Mastercam

Mastercam 2018 for SOLIDWORKS delivers many new features to keep your shop running at peak performance. All of the Mastercam Mill and Lathe toolpath improvements are also included in Mastercam 2018 for SOLIDWORKS, as well as the following enhancements. In Mastercam 2018 for SOLIDWORKS, Face center points were introduced and were tied to Center points. Now, Face center points and Center points are independent of each other. You can use the Make Center Point option to create a single point in the middle of the Bounding Box and/or use the Make face center points option to create points at the center of each face. New Router Support Mastercam 2018 for SOLIDWORKS introduces support for Router, including Saw toolpaths, Block Drill toolpaths, and more. All specialized Router toolpaths are available through the menus once you activate a Router machine. Automatic Toolpathing (ATP) automates the process of assigning toolpaths to geometry for recurrent parts using a machining strategy. A machining strategy contains one or more level names that are associated or mapped to Mastercam operations. Create your operations library, read your part files, create your strategy, pick your cut list, and then begin cutting your toolpaths. Block Drill toolpaths take advantage of [...]

(Reprint from Cutting Tool Manufacturing magazine.) Those who track productivity and machining performance are likely familiar with the concept of price versus cost of use. Despite their familiarity, though, when they talk to a cutting tool vendor about price, their reaction often is “Yikes, that tool is expensive!” They react this way because they don’t understand how tool performance affects the true cost of machining a particular part. Many expensive cutting tools have been engineered for high efficiency. When programmed to follow optimal CAM toolpaths and matched to a machine tool’s capability, they may offer total-cost-and-performance results that are significantly better than lower-cost cutting tools. Unlike traditional, offset-based toolpaths, newer toolpath strategies and technology can help keep machining performance at an optimal level. All images courtesy of CNC Software. At our manufacturing lab, CNC Software Inc., Tolland, Conn., conducted tests comparing cutting tool prices and actual productivity costs. We wanted to discover if preconceived notions we hear about cutting tool costs were true. One notion is that productivity results for an expensive tool will be essentially the same as a cheaper tool. We selected four solid-carbide endmills, cutting a sample part made from a familiar yet challenging material. [...]

Mastercam Mill-Turn makes machining on today’s high-powered turning centers and full-function machining centers simpler and easier than ever before. These machines eliminate multiple setups, manual part handling, redundant fixturing, and reduce idle time—boosting production and maximizing fitability. Center Support and Tailstock Operations With the support for center tools, you can now create a Center Point toolpath, which is used when you need to mount a center tool in a turret and engage the tool for live center support. And, you can now create Tailstock Operations to quickly create a set of operations to load a center tool, move to stock clearance and, if applicable, advance the quill. The available tailstock options differ depending on the selected machine. You can also create a set of tailstock operations to retract the quill and tailstock, and unload the center tool. Mastercam now supports center tool definitions. Now, when creating a tailstock or Center Point toolpath, the center tool will display in the graphics window. General Enhancements: You can now chain geometry on multiple planes, similar to Lathe chaining. All features can be toolpathed on multiple sides in one operation. Edit common parameters is now available in Mill-Turn. If you import an operation, Mastercam will [...]

Would you like to help shape the next generation of Mastercam? The Public Beta for the upcoming Mastercam 2019 release is now open to all currently maintained Mastercam customers. You can download it by clicking the button at the bottom of this article. Please note that Cimquest does not provide technical support for the Beta version, but you can send your feedback directly to CNC Software (the makers of Mastercam) to let them know what you think! Just a few highlights to look for in Mastercam 2019 Beta: New 2D/3D Milling Features improve toolpath efficiency control. Automate 2D chamfering and multiaxis deburring operations. Accelerated Finishing™ is expanded with taper and lens-style tool support. Surface and Solid Modeling Improvements simplify CAD for CAM and deliver greater design and geometry editing tools for shop-floor programmers. Powerful Turning and Mill-Turn improve your productivity with new plunge/grooving strategies, additional PrimeTurning™ support, expanded 3D tool and holder support, plus bar feed and import/export operation improvements. Improved Validation with new, advanced toolpath display and analysis, plus improvements to machine simulation and support. Streamlined workflow and graphics with new sectional views, level and planes management. ...and many other productivity improvements across the entire product. Want to know [...]