Your Not Alone -
Mastercam is the most widely used CAM Software in the World
The most recent analysis of CAM software seats produced by CIMdata, Inc. shows that CNC Software’s Mastercam® is once again the world’s most widely-used CAM software for the 14th straight year. With almost 136,000 installed seats worldwide, Mastercam has more than twice the installed base of the closest competitor. CNC Software President Mark Summers says, “There is a lot of competition in the CAM market today, and we are pleased to be at the top. We have worked hard to develop the best CAD/CAM software we possibly can by constantly updating our software to reflect our customer’s needs.”
CNC Software is the leader in global installed seats among all CAM vendors. CIMdata Chairman Alan Christman notes, “As in prior years, Mastercam has proven itself to be the most widely-used CAM software in the world, based on total installed seats. When those installed seats are broken out, it also ranks #1 in both the industrial and educational markets.”
What's New For Mastercam
Mill Features In X3
New 2D High Speed Toolpaths
Mastercam X3 introduces new 2D High Speed Toolpaths for Level 1, Router, and higher, all optimized for high speed machining and hard milling.
Peel Mill efficiently machines open slots and channels using the full depth of the cutting tool. Proprietary microlifts raise the cutting tool a very small amount to avoid dragging the tool across the part floor on the back passes.
Core Mill automatically machines standing bosses and cores in one easy step that requires less CAD knowledge and model preparation from the programmer.
Area Mill produces smooth, clean motion when machining pockets. Controls for helical entries, tangent stepovers, and smoothing parameters let you fine tune the motion.
Rest Mill targets material that previous toolpaths left behind. Mastercam uses all previous toolpaths as the source for the rest mill toolpath, calculates the remaining material, and applies high speed motion between cuts.
Blend Mill morphs smoothly between two curves, generating motion previously unavailable in 2D toolpaths with fewer retracts and toolpath operations on difficult-to-machine features. Blend Mill also uses the tool's full depth and more of the flute length, resulting in less cycle time and even tool wear.
Energized 3D Toolpaths for Mill Level 3
Mastercam X3 improves multiaxis toolpath speed and introduces new High Speed Toolpath (HST) controls that make programming efficient.
Options for controlling climb or conventional cutting have been added to all constant-Z HST toolpaths, including Core Roughing, Area Clearance, Waterline, Rest Roughing, and Horizontal Area.
The Port5ax and Flow5ax toolpaths both include a new feature that allows an overlap/blend to be added at the beginning and end of a toolpath. This feature is very useful in creating better finishes where toolpaths may need to meet from opposite directions.
CIMCO Integration has improved the power of CIMCO Edit 5 with the addition of a new CNC code backplot and simulation module.
The backplotting module supports turning, 2D/3D milling, and 5-Axis milling.
Using a new CNC code translator with ISO code support for drilling cycles etc., and full Heidenhain support, you will get a more accurate visualization of your CNC programs than ever before.
The simulator is fully integrated into CIMCO Edit. Click on the any move and the editor jumps to the corresponding code, or have the current NC block highlighted on the plot. Any changes to the NC code are immediately updated on the backplot.
Full collision checking is supported, including rapid through the stock, cutting with the tool shoulder or tool holder collision with the part.
The simulation can either stop once a collision is detected, or use colors to mark areas with collisions.
*Customers on maintenance and supprt can upgrade the Cimco Edit OEM that comes with Mastercam as a default editor to have Backplot/simulation for $300 per Mastercam seat. Call SFA for more information 978-728-0009
When printing in Cimco Edit 5, you can print out a single column or you can print out up to 4 columns. This helps out in having longer programs printed on less paper giving you less to lose and less waste.
Below describes how to change your printing output so that you get the columns you want when printing.
NOTE: Cimco Edit 5 defaults the printing output to "2" columns.
When opening the "Other Settings" page, select the Print Columns drop down, this will give you the output you want for printing. See the screen shots below for an illustration of setting it to 3 columns or 1 column.
Mastercam X3 Transition - November 17th or 24th, 2008 @ SFA Sterling MA - Basic X introduction for Mill and Lathe. Helping you transition from V9 to X3 smoothly.
Upcoming Tech Days in November: November 12th @ SFA - Sterling, MA
