CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
July 2004
Product News
Delcam to Launch New Jewelry Design and Manufacture Software at IJL
Delcam will launch the latest version of its ArtCAM JewelSmith software for the jewelry industry at the IJL exhibition to be held in Earl's Court, London, from 5th to 8th September.
ArtCAM JewelSmith provides a set of tools to simplify ring design and manufacture. It can produce all types of signet and cluster rings, with multiple or single stone settings. The new version includes a range of enhancements to make both design and manufacture of jewelry even easier.
The most important change is the inclusion of a "Component Library" containing a selection of gems, settings and shanks that can be used to build up the design. The software also includes a range of Wizards for users to build their own components for addition to the Library.
ArtCAM JewelSmith provides constant access to the overall design as it is built up from the component models. In addition, assemblies can be created of groups of components, stored in the library and added to the design in the required orientation. All assemblies and components can be manipulated in 3D space, making positioning of design elements or gem settings around a ring both easy and intuitive.
Assemblies can also be subtracted from ArtCAM models to create exactly matching sockets and recesses. For example, an unusual gem setting could be fitted to a standard shank by directly 'punching-out' the setting assembly from the shank model.
Once the design has been approved, ArtCAM JewelSmith can produce toolpaths for 3-axis and rotary 4-axis CNC machining of individual items or of tooling for mass production. Alternatively, designs can be output in the STL format for rapid prototyping.
In the new version, it has been made easier to manufacture more complex objects by machining the piece several times from different directions. This process has been automated to make it as simple as possible to create the appropriate toolpaths for each set-up, including rotary passes if the user's machine tool supports the technique. For example, it is now much easier to machine the front and back of a piece in one continuous operation.
Additional machining strategies have been added to support the latest equipment for internal machining of rings. These techniques allow material to be machined out from inside the model, either add extra details or to reduce the gold content of the item. Time-consuming hand finishing would previously have been needed in these cases.
Improvements have also been made to the realistic rendering, which allows fully-assembled ring designs, with gems set in place, to be viewed on-screen for customer approval before manufacturing begins. The software can now also create a series of animation frames of a finished assembly. Alternatively, it can create an HTML image set that can be e-mailed to the client or incorporated on a website without releasing the original model files.
As well as supplying software for the jewelry industry, Delcam can also provide the 'Alcami Solution', a complete design and manufacturing system. In addition to the ArtCAM JewelSmith software, this includes a CNC machine, tooling and materials, plus comprehensive software training and technical support by jewelers with more than twenty years' experience in the industry.
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