machining hidden parts

[waywood]

This probably belongs in the Enhancement Request area, but I thought I would try asking here in case there is a way of doing this, or a better approach to the problem:

Quite often with 3D work, rather than programming to machine the actual part, I create a special shape - usually a surface - for some of the operations, but want that to disappear for a subsequent operation. For example, suppose I have some shaped component with recesses in for joints etc. On the initial shaping I want the ball cutter to ignore these joints instead of wasting time attempting to dip into them as far as the ball diameter will allow, so I create an untrimmed surface to use on this operation. In a subsequent operation with a different tool I will then machine the detail areas (which might be 3D themselves, so 2.5D machining from lines will not work).

This is quite possible to do now, but the problem is that when I hide the simplified part in order to program the detail areas, the associated MOp becomes vulnerable to any inadvertent 'Regenerate All' for example, which will cause the wrong area to be machined.

What would be great would be an option to machine a part even if it is hidden, or alternatively a way of making the second MOp ignore a surface that is in its way. Is this an enhancement request that would be taken seriously, or is there another way to achieve the same thing currently?

[ftec]

I do this too. I group all temporary surfaces on layers of their own and their machining ops in RC in mop folders of their own. I avoid the Regenerate All command after the tmp surface layers have been hidden.