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Lacados LAKManual Vectric Aspire V12

How to use the drilling toolpath in Vectric software | 2D Toolpaths

Overview

Section titled “Overview”

This video demonstrates how to create a drilling toolpath in Vectric Aspire V12. The drilling operation machines the centers of selected closed vectors to a specified depth, commonly used for creating mounting holes.

Steps

Section titled “Steps”
  1. Open the project containing the vectors to drill.
  2. Switch to the Toolpath tab and confirm the material setup (e.g., material thickness of 0.5“).
  3. Click the Drilling Toolpath icon under Toolpath Operations.
  4. Set Cutting Depths:
    • Start Depth: 0 (top surface of material). Increase if the toolpath starts below the surface due to prior machining.
    • Cut Depth: Set to the desired depth, e.g., 0.375" to cut 3/8“ through a 1/2“ material, leaving material for screws.
  5. Select a tool:
    • Click Select to open the tool database.
    • Choose a drill bit (e.g., 1/4“ drill). The tool size does not need to match the selected circles because drilling always targets the vector centers.
    • Accept default tool settings or click Edit to change settings for this toolpath only.
  6. Optionally enable Pec Drilling:
    • The tool retracts after each pass to remove material and cool the tool.
    • Choose Retract above cutting start depth to fully clear the hole of swarf/chips; requires longer machining time.
    • Choose Retract above height of previous pass for shorter peck cycles; does not fully clear chips from the hole.
    • Optionally set Dwell time at the bottom of each peck pass (in seconds) if the machine/post processor supports dwell moves.
    • For this example, disable peck drilling and use a standard drill.
  7. Optionally enable Use Vector Selection Order to respect the order in which vectors were selected when generating the toolpath.
  8. Enter a toolpath name, e.g., drill.
  9. Click Calculate to generate the toolpath.
  10. Preview the toolpath to verify the drill depth and remaining material.
  11. Preview all toolpaths together to view the finished sign.

Key Points / Warnings

Section titled “Key Points / Warnings”
  • The drilling toolpath always drills the center of the selected closed vectors; the selected tool may be larger or smaller than the circles.
  • Start depth should be changed only if the material has already been machined to a lower surface before drilling.
  • Pec drilling is useful for clearing chips and cooling the tool, but increases cycle time when fully retracting above the start depth.
  • Retracting above the previous pass is faster but does not guarantee complete swarf removal from the hole.
  • Dwell is only supported if the machine and post processor support the dwell move; contact the machine manufacturer if unsure.
  • Editing the tool within the drilling form affects only that toolpath, not the master tool database entry.