We are excited to bring you CAMWorks Solids 2015!! Our efforts continue to focus on helping you program smarter and machine faster.
Within the value chain of machining a part, we want to help you be more efficient by helping you reduce:
- Programming Time
- Setup Time
- Machining Time
All this while ensuring that CAMWorks continues to set the bar high with regards to user-experience.
A quick preview of the enhancements available in CAMWorks 2015 is presented below. For detailed documentation, please refer to the “What’s New” document in the downloads area (login required).
REDUCED PROGRAMMING TIME
Define multi surface features from face colors
With CAMWorks 2015, multi-surface features can be inserted by selecting faces of a particular color. This method is useful when you assign specific colors to various surfaces to be machined and use color coding as a means of communication between the design and manufacturing teams. More importantly, it can greatly reduce programming time and help automate the mundane task of selecting the faces required to define multi-surface features.
Color based definition of features is one way for our users to accelerate CNC programming time for parts (each one potentially unique as seen) that require customization.
CAMWorks has over 100 APIs that can provide similar possibilities. Please reach out to your reseller to learn more about possible solutions for your needs.
Assigning a solid model as stock in the part mode
This enhancement allows you to use a SOLIDWORKS part file for stock in part mode. In addition, a SOLIDWORKS configuration of the same part or a different part can now be selected as stock. This can reduce programming time when, for example, SOLIDWORKS configurations house WIP models that can be directly picked as the stock for a machining operation.
Provision to assign tool to operation in the New Operation Dialog Box
You will now have more control on the tool selection when adding Mill, Turn, or Hole operations interactively. This is a quick way to address the tool assignment without having to leave the operations dialog box.
Light rebuild for Turn parts
We have extended the ability to run a light rebuild in Turn Module. This helps our users save time in updating the CAM data when the design changes are made to the model but do not impact the automatically recognized turn features.
USER EXPERIENCE RELATED ENHANCEMENTS
Tool crib priority option now available for turn and mill-turn modules
This improvement places higher priority with the tools in the tool crib when applying automatic tool selection rules. To reduce any chance of an oversight, CAMWorks highlights the Operation tree nodes where the appropriate tools were not found in the tool crib and had to be pulled in from the TechDB tool library.
Posting tab in operation setup dialog box
This enhancements allows you to assign program numbers for setups and define all common post parameters at the setup level rather than having to define these for each operation.
Define material based, multiple sets of Cutting Parameters to Tools
You can now define stock material based default cutting parameters for each tool within the TechDB. This is beneficial for the users not using the feed and speed library. CAMWorks will automatically pick the appropriate cutting parameters based on the stock material being machined.
TechDB enhancements
- Rotary and tilt axis parameters are now available in the milling machine definition inside of TechDB
- For Mill-Turn machines, Fixed or Free option for 2.5 Axis operation defaults can be assigned in TechDB eliminating repetitive steps
Edit 2.5 axis mill feature profiles
This enhancement allows the interactively defined 2.5 axis features to be fully editable. User can re-pick the profiles for the feature or the islands. In earlier versions users would have to delete the feature, redefine it and then replace the old features in the operations.
Support Lead In/Out Parameters for Turn Thread Operations
This improvement will help in special thread configurations like ACME threads by allowing the users exercise control on the lead in and lead out. Lead in/out will help avoid formation of ring at the start and then end of the threads, when there is no relief grooves.
REDUCED MACHINING TIME
Faster roughing for more complex geometries using CAMWorks VoluMill™
Users with CAMWorks VoluMill license will now be able to address more complex geometries. In particular, 2 stepped islands are now able to be machined automatically using VoluMill.
CAMWorks VoluMill has the potential to reduce roughing time by as much as 80% while improving or maintaining tool life even in difficult to machine materials. If you will like to learn more about the potential savings, please reach out to your reseller for more information.
REDUCED SETUP TIME
In the job shop environment, setup time can be the difference between profit and loss. To address your setup time concerns, CAMWorks Virtual Machine provides True G-code verification module that now has controllers from over two dozen OEMs. Learn more about CAMWorks Virtual Machine here and reach out to your resellers for more details.