Viewers
Are available for each of the Turning, Milling, Fabrication and Wire EDM SmartCAM product application families. SmartCAM Toolpath / Process Model files contain manufacturing information over and above toolpath. Anyone who requires access to toolpath and supporting information and data can benefit from using a SmartCAM Viewer: CAM Engineers & Machine Setter Operators reading job information and verifying toolpath during prove-out in the machine shop, Tool Setters viewing tool reports and other tool & setup information, Fixture Builders viewing workholding arrangements, Estimators accessing cycle times, Sales Engineers demonstrating technology when selling a manufacturing or parts service in the field are examples.
"Without doubt, 2020 has been a challenging year for everybody. Our development plan took a new turn in remote working and team communication, but we are pleased to deliver the set of practical enhancements in this our latest release of SmartCAM," observed Doug Oliver, Senior Product Manager at SmartCAMcnc. "It has been good to be able to offer a little piece of normality with our customary new release around this time of year."
Many enhancements are customer-led: they are often in response to requests from the SmartCAM user base. This release is no different. Selected improvements include:
User Interface / Usability & Toolpath Modeling
Layer Manager - A new, more intuitive and easier to use Layer Manager has been added. Add and manage CAD Layers using a new at-a-glance composite interface. CAD Layer management and Layer attribute control interactive tasks and time have been reduced compared to previous methods.
Toolbar Button Editor – improved handling of toolbar content preferences is enabled with a new edit option available on a toolbar right-click menu.
Check Distance – a simple but productive change is the ability to define a Check Distance per tool versus a global setting as previously.
Customization
SmartCAM has always been strong on Customization. A number of enhancements are included in Version 2021
Image Support - The SmartCAM Visual Customization ToolKit (VCTK) can now incorporate an image in custom panels and dialog boxes. A picture is worth a thousand words. User interface customizations can be visually enhanced and made easier to use.
Macro Subroutine data – a set of new Macro system commands enables improved access to sub-program definitions and use data.
Code Generators
Is the term used by the SmartCAM community for what are referred to as post processors in other CAM systems. The v2021 Code Generator tool set provides a number of new technical functions to creators of SmartCAM Code Generators.
ACIS
Finally in this brief summary, SmartCAM is built using the ACIS kernel, which has been updated to ACIS 2020. The ACIS update includes support for Solid Edge Version 2020 native CAD files.
