Delcam has launched the 2012 R2 release of its FeatureCAM feature-based CAM system, which includes important new strategies for roughing and turn-mill operations, alongside a range of more general enhancements to allow faster toolpath generation.
Delcam’s new FeatureCAM release supports turning with live tooling.
The main addition to FeatureCAM 2012 R2 is a series of new strategies for 2.5D roughing. These include a continuous spiral option to minimise wear on the cutter and machine tool, high-speed roughing options, including trochoidal machining and Delcam’s patented Race Line Machining, and “tear-drop” moves to clear corners more smoothly. In addition, more styles of leads and links can now be used to give greater overall efficiency for the toolpaths.
Stepovers for 2.5D mill roughing can now be set as large as the tool diameter itself. Previously, stepovers were limited to 50% of the tool diameter and, if this limit was exceeded, the toolpath would leave stands. The new algorithm supports larger stepovers by providing extra moves automatically to clean up those stands.
Other milling improvements include an option to add an extra profile pass exactly at the base of flat pockets, the ability to use face-milling tools with chamfered edges to machine chamfers as well as faces and so minimise the number of tools needed, a choice of right- or left-handed thread-milling tools resulting in either climb or conventional machining of the thread, and the ability to reduce calculation times by saving boundaries as curves if they will be needed for subsequent calculations.
And many more The new release of FeatureCAM also includes improvement in:
- Roughing on turning equipment with live tools
- Turn-mill programming
- Support for cylindrical interpolation
- Simulation module
- Direct cutting and pasting of models between FeatureCAM and Delcam’s PowerSHAPE
- Ability to create machining configurations on a network as well as on an individual computer
For further information Peter Dickin, Marketing Manager Direct phone: 0121 683 1081 [email protected]
Delcam plc Small Heath Business Park, Birmingham, B10 0HJ, UK www.delcam.com
