Latest CADCAM release bristles with new features

Many new features and functions will be included in the latest release of the SolidCut suite of CADCAM applications, which includes SolidCut Production, SolidCut EDM and SolidCut Laser.

Many new features and functions will be included in the latest release of the SolidCut suite of CADCAM applications, which includes SolidCut Production, SolidCut EDM and SolidCut Laser.

New functionality has been added for programming and simulating rotary A, B and C axis machining in milling and for C-axis turning.

In addition to working in "developed mode" it is possible to unwrap geometry from a solid model for machining.

This includes simulation of the rotating axis.

Rotary machining operations are carried out as normal 2.5D milling ops, the geometry and machining are associated to a specific rotary plane and will be simulated with rotation of the part or tool.

New and improved machining strategies for 3D machining will shortly be made available in releases of SolidCut Production.

Milling for 2.5D and 3D machining will be integrated or used as separate modules.

A Standard and Professional level will also be available to suit differing customer needs.

Simplified use of geometry for machining can now be used; faces, edges, sheet bodies and loops can be used directly from the solid model.

Line/arc and wire body geometry can also be selected for direct machining without the need to generate further blocks or polyline data.

New functionality has been made to greatly simplify machining of solid faces at differing z levels.

These faces can be united as a sheet body at an automatic or controlled z level and can be selected for machining operations such as pocketing, these solid faces, sheets etc can be hidden or shown from a right mouse click.

Compound figures can still be selected for machining if required.

Enhanced methods of preparing Workshift Origins are now available, particularly from solid models.

The display of the current origin has been made clearer by displaying a translucent, rendered plane.

To simplify the selection of geometry It is now possible to use a pixel thickness and colour to display highlighted wireframe items.

Solid faces, bodies etc can also be highlighted in customer defined colours.

"Spun part" profiles can be generated from solid models for turning, resulting in inner and outer sections of machining profiles being generated.

This will temporarily remove any holes and nonrevolved features from the model to assist with rough and finishing operations.

The solid part can be automatically sectioned down the centreline plane so that turning operations can be added.

Camtek has further enhanced the interfaces available to import CAD data from an extensive range of CAD systems, including: DXF/DWG, Iges, Step, Sat, VDA - FS, HP - MI, Catia V4, Catia V5, Pro Engineer, Unigraphics, and SolidWorks (a SolidWorks translator has been included with v5.3 as a system standard).

The Solidworks translators will be available for use both where Solidworks and PEPS are used on the same PC, and to read ".sldprt" files directly, independently of Solidworks.

High-speed pocketing is now available, eliminating sharp corners in the toolpath thus removing the need for tools to slow at sudden changes of direction.

Radial loops have been added to moves between pocketing passes when a minimum corner radius has been set.

A new rest pocketing option has been implemented, which removes material from the regions uncut by the previous tool, suppressing "fresh air cutting moves".

Wire has a new workspace manager that allows clearer and easier management of machining operations and geometry.

There is a new method for feature-finding "wireable features" in a solid model.

The system can search and find features able to be cut by a Wire machine then project the appropriate geometry onto the cutting planes.

This can be carried out automatically over the whole model or in user definable areas.

New functions allow the projection of any 3D geometry onto the cutting planes, which can be for a single 3D profile with a constant taper or for two separate 3D profiles.

The profiles can be comprised of any type of PEPS geometry.

Solid models can also be used as workpieces in wire EDM.

SolidCut Laser can now be made to identify and generate canned-cycle code for standard shapes that are found on a job, and that are available on the machine control.

The TubeCut module now supports machining of "diagonal" apertures in tubes on three-axis machines, by cutting the "largest extent" combination of the inner and outer aperture profiles To simplify system configuration a new system settings dialogue allows the setting and configuration of system options from a single location.

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