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CNC fundamentals

Compare plunge and ramp entry

Read the difference between vertical entry and descending along a path.

About 5 minCadivari 0.3.0Watch and try

Useful first: Understand safe clearance · Recognise the main cutter shapes

Entry describes how the cutter reaches the next cutting depth. Plunge moves vertically; Ramp descends while following the path. Cadivari supports both on eligible closed contours and pockets. Clearance moves and entry moves serve different purposes.
Entry describes how the cutter reaches the next cutting depth. Plunge moves vertically; Ramp descends while following the path. Cadivari supports both on eligible closed contours and pockets. Clearance moves and entry moves serve different purposes.

Entry describes how the cutter reaches the next cutting depth. Plunge moves vertically; Ramp descends while following the path. Cadivari supports both on eligible closed contours and pockets. Clearance moves and entry moves serve different purposes.

Try it in Cadivari

  1. Watch a vertical entry

    Play the first scene and pause while the cutter descends. X and Y stay fixed while Z changes. The transparent stock helps reveal the motion and is not a simulation of your part.

  2. Compare the ramp

    Press Play again at the scene break, or scrub into the second scene. Identify the sideways motion happening at the same time as the descent.

  3. Find the entry setting

    In a preview project, open a saved rectangle in CAM. If it has no contour, press P, select the rectangle and create an Outside contour. Expand that operation in Operations and locate Entry.

  4. Compare both previews

    Switch between Plunge and Ramp. Read the Motion plan summary and any cutter or path-length warning. In 3D, inspect that operation under Simulate → Toolpaths and compare the entry moves.

  5. Separate entry from clearance

    Identify the travel above stock before entry and the retract after cutting. Safe Z is a clearance height; the Entry setting describes the move down to a cutting depth.

Over to you

A small exercise

Pause each scene during entry and name the changing axes. Locate the two Entry choices in a practice contour and compare their motion summaries without running a machine.

What you should see

Plunge changes Z only. A path ramp changes Z and at least one planar coordinate. You can distinguish these from travel at Safe Z.

Things to look out for

  • A ramp is not automatically suitable for every cutter or material. The operation still needs a verified cutter and cutting parameters.
  • Cadivari’s Open Contour and disconnected engraving strokes use straight entry. The presence of a Ramp option on closed contours does not make it universal.
Check your understandingIs the plunge animation a peck-drilling operation

No. It shows one straight entry move. Cadivari does not currently provide a dedicated peck-drilling, helical-entry or bore-milling operation.

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Go deeper in the knowledge base

Instructions checked against the Cadivari 0.3.0 source and knowledge base on 2026-09-16. Lesson revision 1.