Delcam introduces three levels of 3D machining in FeatureCAM 2013

• FeatureMill 3D Lite offers single surface machining with a basic range of strategies for companies moving into 3D machining for the first time. • FeatureMill 3D MX provides a greater number of strategies, including spiral finishing, flowline finishing and rotary machining, support for multiple-surface machining and automated feature recognition. It is aimed at companies with conventional machine tools and those machining softer materials. • FeatureMill HSM also contains all of the options for rest machining, such as pencil machining and corner clearance, and high speed machining, including trochoidal machining and Delcam's patented Race Line Machining. Its strategies are designed to maximise the productivity of high speed mills while protecting the part, machine and cutter from excessive wear. FeatureCAM HSM also includes Step cutting to remove large terraces that can be left on the part when using deeper roughing cuts. Extra toolpaths step back up the terrace with the existing large tool, adding extra cuts at intermediate levels resulting in more material being removed, using the same tool within the same toolpath. Automatic splitting of finishing between steep and shallow areas of the part has been available in Delcam's FeatureCAM for a number of releases. This option has been enhanced with the ability to use the scallop height to control the stepover for a better surface finish than with setting a constant stepover distance. Both roughing and finishing strategies now incorporate an 'area filter' to remove small enclosed pockets within the part from the toolpath. Any attempt to cut these areas risks damage to the tool, even though it is mathematically possible to remove the material. FeatureCAM 2013 5-axis strategies include flowline machining between two curves, pencil machining and corner re-machining. These options for simultaneous 5-axis machining allow a better surface finish to be achieved as well as ensuring access to more areas within the part in a single set-up. A new look-ahead capability will remove any sudden tool axis changes during automatic collision avoidance and, instead, ensure that a smooth transition takes place. In addition, FeatureCAM now offers the ability to smooth the Azimuth and Elevation axes independently and so remove excessive 5-axis movement. These options stabilise the rotary axis movement by maintaining a fixed tool axis as far as possible, thus replacing constant 5-axis movement with a series of 3+2-axis segments having full 5-axis transitions between them. A number of enhancements have been added to FeatureCAM's turning and mill-turn modules. Definition of the initial stock and part alignment has been improved, making it more similar to the set-up process for milling, support has been added for semi-finish canned cycles, and curves of revolution can now be recognised from STL models. A method has also been introduced allowing B-axis rotary milling to be carried out on features that would otherwise require the use of excessively long cutters. The options for multi-spindle, multi-turret machines have been improved by fully integrating part transfers into the FeatureCAM output. Simulation and post-processing of these operations is also supported. In addition, the handling of synchronisation points has been enhanced to simplify the optimisation of the machining sequence between the various elements of the machine.