CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive

3 May 2012

Product News

Mastercam X6 Multiaxis Machining Improves Productivity

Multiaxis machining can dramatically increase a shop’s competitiveness. Mastercam’s multiaxis machining and add-ons offer a wide range of multiaxis machining strategies. Mastercam X6 introduces a new multiaxis add-on, Mastercam Blade Expert, as well as many multiaxis enhancements to get the most out of your shop.

Cut Patterns

Cut Patterns guide the tool along specified paths. These patterns can be simple 2D and 3D wireframe, solid primitives, or complex multisurface grids. Mastercam’s Multiaxis machining has many toolpath types to govern the cut pattern including:

  • Multisurface 5-axis roughing and finishing, including depth cuts, plunge roughing, and flowline machining.
  • For any type of toolpath, you can trim your toolpath to the new stock model. Trimming to stock reduces the amount of time the tool is not in contact with the material.
  • Stock recognition that trims toolpaths to eliminate air-cuts and drastically reduce cycle times.
  • Swarf fanning and swarf machining over multisurface floors, plus rail swarf cutting for added control
  • Machine 5-axis parts using spiral, zigzag, or one way tool motion.

Tool Axis Control

Mastercam’s Tool Axis Control allows orientation of the tool’s center axis to be manipulated as it follows the cut pattern. You have complete and dynamic control over the tool axis, lead/lag, entry/exit, and tilt, which simplifies even the most difficult multiaxis jobs. Full entry and exit control lets you determine exactly where and how the cutter enters and leaves your part. An automatic point generator adds greater precision, as well as advanced gouge checking and a 5-axis safe zone around the part.

Collision Control

When programming 5-axis parts, it is often necessary to come very close to the part or fixture with the cutter, arbor, or the holder. Mastercam gives you “near miss tolerance” fields so you can specify how close you are willing to get with any part of the tool and how to avoid those situations.

Blade Expert add-on

Mastercam’s new Blade Expert add-on greatly simplifies the toolpath creation process for any multi-bladed parts, including fans, propellers, impellers, turbines, marine screws, and more. Blade Expert is a very powerful and easy-to-use custom application, designed to generate efficient, smooth, and gouge-free toolpaths for these complex bladed parts.

Port Expert add-on

Mastercam’s Port Expert add-on creates accurate, efficient engine cylinder head porting toolpaths on port surface or solid data. The Port Expert toolpaths use 3-axis machining as far into the port as possible, and then convert automatically to 5-axis motion with minimum tilt. This leaves no fishtails or inefficient reverse moves, and smoothly transitions where the toolpaths meet at the middle of the port.

For more information on Mastercam’s Multiaxis machining, please visit http://www.mastercam.com/Products/Multiaxis/Default.aspx.

 

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