More Powerful PartMaker Version 2011 to be Previewed at IMTS

PartMaker Inc., a division of Delcam Plc, will unveil its latest version of PartMaker Software for programming CNC Mills, Lathes, WireEDM, Turn-Mill Centers and Swiss-type lathes at IMTS 2010 in Chicago, IL. Major highlights of PartMaker Version 2011,include more powerful milling functionality, new specialist turning routines, a more flexible tooling library, improved simulation of unique machine tool architectures and a host of additional productivity enhancements.

PartMaker will be exhibited in the booth of its parent company, Delcam Plc, at IMTS 2010. PartMaker will be demonstrated along side Delcam’s other leading edge manufacturing software products including the PowerMILL, PowerSHAPE, FeatureCAM, ArtCAM and PowerInspect range. The Delcam booth will be the largest CAM booth at IMTS 2010, where the most comprehensive range of CAM products at the show will be on display.

"PartMaker Version 2011 further demonstrates the accelerated pace of development PartMaker has undergone since its acquisition by Delcam four years ago,” says PartMaker Inc. division President Hanan Fishman. "Since joining Delcam, the functionality, capability and power of the PartMaker CAM software suite has grown massively by taking advantage of Delcam's extensive development resources. Delcam's world wide team of over 225 developers is the CAM software industry's largest development team. Multi-axis milling functionality that has taken Delcam many, many man years to develop is being added to PartMaker at a rapid pace and reduced cost, which provides a major benefit to the product's end users."

"Today, the machining algorithms in PartMaker are among the most sophisticated in the industry, offering PartMaker users a great deal of power along PartMaker's hallmark ease of use, a combination simply not found in other CAM systems," says Fishman.

More Powerful Milling Functionality

Drawing on the numerous improvements made in the previous PartMaker version, PartMaker Version 2011 includes an array of new milling strategies based on the industry leading machining algorithms available in PowerMILL, Delcam's flagship product for automating the machining of complex shapes. These milling enhancements include, but are not limited to, enhanced 4 and 5 axis surface swarfing techniques, This is in addition to the "Wireframe Swarfing” strategy introduced in PartMaker Version 2010.

The PowerMILL/PartMaker Interface (PPI) has also been enhanced in Version 2011. Specifically, memory management and simulation speed were improved measurably. PPI allows the entire PowerMILL functionality for making complex parts such as blades and blisks to be applied to multi-axis kathes by importing PowerMILL toolpaths into PartMaker for simulation and post processing through PartMaker. Another optional module based on PowerMILL technology, the Advanced Milling Toolpaths (AMT) module has been improved in Version 2011 as well. AMT supports a variety of High Speed Machining Strategies including Trochoidal Milling and Rest Area Machining.

Specialist Turning Routines

Also new in PartMaker Version 2011 is a specialist algorithm for automating the programming of back turning tools with multiple cutting points, angles and radii. A unique algorithm has been developed to automatically calculate tool path using such tools, tools most commonly used on Swiss-type lathes.


Support of Next Generation Machine Architectures

PartMaker supports programming of 5-axis simultaneous milling on the next generation of Mill-Turn machine tools, Bar Fed Mills, from such builders as Willimen, Chiron, Mazak and Bumotec among others. These machines, often featuring secondary spindles inverted to the main spindle, as opposed to parallel to the main spindle such as those found on conventional twin spindle lathes, have very unique architectures

Bar fed mills are the fastest growing segment of the small parts manufacturing industry, including the medical device industry. These machines are particularly well suited to making small, complex parts in small lot sizes and also very versatile in performing 5-axis milling. PartMaker's improved 5-axis milling functionality as well as its integration with PowerMILL offer a unique programming platform for these machines.

Improved Tool Handling

PartMaker's Tools Database is much improved in Version 2011. In the new version, users will be able to better manage their tooling information from a master tool file as well as import and export tools to and from spreadsheet programs such as Microsoft Excel. This new, more flexible tool database capability will allow users to better manage their tool inventory with PartMaker, interface to their tool crib software as well as interface to tooling catalogs of cutting tool manufacturers like Iscar, Sandvik and Kennametal among others.