SolidCAM 2007 R11 unveiled at this month's Chicago IMTS exhibition sees an expansion of the software's 3D milling functionality by providing a powerful and market-proven high-speed machining module (HSM) for moulds, tools and dies, and complex 3D parts.
The HSM module offers claimed unique machining and linking strategies for generating optimum roughing and finishing CNC high-speed toolpaths.
SolidCAM’s HSM Module smooths the paths of both cutting moves and retracts wherever possible to keep a more continuous machine tool motion – essential for maintaining higher feedrates and eliminating dwelling.
Retracts to high Z levels are kept to a minimum; angled where possible, smoothed by arcs, retracts do not go any higher than necessary – thus minimising aircutting and reducing machining time.
All machining passes operations support enhanced point reduction and arc fitting giving an efficient, high quality and gouge-free toolpath. This delivers better surface quality, less wear on cutters, and a longer life for machine tools.
Rest machining can be calculated even in areas where the final cutter is smaller than the curvature of the part. A succession of rest finishing toolpaths from a series of successively smaller cutters can be easily created, even on very large jobs.
All operations feature toolholder collision checking, and work with tapered tools.
