Delcam will demonstrate the latest version of its ArtCAM Pro design and manufacturing software for woodworking applications on booth 7473 at the International Woodworking Fair in Atlanta, Georgia, from 20th to 23rd August. ArtCAM Pro makes it much easier to create complex designs, with a new approach called interactive distortion modelling. This allows users to distort either vectors or reliefs within ArtCAM models by bending or stretching the design, and to see the results in real time.
Unlike most other CADCAM systems, ArtCAM Pro is aimed at skilled artisans rather than engineers and requires little knowledge of engineering or computing. It has been particularly successful in the signmaking, woodworking and engraving industries. In these areas and in other artistic applications, ArtCAM Pro allows users to increase productivity, improve quality and deliver new designs more quickly, by combining their craft skills and creativity with the power and precision of computer-aided manufacturing.
The addition of interactive distortion modelling in the latest release makes ArtCAM Pro’s unique free-relief modelling even more powerful. Interactive distortion modelling makes it possible to create the most complex shapes quickly and easily, with the ability to see the effects of any changes while they are being made.
Once the design of the particular element has been finalised, it can be moved, rotated, rescaled and copied, either individually or as part of a group. Any part of the design can be isolated, edited and then recombined into a group for duplication or further editing within the group. At any stage in the process, either individual items or a group of items can be saved within ArtCAM Pro’s clipart library for use in future projects.
A second major strength of ArtCAM is the creation and editing of vector artwork. A number of snapping options make vector creation quick and easy. These include the ability to snap to anything in the design, including any point on a vector, intersections between vectors, guidelines and key points within a model, such as the origin, centre and corners.
For users that have designs supplied by their customers, the Vector Doctor allows imported vectors to be cleaned up ready for manufacturing. Duplicate vectors and vectors longer, shorter, larger or smaller than specified sizes can be identified immediately. In addition, "quick-select” functions help to spot unobvious open vectors that could cause machining issues.
Vectors can be joined automatically when they are mirrored using any of the many mirroring options in ArtCAM Pro. This allows faster creation of vertical and horizontal vector patterns. In addition, vectors can now be offset interactively by dragging the offset to the required position as well as being moved by a specified amount.
