The overall plan that specifies how the tool moves to produce a part is called what?

The overall plan that specifies how the tool moves to produce a part is called what?

• A. Toolpath
• B. Part program
• C. Coordinate code
• D. Address

Answer: (A)

The essential idea is the route the cutter will follow to shape the part. This route, called the toolpath, defines the exact motions the tool must make in three-dimensional space, including straight moves, arcs, and the corresponding feed behavior, so material is removed to form the desired geometry. The toolpath is the movement plan itself, often generated from a CAD/CAM model and then executed by the machine. A separate part program is the full set of instructions sent to the machine—tool changes, offsets, and other setup commands—while coordinate codes are the numerical positions (X, Y, Z) that define where the tool moves along the path. Address isn’t a term used for this concept. So the overall plan for how the tool moves to produce the part is the toolpath.

The essential idea is the route the cutter will follow to shape the part. This route, called the toolpath, defines the exact motions the tool must make in three-dimensional space, including straight moves, arcs, and the corresponding feed behavior, so material is removed to form the desired geometry. The toolpath is the movement plan itself, often generated from a CAD/CAM model and then executed by the machine. A separate part program is the full set of instructions sent to the machine—tool changes, offsets, and other setup commands—while coordinate codes are the numerical positions (X, Y, Z) that define where the tool moves along the path. Address isn’t a term used for this concept. So the overall plan for how the tool moves to produce the part is the toolpath.