Delcam to show complete CAM range in Vietnam

Delcam will demonstrate its complete family of CAM software at the MTA Vietnam exhibition to be held in Ho Chi Minh City from 8th to 11th July. The complete range comprises PowerMILL for high-speed and five-axis machining, FeatureCAM for feature-based programming, PartMaker for Swiss-type lathes and turn-mill equipment, and ArtCAM for engraving and routing. Together, these programs comprise the world’s most comprehensive range of CAM software from a single suppler. This broad coverage is one of the reasons why Delcam was again ranked as the world’s leading specialist supplier of NC software and services in the recent report by US analysts Cimdata.

The new release of PowerMILL offers the fastest-ever toolpath generation on multi-processor computers, giving greatly increased user productivity. The new release incorporates the latest background-processing and multi-threading technologies and so uses the full power of recent hardware developments to reduce calculation times and increase output dramatically. Other enhancements to further increase productivity include reduced memory usage when programming the largest and most complex parts, and improved ordering to give faster cycle times on the machine tool.

FeatureCAM 2009 incorporates enhancements across its complete range of functionality. An important focus has been increased options for more complex machines, such as mill-turn equipment, and four- and five-axis mills. This will allow users to tackle more sophisticated parts than could be programmed before. Developments have also continued increase the efficiency of the more fundamental machining operations, including turning and three-axis milling.

Major highlights of the new release of PartMaker include a revamped and more productive user-interface, improved capabilities for programming directly on solid models and more realistic machine simulation for the increasingly-complex machine architectures of today’s multi-axis turn-mill centres and Swiss-type lathes. The enhanced user interface will make PartMaker users even more productive in programming their CNC equipment, while offering new users an even easier to learn, more capable CNC programming platform.

The main emphasis within the latest release of ArtCAM has been on improved strategies for harder materials to enable more efficient and faster engraving of metal tooling. Typical applications that will benefit include the engraving of decorations, logos and lettering into moulds, the manufacture of stamping dies for coins and medals, and the production of embossing dies for cards, packaging and book covers. In addition, the machining simulations have been made much more realistic as part of a general improvement in the ability to visualise designs in a variety of materials.