages after the start of a suitable cut and turns off before the end; short cuts keep it off.
Corners and open sections
Square and rectangular stock cuts continuously through radiused corners while the chuck and linear axes stay synchronized. Angle, channel, and beam end cuts are divided into the reachable wall pieces needed to sever the section. Each piece gets its own lead, pierce, and THC plan.
Reach is a posting gate
The reach check uses the actual section and torch body clearance. A feature on a face the vertical torch cannot reach is marked as an error in the scene and Browser. The same check catches wall material that cannot be severed from either side. These errors block posting and name the affected part and cut; they are never ignored automatically.
Generated toolpaths become stale when stock, placement, features, recipes, machine geometry, or marking settings change. Generate again before simulation or post so every output uses the current job.