Commentary: May 2005

By Bruce Wiener, TekSoft CAD/CAM Systems

The Integrated CAD/CAM Solution 

 

You do not have to settle for stand-alone CAM software and struggle with incompatibility issues. MCAD and CAM vendors have partnered to produce integrated CAD/CAM options, and their combined expertise results in a best-in-class solution that can reduce manufacturers’ production costs and decrease time to market.

Popular MCAD vendors, such as SolidWorks, UGS/Solid Edge, and Autodesk, have integrated third-party CAM products. These solid modeling companies have encouraged third-party vendors to provide quality, cost-effective integrated software to maximize the benefits of mainstream solid modeling. For software to be certified as fully integrated, it undergoes rigorous testing to ensure compatibility and quality. After certification, the software must maintain compatibility with each MCAD software release to keep up with new functionality.

Fully integrated CAD/CAM has one interface for engineering design and manufacturing. CAM vendors whose products are certified as fully integrated have access to the MCAD’s API (application programming interface). Through the API, CAM developers can use the same solid modeling environment and seamlessly activate the complex CAM functionality within the solid modeler.

Bruce Wiener, TekSoft CAD/CAM Systems

While some CAM companies claim they are integrated, the extent of integration may only mean reading native files into their stand-alone system, which, in turn, may have only limited solid modeling capabilities. This can result in the loss of data useful for manufacturing. In addition, the MCAD data and CAM data must be saved in separate files. Fully integrated CAM requires no translation of model information, and all model data can be used to determine the best machining processes. When working with file formats from other MCAD software, the data can be imported into the solid modeler and any necessary repair work can be done before generating the machining data. Plus, both MCAD and CAM data is saved in the same file.

Inevitably, design changes that could affect production deadlines take place, making good associativity between the CAM data and the solid model critical. When design changes occur, fully integrated CAM programs have the capability to provide a higher level of associativity and can either update machining data automatically or notify users that additional changes are necessary. A stand-alone CAM program, on the other hand, may provide limited associativity or may require starting over when importing the model after changes, thereby increasing the likelihood of delays and mistakes.

Combined CAD/CAM software offered by some companies is another option that has been available for many years and is declining in popularity. This type of system often provides only basic MCAD tools. Because of the complexity of CAM development, limited resources will be available for MCAD enhancements, and functionality can lag behind the top solid modelers. File translators may not be as accurate and up-to-date as those in the stand-alone solid modelers and more repair work may be necessary. A final factor in the loss of popularity is the lack of add-on software to complement the manufacturing process. Third-party products, such as PDM (product data management) software, that are integrated into the popular solid modelers provide state-of-the-art products.

Fully integrated CAD/CAM solutions offered by the top solid modelers and their CAM partners are gaining widespread acceptance from job shops to large manufacturing companies. The cost of purchasing the software is not generally a problem since some CAM vendors are able to offer their customers a version of the solid modeler at an OEM discount. This best-in-class software with interoperability, associativity, and data integration is hard to ignore—especially when this combination of a solid modeling system to design better products faster and more accurately plus a seamlessly integrated, innovative, CAM system for CNC machining, can significantly speed time to market.

Bruce Wiener is the CAMWorks Product Manager for TekSoft CAD/CAM Systems of Scottsdale, AZ (teksoft.com). Send Bruce your comments about this commentary through e-mail c/o de-feedback.com.