What is the Advanced Machining Module - and what is the Drill Bank Toolpath?
Updated Oct 13, 20262 min readVCarve Pro & Aspire
What the module is
The Advanced Machining Module is a paid add-on aimed at production and cabinet work. It adds:
- Cabinetry-software import: bring in jobs from cabinet design programs, with automatic nesting and automatic toolpath assignment for the imported parts.
- Controller-level cutter compensation on profile toolpaths: outputs G41/G42-style compensation so the machine controller applies the tool-diameter offset (lets operators tweak for tool wear at the machine without re-posting).
- Drill Bank support and the Drill Bank Toolpath.
Drill Bank explained
A drill bank (drill block) is a head with multiple drill spindles at fixed spacings. It is standard equipment on industrial nested-based cabinet machines for line-boring shelf-pin and system holes. The Drill Bank Toolpath understands the bank's geometry and gang-drills patterns in far fewer moves than single-spindle drilling.
Do you need special hardware? Yes. The Drill Bank Toolpath only makes sense with a machine that physically has a drill bank. Hobby machines with a single spindle should use the normal Drilling Toolpath (with peck drilling for deep holes).
Who should buy it
Shops running cabinet software (or wanting controller-side wear compensation) on industrial machines. Hobby sign and carving users generally do not need it. It is the most industrial-specific of the software maker's add-ons.
Sources and further reading
Advanced Machining Moduleć”the software maker's site (opens in a new tab)Advanced Machining Modulethe software maker's documentation (opens in a new tab)Drill Bank Toolpaththe software maker's documentation (opens in a new tab)Still stuck? Ask the community
Ask in your own words. Vector answers first, from the guides. If that does not cover it, post it to members and the shop from there.