The latest release of Vero’s Edgecam software promises new features for CAM manufacturers.
The manufacturing industry faces a couple of issues. There’s a dearth of experienced machinists. Projects need to be managed with reduced timelines. Operations must be optimized while sticking to the company’s best practice.
What is the best way to handle this?
Ramp strategy rough turning cycle. (Image courtesy of Vero Software.)
Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software plays an important role in the resolution of this issue. Edgecam 2016, in particular, assists by introducing an environment in which many routine tasks related to part preparation and operation definition can be automated.
Edgecam maker Vero Software recently released an update to its Edgecam 2016 R1 software. This update contains dozens of new and enhanced features of various CAD and CAM functionalities for milling, turning and wire electrical discharge machining (EDM).
Edgecam 2016 R1 software starts by using its feature recognition tools to find machinable features through the use of geometry analysis instead of relying solely on extracted features from CAD drafts.
Its Automatic Feature Finding command has been updated to allow users to set a partial hole angle when creating features. This value is designed to control which hole features can be detected and eventually machined and should remove the need to create a hole feature or arc entity manually.
To assist with design creation, Edgecam Workflow Solids (EWS) has a new 2D offset tool. With this tool, users can quickly copy common shapes and profiles by an offset amount to reduce sketching time.
Milling and turning operations will be able to save time with a new Update Stock command. This command is designed to focus entirely on pure toolpath by removing the need to process any graphical aspects of machine set-up.
(Image courtesy of Vero Software.)
Five other milling cycles, namely Parallel Lace, Pencil Mill, Face Mill, Flat Land Finishing and Constant Cusp Finishing, have been upgraded to show images and useful tool tips.
Turning operations will have an option for a pre-finish plunge. This function will create a single plunge cut at the center of a groove feature before finishing the feature as usual. This is a time-saving function designed to remove most of the material and take out the need for a rough grooving cycle.
Wire EDM users will be able to combine two-axis and four-axis wire machining into one function using the Smart Cycle command. This command will analyze input geometry shapes so output code will easily match the feature shape.
Edgecam’s Waveform roughing technology has been updated to offer full flute machining techniques. Intended to save time, this technique uses the full length of the cutter to cut consistently and without abrupt movements. These quicker cuts propose to remove more material while minimizing wear on both the cutter and the machine.
With this version, Edgecam 2016 R1 announced full support for head-table machines, including support for Siemens, TNC and ISO programming languages.
For more details, visit the Edgecam 2016 R1 website.
