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Assigning Cut Qualities

Why assign a cut quality?

Cut Qualities tell the nozzle how fast or slow to move to achieve a certain edge finish on your part.

Faster – rougher part edge

Slower – smoother part edge

Available Qualities Toolbar

Click the Q/Quality icon to select the Available Qualities toolbar.

Or right-click the Quality icon to see more options.

Traverse Icon

Uses a solid green line
Moves the nozzle without cutting
Uses no water, nor abrasive

Qualities 1-5

Assigns different colors for different qualities
Number and color on the toolbar corresponds to colored entities in the part
Higher number = higher quality
Lower number = lower quality

Lead In and Lead Outs

Drawn in brown
Lead ins (usually drawn longer) use water and abrasive to pierce the material before cutting
Lead outs (usually drawn shorter) allow the jet stream to catch up and finish the cut before turning off the water and abrasive

How to Assign Qualities

1. Open a drawing in LAYOUT.

2. Click the Quality icon to display the Quality tool bar (or right-click the Quality icon for more options).

3. Select the number you want.

4. Select an entity on the drawing to be assigned your chosen quality.

Assigning Qualities Demonstration

1. Draw a box with 2 circles in it using the drawing tools.

Click here to see how to draw the above box using the ProtoMAX Draw Tools

2. Assign each entity a different cut quality using the Quality tool bar.

Click here to see how to assign cut qualities to the above drawing using the Available Qualities options

3. Use other methods to assign qualities.

a. Right-click the Quality icon.

b. Use keyboard shortcuts such as:

• Q for Quality (type the Quality number you want – for example, Q3 for quality 3)
• QA for Quality All
• QW for Quality Window