Part Two:

Stock models allow toolpath engineers to apply intelligent toolpath to their *as machined* part models. Before we can get to stock models for toolpath surfacing, I think it would be helpful to show how stock models are created and how they are used to save time and prevent needless boundary creation to properly machine even simple prismatic parts.

Without a stock model, the toolpath a CADCAM programmer creates has no idea what the existing condition of the *as machined* part model is. Basically, the only reason a toolpath engineer creates a stock model is so that they can *add intelligence* to the toolpath they create in subsequent machining operations. Valid reasons for creating stock models are so you don't machine air and so you can make your toolpath *aware of the existing stock on the model left by the previous toolpaths you created*.

As this and future videos will clearly demonstrate, creating and using a stock model is absolutely critical for tool life, cycle time, good surface finish, etc.

http://youtu.be/zCg-F02YSgo