Delcam will demonstrate the latest version of its ArtCAM Pro design and manufacturing software for artistic woodworking applications and its FeatureCAM feature-based programming system for production machining on stand 8B 220 at the W14 exhibition to be held at the NEC, Birmingham, from 5th to 8th October.
Unlike most other CADCAM systems, ArtCAM Pro is aimed at skilled artisans rather than engineers and requires little knowledge of engineering or computing. It has been particularly successful in the signmaking, woodworking and engraving industries. In these areas and in other artistic applications, ArtCAM Pro allows users to increase productivity, improve quality and deliver new designs more quickly, by combining their craft skills and creativity with the power and precision of computer-aided manufacturing.
The addition of interactive distortion modelling in the latest release makes ArtCAM Pro’s unique free-relief modelling even more powerful. Interactive distortion modelling makes it possible to create the most complex shapes quickly and easily, with the ability to see the effects of any changes as they are being made.
Once the design of the particular element has been finalised, it can be moved, rotated, rescaled and copied, either individually or as part of a group. Any part of the design can be isolated, edited and then recombined into a group for duplication or further editing within the group. At any stage in the process, either individual items or a group of items can be saved within ArtCAM Pro’s clipart library for use in future projects.
FeatureCAM was the world’s first feature-based programming software when it was launched in 1995. Constant development since then has ensured that the system has retained its leadership in programming speed and ease of use, while an increased range of strategies has been added to provide more efficient toolpaths that give greater productivity on a wider range of machinery, including five-axis routers, and turning and mill-turn equipment. FeatureCAM can be used in woodworking production applications such as furniture manufacture and cabinet-making.
Multi-axis drilling has long been a strength of FeatureCAM and five-axis programming of multiple holes has been made even easier in the 2015 release. It is now possible to create patterns of holes of similar size with regular positioning. Any subsequent changes to the program can then be made for all the holes in the pattern in one operation, rather than having to edit the toolpaths separately for each individual hole.
A series of improvements have also been introduced to make turning with FeatureCAM more efficient. The software now produces toolpaths that rapid up and over previously machined diameters, rather than feeding along them. This reduces the overall cycle time and avoids dragging of the tool.
‘Pinch and follow’ turning can now be chosen when machining components using the ‘face’ or ‘back face’ cycles. Using this method gives better results since having the tools cut in opposing directions to each other means that the cutting forces are better balanced.
