September 6, 2013
Take the Genius route at EMO to avoid the queues that are expected around the game-changing Workflow aspect of the latest release of Edgecam software, and the growing popularity of its Waveform Roughing strategy.
Workflow is one of the most far-reaching enhancements seen in recent CAM history, and will be demonstrated at EMO, in Hannover, Germany, between September 16th and 21st. With interest already mounting through worldwide webinars, Edgecam is setting up a Genius Bar on its stand (K12, Hall 25) to give visitors their own face-to-face time with both English and German speaking experts.
The new functionality enables CAD/CAM engineers to apply toolpaths within seconds of launching the application. It aids in loading and positioning the component, choosing the manufacturing method and suitable machine tools, adding user defined stock or stock from a database, importing fixtures, selecting a machine and toolkit, and managing strategies to automate manufacture.
Edgecam General Manager Raf Lobato says: “EMO is the key exhibition for the metalworking industry across Europe, and is ideal for visitors to see for themselves how they can benefit from producing programs much faster than if they were using more conventional CAM systems.
“So book a Genius Bar appointment to avoid the rush and get quality time to see a demonstration of Workflow by registering here: http://www.edgecam.com/emo-registration. Visitors can also take advantage of their Genius Bar appointment to discuss any aspect of Edgecam, including gaining hands-on technical support, troubleshoot any issues which may even be solved on the spot, or just catch up on their business needs.”
As well as Workflow, the new release contains a number of other powerful items of new and enhanced functionality including modern redesign of dialogs, four-turret support, free loading of CAD files into Part Modeler, quicker simulation, and improvements to the wire EDM Feature Finder....all of which will be demonstrated at EMO.
Part Modeler now comes with free CAD Loaders for Parasolid, STEP, NX, ACIS, Inventor, CATIA V5 and Creo Parametric files. A Move hole and Faces command allows the repositioning of features from models designed in another CAD system. They can either be moved from the original CAD datum position or relative to a user defined position. To modify features, for example, holes, grooves, pocket walls and boss heights on a third party model, individual features can be moved to create a “Manufacturing Model” from a design model, allowing for mid tolerancing models to be created and manage conditions created, such as expansion, when using heat treatments.
Simulator now runs as a separate process in the background to Edgecam, ensuring instant start up from where the simulation last finished; with no need to run simulation from the start each time. Other simulator enhancements include improved Update Stock, which is up to 50% quicker than the previous release. Simulator rendering has been enhanced with stock surfaces rendered with a metallic texture and a flat rendering option added to render the surfaces with a non-metallic look. Rapid Result has been improved for this release and Tool graphics are now displayed, with Toggle Tool and Toggle Tool Holders buttons enabled.
A new Wire Profile Feature command has been added to find features suitable for Wire Erosion from a solid model. This facility removes the need to extract the edges from the solid to make the wireframe fences. In addition, faces can be picked individually, by window or chained; selected faces can have differing levels and heights, meaning they do not need to be on parallel planes; controls on the feature dialog adjust the XY and UV Profile Height of the feature; and the identified Wire Features appear in the feature list and have their own list of properties.
Waveform Roughing
Edgecam’s revolutionary Waveform Roughing strategy is also expected to create interest on the stand. Mach One Engineering have used Waveform since its introduction in the previous release . Managing Director Chris Bentley says: “It’s exciting when new technology comes along that changes things so much for the better. We find it a very powerful tool because it enables us to do much deeper depth cuts than before. And because we can also increase feed and speed rates it reduces our cycle times considerably.”
Edgecam’s waveform roughing strategy has been designed to maximise material removal rates while prolonging both tool and machine tool life. It produces rough milling toolpaths that deliver shorter cycle times, greater tool life, better surface finish and are kinder to machine tools.
Edgecam Genius Bar on Stand K12 in Hall 25.