Unlocking Precision and Efficiency with Mastercam Deburr
In the world of manufacturing, precision and efficiency are paramount. Mastercam Deburr is an invaluable add-on that enhances the capabilities of Mastercam Mill, Mill 3D, Router, and Mill-Turn, offering significant benefits to customers. Let’s explore how this powerful tool can transform your machining processes. What is Mastercam Deburr? Mastercam Deburr is a specialized tool designed to automatically remove sharp edges and burrs from your parts. Burrs are unwanted materials that can form on the edges of machined parts, potentially affecting the part’s functionality and safety. This add-on simplifies the deburring process, ensuring your parts meet the highest quality standards. Key Benefits of Mastercam Deburr Enhanced Precision Mastercam Deburr ensures that all edges are smooth and free of burrs, which is crucial for parts that require high precision. This leads to better fitting parts and improved overall product quality. Time and Cost Efficiency Manual deburring can be time-consuming and labor-intensive. By automating this process, Mastercam Deburr significantly reduces the time and effort required, leading to cost savings and increased productivity. Consistency and Reliability Automated deburring provides consistent results, eliminating the variability that can occur with manual processes. This consistency ensures that every part meets the same high standards, reducing the risk of defects. Improved [...]
Revolutionizing 3D Printing: The Formlabs Form 4
In a recently published article by Time.com titled "The Best Inventions of 2024," Time.com discusses that while 3D printing is a game-changing technology, overall, it's pretty slow. That is all changed, however, with the Formlabs' Form 4 and now Form 4L. In their article they discuss how this desktop-sized 3D printer boasts print speeds up to five times faster than its predecessor. It uses powerful LED lights and a custom LCD to turn liquid resin into solid layers quickly. Projects that once took overnight can now be completed in hours, making it a viable replacement for traditional injection molding. This speed allows for multiple iterations in a day, enabling hardware developers to take more design risks and bring better products to market1. The Formlabs Form 4 is a game-changer in the world of 3D printing, offering unmatched speed and efficiency. With the ability to deliver parts in under two hours, it significantly outpaces previous models. This is made possible by its advanced LED and LCD technology, which rapidly cures resin layers, ensuring quick and precise prints. In terms of accuracy and reliability, the Form 4 excels. It maintains high dimensional accuracy and surface finish, which is crucial for creating detailed prototypes and end-use [...]
Major 3D Scanning Civil Engineering and Infrastructure Opportunities
Major 3D Scanning Civil Engineering and Infrastructure Opportunities Precision is crucial in civil engineering, but measuring and surveying can be time-consuming. 3D scanning has revolutionized this by providing accurate, data-rich models quickly, enhancing efficiency in various tasks. In this blog, we explore key areas where 3D scanning can improve precision, efficiency, or insight. Bridges and Tunnels Bridge Bearings: 3D scanning in different seasons shows structural movement, helping identify and replace faulty bearings. Bridge Strikes: Scanners determine if a truck exceeded height limits or if the bridge has settled. Bridge Repair: 3D scanning creates accurate CAD models for planning repairs, extending the lifespan of aging infrastructure. Roads and Highways Safety Inspection: Mobile 3D scanning must flag low barriers caused by resurfacing. Maintenance and Repair: It must identify road dips and create cross-sectional drawings for accurate material estimates. Industrial Facilities Chimney Inspection: 3D scanning must provide complete data on chimneys. Cooling Towers: It must monitor for cracks and safety issues. Furnaces: It must deliver precise data on furnaces without risking survey teams. General Infrastructure Safety Structures: 3D scanning must reverse engineer and remanufacture assets like fire escapes. Complex Assets: It must create accurate models for unique structures. RAAC Inspection: It must assess degradation in reinforced [...]
A-Axis Contour Turning in Mastercam Mill-Turn
A-Axis Contour Turning in Mastercam Mill-Turn Exploring the New A-axis Contour Turning Toolpath in Mastercam Mastercam continues to innovate with its latest addition: the A-axis Contour Turning toolpath. This new feature builds on the B-axis Contour toolpath introduced in Mastercam 2023, enhancing support for rotary contour turning operations. Key Features and Benefits The A-axis Contour Turning toolpath shares many similarities with its predecessor, the B-axis Contour toolpath, but with a significant difference: it utilizes Y-axis tools. This advancement allows for greater flexibility and precision in machining, particularly in reaching difficult-to-machine areas. By rotating the tool while in the cut, users can take full advantage of the latest Y-axis tool technology, ensuring more efficient and accurate machining processes. Enhanced Machining Capabilities The ability to rotate the tool during cutting operations is a game-changer. It opens up new possibilities for machining complex geometries and hard-to-reach areas, which were previously challenging with traditional methods. This feature not only improves the quality of the finished product but also reduces the time and effort required for machining. The introduction of the A-axis Contour Turning toolpath in Mastercam marks a significant step forward in rotary contour turning. By leveraging Y-axis tools, this new toolpath offers enhanced capabilities, making it [...]
Design X Go: Reverse Engineering for Mastercam Has Arrived
Design X Go: Reverse Engineering for Mastercam Has Arrived Join Cimquest or this educational webinar to explore how Design X Go can serve as both a 2D and 3D CAD system as well as a reverse engineering tool to create machinable CAD models from scan data (mesh or point cloud) and is the bridge from scan or point cloud data to fully machinable models in Mastercam. Recap of our Design X Go Webinar – Reverse Engineering for Mastercam Applications This week, we introduced the brand new Design X Go (DXGo) product in a 60 minute Webinar. So I decided to make this month’s Metrology Minute focused on this awesome new reverse engineering product and how it can add value to any Mastercam user. I wanted to take a moment here to thank Steve Weaber, from our awesome Mastercam support team, who assisted me by providing the Mastercam toolpath files used for the Webinar. We presented three scenarios where DXGo can greatly enhance the productivity of a Mastercam user. 3D Modeling without the presence of a mesh or point cloud – DXGo can function very much like the Part Modeler of any of the modern-day CAD products. We demonstrated the [...]
SLA 3D Printing – How Pixel Size Impacts Accuracy, Feature Size, Surface Finish
SLA 3D Printing - How Pixel Size Impacts Accuracy, Feature Size, Surface Finish In the realm of 3D printing, resolution is a frequently discussed but often misunderstood topic. With the rise of various 3D printing technologies and manufacturers, the conversation around resolution has become even more complex. One critical aspect of this discussion is pixel size, especially in the context of Stereolithography (SLA) and Masked Stereolithography (MSLA) 3D printers. Pixel Size and Its Importance Pixel size in 3D printing refers to the smallest feature that a printer can reproduce within a single layer. In MSLA 3D printers, which use an LCD screen to selectively mask light and cure liquid resin, the resolution is typically measured by the number of pixels across the screen’s long axis. The general assumption is that smaller pixels result in higher resolution and better print quality. However, the reality is more nuanced. Beyond Pixel Size: What Really Matters While pixel size is an important factor, it is not the sole determinant of print quality. Surface finish, dimensional accuracy, and minimum feature size are the tangible outcomes that most users care about. These characteristics are influenced by a combination of factors, including material properties, optical settings, and mechanical consistency. For [...]