Patent ID: 7356897

Claim:
An apparatus for tracing a material process path on a work piece, comprising: a tool holder configured to be received by a tool head of a machine tool; a tool path tracing assembly configured to be received by the tool holder, the tool path tracing assembly having a guide shaft, the guide shaft having a laterally positioned aperture configured to receive a pin, the pin adjustably retaining the guide shaft between a first position and a second position on an upper shaft portion of a collet shaft, the collet shaft to receive a collet shaft component; and a marking stylus configured to be received by the tracing assembly, the marking stylus comprising at least one of a felt or fiber-based tip, a pressure-fed pen, and an ink-jet print head, the marking stylus configured to non-removably scribe a mark onto the work piece surface when the marking stylus is positioned against the work piece surface to mark the process path as the tracing assembly is moved along the work piece surface.