| Term | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Allowance | Material deliberately left during roughing and removed during finishing |
| Setup | Position and securing of the stock for one machining side |
| Stepover | Distance between two neighbouring toolpaths |
| Part | The finished part to be produced |
| CAM | Computer-Aided Manufacturing: planning manufacturing on a computer |
| CAD | Computer-Aided Design: designing on a computer |
| Spindle speed | Revolutions of the cutter per minute |
| Rapid move | Fast movement without cutting |
| Chamfer | Bevelled edge |
| G-code / NC file | List of commands for the machine |
| Tab | Small material bridge that holds a cut-out part in place |
| Island | Area left standing inside a pocket |
| Ball-nose cutter | Cutter with a rounded tip for 3D surfaces |
| Zero point | Reference point for all coordinates |
| Spoilboard | Backing that protects the table when cutting through |
| Postprocessor | Translates toolpaths into the dialect of a machine controller |
| Stock | The unmachined piece of material |
| Flat end mill | Cutter with a flat end face; the all-rounder |
| Finishing | Fine final machining |
| Roughing | Coarse, rapid removal of material |
| Fixtures | Clamps and jaws that hold the stock |
| Collet | Holder for the cutter shank |
| STEP | CAD file format with exact geometry |
| STL / 3MF | File formats made up of triangle meshes |
| Cleared recess | |
| Feed | Speed of the cutter through the material |
| Tool number (T1, T2 …) | Slot or identifier of the tool in the program |
| Stepdown | Plunge depth per pass |
645DF WikiKnowledge for your workshop