# Status information on tool orientation

The three vectors

- path tangent vector (tb_vec)
- normal vector to path (tn_vec)
- face normal vector (fn_vec)

form a complete clockwise spatial coordinate system (moving trihedron).

Vectors of the tool coordinate system

## Notice

Configuration of the tool direction vector

When tool geometry compensation is active and when machining with the face of the tool, the result is the tool direction vector ori_vec obtained from the face normal vector fn_vec, the path tangent vector tb_vec and the advance and lateral angle.

The vectors of the tool coordinate system are integrated in the data structure HLI_TOOL_PATH_DISP_DATA. The tables below contain the description of the elements for this data structure:

Tool direction vector
Description | Components of the tool direction vector and recalculation from face normal vector and path tangent vector (see Figure).
ST Element | gpCh[channel_idx]^.bahn_state.tool_path_r.ori_vec[vec_idx]
Data type | ARRAY [0..HLI_CS_AXES_MAXIDX] OF DINT
Peculiarities | The direction vector is normalised to length 106.

Path tangent vector
Description | Components of the path tangent vector (see Figure).
ST Element | gpCh[channel_idx]^.bahn_state.tool_path_r.tb_vec[vec_idx]
Data type | ARRAY [0..HLI_CS_AXES_MAXIDX] OF DINT
Peculiarities | The direction vector is normalised to length 106. The last valid motion direction is retained.

Normal vector to the path tangent
Description | Components of the resulting vector, cross product of ori_vec × tb_vec, or cross product of fn_vec × tb_vec (see Figure).
ST Element | gpCh[channel_idx]^.bahn_state.tool_path_r.tn_vec[vec_idx]
Data type | ARRAY [0..HLI_CS_AXES_MAXIDX] OF DINT
Peculiarities | The direction vector is normalised to length 106.

Auxiliary vector of the complete trihedron, face normal vector
Description | Components of the resulting vector, cross product of tb_vec × tn_vec, or face normal vector (see Figure).
ST Element | gpCh[channel_idx]^.bahn_state.tool_path_r.fn_vec[vec_idx]
Data type | ARRAY [0..HLI_CS_AXES_MAXIDX] OF DINT
Peculiarities | The direction vector is normalised to length 106.