CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
16 August 2007
Events News
Delcam to Show World's Most Comprehensive CAM Range in Canada
Delcam will demonstrate the latest versions of its CAM programs PowerMILL, FeatureCAM, PartMaker and ArtCAM on booth #4138 at the Canadian Manufacturing and Technology Show to be held in Toronto from 15th to 18th October. Together, these programs comprise the world's most comprehensive collection of CAM systems, giving Delcam the ability to provide solutions to any company looking for a programming system to manufacture any type of product on any type of machine tool. The Show will also give Delcam the opportunity to build on the success of its recently-opened office in Toronto.
The PartMaker range, acquired by Delcam in June of 2006, will be shown on a Delcam booth in Canada for the first time. PartMaker pioneered the use of CAM for Swiss-type machine tools with its patented Visual Programming Approach for multi-axis lathes with live tooling. The software provides substantial gains in efficiency to programming on Swiss Turn machines with its ability to synchronize multiple operations.
The recent release of FeatureCAM, Delcam's feature-based machining software, includes major enhancements to the software's automatic feature recognition, plus additions to its range of 3D machining options to improve calculation speeds and surface finish. In addition, FeatureCAM 2008 offers support for continuous five-axis machining for the first time. This can be used either to access areas unable to be reached with 3-axis machining or to give better cutting conditions. Other new options include 5-axis trimming, swarf machining and 5-axis drilling. The new functionality, coupled with the advanced feature recognition, makes it possible to create drilling programs in seconds for multiple hole types and sizes, oriented in a variety of directions.
The latest release of PowerMILL will include a new automated programming functionality for the machining of blisks and impellors. This new functionality will typically cut down programming time of many hours into 30 minutes because the roughing toolpath (to remove the bulk material), and the finishing toolpaths (for the blade and the hub), are produced in a single calculation. A warning is given automatically if the cutter chosen for roughing will not remove sufficient material so that finishing can be undertaken safely.
The most important recent enhancement in ArtCAM Pro's machining is a new 3D offset strategy that gives a much better surface finish with harder materials. This will be especially useful when machining production tooling from ArtCAM designs, such as dies for greeting cards, and when engraving decorations created in ArtCAM into moulds for plastics. A new Machining Wizard has been added that simplifies the setting-up of multi-axis machining of complex models. In addition, a new option allows models to be sliced into layers that can be machined individually and then assembled into the complete part.
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