Understanding Machine Tokens
To view the machining tokens for a part, select the part from the parts list and click on the Machining Tab under the Parts tools.
All machining operations are contained in machine tokens. There are machine tokens that are non-associative and others that are associative. All machine tokens included with a part, whether associative or non-associative, will have a machine operation followed by a face, corner, or edge designation. An example of a machine operation applied to an edge would be DADO3. The number is the edge or face of the part that carries the token — here, edge face 3. Because a dado is associative, the groove itself is cut into the part that this edge penetrates, not into the part carrying the token. An example of a machine operation applied to a corner would be CORNERNOTCH5 1. In this case, the token will perform a notch on face 5 at the corner point 1. An example of token applied to an edge of a part would be MITER 1 2. In this case, the machine token will be applied on the edge of the part between points 1 and 2 – the points in this machine token must be listed from smallest to largest. For faces of parts and origins of machining, refer back to Understanding Machine Points.
Non-Associative Machine Tokens – Non-associative machine tokens are used to perform routing, sawing, or drilling operations on a single face of a part.
Associative Machine Tokens – Associative machine tokens are used to perform routing, sawing, or drilling operations on the part that contains the machine token and a part that touches or is penetrated by the part. For example, a dado machine token is associative. The dado is applied to an edge face, and the associative machining for the dado is applied to the part that is being penetrated. In the case of a construction hole token (dowel and/or screw), the token is applied to an edge face, and the associative machining is applied to the part that is being touched.
Moving a dado groove to the other face of a panel. The DADO token has no Face parameter — its parameters are Lead-In, Options, Beginning Depth and Lead-Out (see Machine Tokens). Renaming DADO3 to DADO5 does not move a groove from Face 6 to Face 5 of the panel being grooved; it moves the token to face 5 of the part that carries it. If a dado is being cut on the wrong face of the penetrated panel, submit a support case with the product attached so the joint can be reviewed before you change the token.
The image below shows both non-associative (green) and associative (red) machining.
When right-clicking in machine token list, the following menu will appear:
Show All Tokens – Toggles the visibility of inactive machine tokens. By default, the inactive tokens are hidden.
Show Activity Tokens – Toggles the visibility of activity tokens.
Add – Adds a new machine token to the end of the list.
Copy – Copies the selected machine token and pastes it at the end of the list.
Delete – Deletes the select machine token.
Copy Token to Clipboard – Copies the selected machine token to the MV clipboard.
Paste Token from Clipboard – Pastes over the selected machine token with a token from the clipboard.
Insert Token from Clipboard – Inserts a machine token from the clipboard above the selected token.
Add Token from Clipboard – Adds a token from the clipboard to the end of the list.
Select Edge – Allows you to select an edge from a menu (1-4).
When adding a new machine token, the following menu will appear and will allow you to select a standard token or a user-defined token, and the face in which the token will be located.
Standard Tokens are setup using default values in the parameters – the parameter values can be modified once added to a part. User-Defined Tokens can be set up before being added to a part and will be stored for future use. Machine tokens that have been copied to the clipboard are also stored for future use.
After adding a machine token, you will be required to populate the required parameters with a value or formula.
Remember : Machine token origins are based on the machine point.
User Defined Tokens
In the Add New Token window, you will notice two tabs below the list of machine tokens. The Standard Tokens tab contains the default machining tokens in Microvellum. Selecting the User Defined Tokens tab will allow you to create machining tokens based on the standard tokens.
With the User Defined Tokens tab selected, right-click and select Add New Token menu item to display the User Defined Token screen. From this screen, you can select a token to use as a template. All the parameters for the selected token will be displayed, and you can now give this token a new name and modify the default values for each parameter. Using the formula bar across the bottom of the window, you can create formulas for each parameter.
The User Defined Token window allows you to create machine tokens with custom parameters.
Token Template List
Name of New User Defined Token
Parameters for a Machine Token
Formula Bar allows you to modify the default formula for the selected parameter
Once you have modified the token parameters, select the OK button to make it available in the User Defined Token tab. User Defined Tokens are available system-wide, so you will be able to add them to other parts in other projects.