Delcam to show new CAM range at Metalex in Thailand

Delcam will show new products across its complete range of CAM software at the Metalex exhibition to be held in Bangkok, Thialand, from 19th to 22nd November. The family of Delcam machining software 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 is consistently ranked as the world’s leading specialist supplier of NC software and services by US analysts Cimdata.

The new release of Delcam’s award-winning PowerMILL CAM software 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’s high degree of automation already gives faster programming than other CAM systems. A range of enhancements in the 2010 version will make the software even quicker. Most important of these developments is again support for multi-threading when generating 3D toolpaths. This allows calculations to be spread across multiple cores in dual- or quad-core computers. Average time savings are around 25% on a dual-core PC.

Improved algorithms have been introduced within the user interface to speed up the editing of features and to reduce the time needed to switch between machine-tool set-ups, while more efficient handling of stock models will reduce the memory required and so enhance performance still further.

Major highlights of new PartMaker release include the ability to perform five-axis simultaneous milling and swarf machining on multi-axis lathes, more powerful 3D milling functionality and an improved ability to program thread whirling.

PartMaker 2010 will also offer the option for a direct interface to PowerMILL, giving users access to all complex the five-axis machining strategies currently supported by the software, including blade and blisk machining, and to the program’s highly-sophisticated three-axis strategies. Toolpaths generated in PowerMILL will be able to be imported directly into PartMaker, where they can be manipulated and synchronized on PartMaker’s Process Table, and simulated and post-processed directly from the PartMaker working environment.

For the 2010 ArtCAM release, a great deal of underlying technology has been incorporated from PowerMILL. This has enabled the inclusion of the latest multi-threading technology and so given faster calculation times. It has also given users greater flexibility to edit toolpaths, in particular to optimise the leads and links.

New options include a new combination technique of roughing with an end-mill with V-bit carving. This gives the advantage of faster material removal with the end-mill, while retaining the finish quality that is possible with a V-bit cutter.