CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
22 July 2008
Events News
Delcam to Show New CAM Range at AMB
Delcam GmbH will demonstrate new versions of its complete CAM range on stand C38 in Hall 4 of the AMB exhibition to be held in Stuttgart from 9th to 13th September. The Delcam machining software family comprises PowerMILL for high-speed and five-axis machining, FeatureCAM for feature-based programming of mills, lathes and wire EDM equipment, and PartMaker for turn-mill machines and Swiss-type lathes.
The new release of PowerMILL, version 9, will offer a more complete solution for complex machining operations, together with more control for experienced machinists. Very recent development in the software has focussed on making it easier for inexperienced and casual users to generate high-quality toolpaths for high-speed and five-axis machines tools. In the new version, the development focus has been on giving more experienced users greater control on exactly how they want to manufacture a particular part, or undertake a particular operation. In particular, the ability to generate toolpaths based on any 3D curve has been simplified by making it easier both to create the required curve and to drive the cutter along it.
PowerMILL 9 also incorporates a number of improvements to reduce calculation times, together with some simplification of the user interface that makes it easier to select the required command and so makes programming faster. In addition, toolpath ordering has been made more efficient, especially for roughing and rest machining, so ensuring that the cutter speeds more time machining and minimal time making air moves.
In the new release of FeatureCAM, development has continued on the range of five-axis options introduced in FeatureCAM 2008. The software now supports both positional and continuous five-axis operation, five-axis trimming and five-axis drilling. Another key area for development has been four-axis simultaneous milling. This provides programming for milling machines with rotary tables and gives a more comprehensive solution than the existing options for rotary milling and fourth-axis wrapping that were available in previous versions.
Developments have also continued with the more fundamental machining operations. The main enhancement to the FeatureTURN module has been the addition of support for form tools. Other improvements include more efficient threading, better control of undercutting, and extra options for pre-drilling before boring. Similarly, 2D machining has been enhanced with improvements to thread milling, easier control of feeds and speeds, support for a wider range of engraving tools. In addition, substantial improvements have been made to the FeatureWIRE module, the highlight being faster and easier recognition of 4-axis wire features.
Major highlights of the new version of PartMaker, Version 9, include a revamped and more productive user-interface, improved capabilities for programming directly on solid models and improved machine simulation for the ever increasingly complex machine architectures of today’s multi-axis turn-mill centres and Swiss-type lathes.
Other enhancements include the PartMaker Documentation Wizard, an optional module for all PartMaker applications that allows the user to create, preview and print documents with multiple views, “smart” dimensioning tools to make creating a detailed part drawing quicker and easier, and improvements to the Full Machine Simulation Module, in particular, the ability to support even more complicated machine architectures.
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