Delcam will demonstrate the latest releases of its
FeatureCAM feature-based CAM system and its Delcam for
SolidWorks integrated CAM system for SolidWorks on stand
5N61at the Industrie exhibition to be held in Paris from
26th to 30th March. Both programs include important
new strategies, alongside a range of more general
enhancements to allow faster toolpath generation.
The main addition to FeatureCAM 2012 R2 is a series of new
strategies for 2.5D roughing. These include a
continuous spiral option to minimise wear on the cutter and
machine tool, high-speed roughing options, including
trochoidal machining and Delcam's patented Race Line
Machining, and "tear-drop" moves to clear corners more
smoothly. In addition, more styles of leads and links
can now be used to give greater overall efficiency for the
toolpaths.
Roughing has also been improved for users of turning
equipment that can operate with live tooling. A new
option allows cutting with a live milling tool, while the
workpiece is rotating in the turning spindle. This
approach avoids the issues associated with interrupted
cutting and ensures regular chip breakage, so removing any
chance of wrap-around by the swarf.
All FeatureCAM users will benefit from improvements to the
simulation module. In particular, they will see much
faster results through the use of multiple cores for these
calculations. In addition, the ability has been
included to save a position during the simulation, for
example, while toolpaths are being edited, and then to run
the simulation from that position rather than from the
start.
Other general enhancements include direct cutting and
pasting of models between FeatureCAM and Delcam's
PowerSHAPE design and data repair software, and the ability
to create machining configurations on a network as well as
on an individual computer, so saving time and encouraging
consistent results from different users.
The 2012 R2 version of Delcam for SolidWorks includes new
modules for b-axis turn-mill and four-axis wire EDM, plus
numerous improvements to the existing functions for rough
milling and finishing. As a Gold Partner CAM product,
it is, of course, fully compatible with the latest release
of SolidWorks.
B-axis turn-mill allows milling features to be created
easily based on the b angle of the feature itself.
Both the b-axis angle and the rotational orientation of
turning tools can also be controlled. The technique
can be used on multi-tasking machine tools, like the Mazak
Integrex and the Mori Seiki NT range.
The wire EDM module introduced in the initial 2012 release
has been extended to cover four-axis operation. Users
can choose from die, punch, profile and rapid operations,
along with a variety of other options, to generate code for
all types of wire EDM equipment. As with all other
Delcam for SolidWorks modules, the wire features are
associative to the model so the code will update
automatically following any change to the design.
Delcam for SolidWorks 2012 R2 also incorporates
enhancements from the latest release of FeatureCAM on which
it is based, including a series of new strategies for 2.5D
roughing, improved Z-level finishing, Z-axis indexing, and
faster simulation.
02 February 2012
