Mastercam

Mastercam 2024 is full of new, useful tools that can make your day-to-day easier. Here are the top five you need to know. 1. Increase Productivity with B-Axis Contour Enhancements Three major enhancements have been added to the B-Axis Contour Turning operation: The ability to manually edit tool axis vectors, manually edit usable insert area, and adjust stock function. This allows for much more in-process control and understanding of the motion of the B-axis head [...]

Most CAD/CAM software—or computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing software—will come with various libraries as part of its base package. These digital collections of tools and data can be game-changers for most shops, but, unfortunately, libraries are one of the most underused tools within a CAD/CAM program. In this blog, we will explain the different types of libraries you can find in a CAD/CAM system and how best to use them. Tooling Libraries A tooling library [...]

Today we will explore the differences between Incremental and Absolute Depths in Mastercam’s Linking Parameters. There are 3 options available to define the depth of different features in the Linking Parameters page in a pocket toolpath. They are Absolute, Incremental, and Associative. In this post, we will only focus on Absolute and Incremental. Using the Absolute Depth settings allows you to define all depths referenced on the Linking Parameters page from the Z Zero of [...]

2023 marks the 40th anniversary of Mastercam CAD/CAM software! How did it all begin? In 1983, two brothers, Mark and Jack Summers, developed a new concept for programming CNC (Computer-Numerical-Control) machine tools. A third brother, Brian Summers, soon joined and together developed a PC-based CAD/CAM software package that laid the foundation for what is Mastercam, the world’s most widely used CAD/CAM software. Mark Summers, Advisor of Mastercam, says, “It started out as a simple idea. [...]

Mastercam 2024 has recently been released and offers dozens of features and enhancements to keep your shop running at its best. Mastercam held a public Beta program where users got to test out all the latest features and many of the new improvements were driven by this feedback. If you haven't already downloaded and tested the Beta, it's time to try out Mastercam 2024. Here are some of the highlights. Mill-Turn Additions and Enhancements. Users can [...]

Machine simulation creates a virtual representation of a CAM program that mirrors exactly what will happen on the CNC machine. Basically, it creates a model of the cutting process that you can follow in real-time. It shows the workpiece, tools, and fixtures as well as how they interact with each other, highlighting any points at which a mistake will be made. This blog will walk you through the three biggest benefits of using machine simulation [...]