CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive

August 2007

Events News

Mastercam X2 Mill Delivers Power, Speed, and New Opportunities; CNC Software's new capabilities demonstrated at EMO 2007

The EMO show ushers in the latest CAD/CAM software from Mastercam . The latest software enhancements will be showcased in Hall 6, Stand K02 at the Hannover Messe in Hannover, Germany on September 17-22. The latest Milling software introduces significant new capabilities including many 3D toolpath additions and enhancements, added support for SolidWorks® assembly files, Z-oscillation, and much more.

High Speed Toolpaths

Mastercam X2 introduces a variety of powerful new high speed techniques, including:

•  Rest Material functionality has been added to most high speed finishing toolpaths. Remaining stock can be calculated from a roughing tool, another operation, all operations, or from an STL file. This allows the Rest Material to be calculated using a variety of toolpath strategies, for maximum usefulness.

•  "Peel Milling" delivers powerful high speed cutting to 2D projects, moving the tool in and "peeling" away material, layer by layer.

•  Rib Cuts have been added to the Surface Finish Flowline, Surface Rough Flowline, and 5-Axis Flowline toolpaths. The rib cuts are determined by a number of slice cuts perpendicular to the flowline curves of the surface. When you choose the cut direction, the software will slice the flowline curves and create a toolpath at the midpoints of each slice. This is very useful when a single pass is desired along multiple surfaces.

•  Mastercam X2 includes Radial and Spiral finishing toolpath styles rounding out the high speed suite.

Trochoidal Motion

Trochoidal motion in high speed toolpaths assists with the machining of harder materials. Trochoidal motion maintains an acceptable tool load by allowing predictable tool contact with the material. This optimizes tool wear and reliability. Mastercam gives you the ability to control when and how the trochoidal motion occurs in a toolpath.

SolidWorks Assembly Files

Mastercam now has the capability to bring in whole SolidWorks assembly files into Mastercam. Prior to this, Mastercam could only import individual part files. Now, Mastercam can import SolidWorks .DLDASM files, which are files that reference other part files in the overall assembly.

Additional Milling Enhancements

•  Z-Oscillation contouring has been added to minimize tool wear. Z Oscillation is especially useful when cutting thinner materials or laminated materials.

•  A scallop height calculator has been added as an additional method for automatically entering stepover values.

•  Support for SolidEdge® V19, AutoCAD® 2007, and SolidWorks 2007.

•  Mastercam will now check an operation's tool holder for interference with the part. It calculates areas where there is interference between the holder and part, and tells you the minimum tool length required to avoid it.

Become a member of the CIMdata PLM Community to receive your daily PLM news and much more.

Tell us what you think of the CIMdata Newsletter. Send your feedback.

CIMdata is committed to your privacy. Your personal information will never be sold or shared outside of CIMdata without your express permission.

Subscribe