CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
16 April 2008
Events News
Delcam to Highlight Higher Productivity at MTA Malaysia
Delcam will highlight the higher productivity that is possible with the latest release of its PowerMILL CAM software at the MTA Malaysia exhibition to be held in Kuala Lumpur from 7th to 11th May. At the show, Delcam will also demonstrate its feature-based CAM system FeatureCAM and preview the forthcoming version of Delcam’s CAD software PowerSHAPE, plus the new customized solutions for the dental and footwear industries.
Delcam recently undertook a series of trials to confirm the added productivity that is possible with the latest release, PowerMILL 8. These showed reductions in the average programming time of 30% and in the average machining time of 15%, when compared to the results obtained with the PowerMILL 7 version. On this basis, a typical sub-contract or toolmaking company, programming and machining an average of 300 different parts per year, could recoup the cost of a PowerMILL licence in just over three months.
FeatureCAM development has always and will continue to focus on maintaining a clear consistent work flow for all types of programming, including turn/mill, 3-axis milling, 5-axis milling and wire EDM, so even a beginner or occasional user can be efficient with FeatureCAM right away. Commenting on latest developments, Tom McCollough, Vice President of FeatureCAM Software Development, explains, "We work very hard to make a product that is easy to use by novices and infrequent users, yet with the all the power needed for advanced part programming. For us, powerful means the ability to control the product to do exactly what the customer needs it to do while utilizing advanced technology to free the user of the burden to specify obvious manufacturing information and techniques. FeatureCAM has long been a leader in CADCAM automation. With the addition of new toolpath editing functions and strategies we have extended the range of options that provide precise control for our customers.”
The development focus for PowerSHAPE, in the last year has been to recapture the simplicity offered by the software when it was first introduced in 1999. "When we first launched PowerSHAPE, customers were impressed by features like the intelligent cursor which made the software so much easier to use than other surface modelers,” commented Delcam’s CAD Development Director, Stuart Watson. "Since then, we have added more and more functionality to the program. While our established users have welcomed this process, it has made the interface more intimidating to potential new customers,” he added. "With our new versions, we have re-organized the whole interface to place commands in a more logical structure and so make it easier both for new users to learn and faster for existing users to operate.”
During the last 25 years, Delcam has built within the organization a wealth of knowledge and experience across many industries. This knowledge has crossed into areas outside traditional manufacturing sectors, allowing new industries to benefit from the software knowledge Delcam has developed. It can be seen in new products like DentMILL, a standalone machining application for the dental industry, and OrthoModel, an engineering solution for the design and manufacture of orthotic insoles.
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