PowerMILL 2015
Delcam has launched the 2015 version of its PowerMILL CAM system for high-speed and five-axis manufacturing. Several improvements have been made to the Vortex high-efficiency area clearance strategy, collision checking and efficient raster finishing.
Enhancements in the PowerMILL 2015 will mean greater reductions in machining time in comparison to conventional roughing and the Vortex area clearance strategy will produce safe deep cut, tool paths with a controlled engagement angle to maintain optimum cutting conditions. This means that cutting times are shortened by a drastic 70%, as higher feed rates and material removal rates are possible.
Prior to the latest enhancements, all entry moves into the stock had to be made by plunging into the surface or ramping in to the material whereas now tool paths can be approached from outside the stock at the cutting height.
Problems in previous versions of PowerMILL have been addressed, including the removal of unnecessary lifts that were added to the area clearance tool paths when the cutter moved outside the stock. Now the number of lifts has been reduced to make area clearance much more efficient.
Companies using four or five-axis machines with tilting tables will benefit from corrections to previous unwanted slowing down of the machine when tool paths would make unwanted changes.
There is also the added benefit of collision checking software improvements. Warnings can now be flagged for near misses and the user can specify a clearance value which will turn the machine tool yellow when the value comes close. The software is also able to automatically set the most appropriate angle for each region of the part.
Even the PowerMILL interface has received a slight makeover with improvements to the navigation when choosing a strategy and the ability to create folders defined by particular tools, materials and types. Additionally three new curve-creation options have been added to the curve editor to create tool path patterns including ellipse, spiral and helix.
Delcam is one of the world's leading suppliers of advanced CADCAM solutions for the manufacturing industry and is the largest developer of product design and manufacturing software in the UK. Delcam's range of design, manufacturing and inspection software provides complete, automated CADCAM solutions, to take complex-shaped products from concept to reality.
