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Session 12: Program Your Practice Build's CAM

Unit 2 — Manufacturing Foundations, Week 4

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Session 12

Program Your Practice Build's CAM

From Your Design to a Real Toolpath

Session 11 gave you a model. Today, exactly what Session 9 practiced — but on your own design instead of a provided test coupon.

Same Sequence as Session 9

  1. Pocket
  2. Drill
  3. Profile — last, since it frees the part

Nothing New to Learn Today

Every decision today — offset, step-over, step-down, tabs — is a skill from Week 3. Today is about applying it to something that's actually yours.

Don't Forget Tabs

Your profile cut fully separates the tray from the stock. Session 8's exact reason for tabs applies directly here.

Use Your Session 10 Checklist

You already wrote a pre-cut checklist. Use it for real, right now — not just for the actual cut next session.

Simulate, Then Simulate Again

Watch the full sequence run. If anything looks off, fix it now — Session 13 is real material, not a redo.

Two Things to Remember

This is the last checkpoint before real material.

A mistake caught here costs nothing. The same mistake caught next session costs your actual stock.

Two Things to Remember

Your own design means your own judgment calls.

Session 9 gave you a shape. Today, you're deciding step-over and step-down for a pocket you designed yourself — trust the reasoning, not a guess.

Next Time

Session 13: Cut It

Real material, real machine, everything from four weeks.

'F' → Fullscreen

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Build

Step 1: Set Up the Job

Create a CAM Studio Job for your Session 11 part. Select the correct stock and material.

Step 2: Program Pocket and Drill

Set up your pocket (with justified step-over/step-down) and drill toolpaths first.

Step 3: Program the Profile, With Tabs

Add your profile cut last, using Outside offset. Add tabs so the part doesn't come loose at the moment it's fully cut free.

Step 4: Simulate and Run Your Pre-Cut Checklist

Simulate the full job. Then go through your Session 10 pre-cut checklist against this actual job, item by item.

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Checkpoint

Before you move on, confirm:

  • Toolpath order is pocket/drill, then profile
  • Tabs are included on the profile cut
  • Your Session 10 pre-cut checklist has been run against this real job, not just filed away
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Reflection

Answer the following questions before submitting your work.

  1. Did running your own pre-cut checklist catch anything you would have otherwise missed?
  2. Was setting up CAM for your own design easier or harder than Session 9's provided test coupon? Why?
  3. You're one session away from real material. What's your honest confidence level that this will cut correctly on the first attempt?
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Submit

Submit your CAM Studio file with all toolpaths, your completed checklist run-through, and your reflection.

Activity Complete