Delcam’s New PowerMILL Offers Extra Five-Axis Options

By DE Editors

The 2014R2 release of Delcam’s  PowerMILL CAM software for high-speed and five-axis machining includes new options to machine parts and tooling with increased speed and accuracy, the company says. 

A series of improvements to Delcam’s unique Vortex high-efficiency area-clearance strategy is also included in the new release. Vortex provides fast, safe metal removal by allowing solid carbide tooling to cut with its full flute length.  At the same time, Vortex toolpaths use a controlled engagement angle between the cutter and the part, and provide a more consistent volume-removal rate and feedrate,  minimizing wear on the cutter.  The main enhancement in PowerMILL 2014 R2 improves the ordering of the Vortex toolpaths to minimize lifts and air moves.

Other important additions for five-axis machining include a new dialogue to track the position of the machine tool, and a new toolbar to simulate and adjust the configuration and tool axis of a 3+2 machine or any equipment with incremental rotary axes.

The new dialogue has a redesigned user interface giving improved presentation of data on the position of the machine tool, together with the limits set for each axis. It includes a slider to jog the machine components into position during the simulation and displays a warning if any axis limit is exceeded.

Another addition is a new plug-in for PowerMILL that provides a graph of the linear and rotary axes of the machine during the simulation. Analysis of this graph allows users to locate any potential problems,  such as sudden changes in direction or axis reversals that can adversely affect the surface finish.

A new method for creating composite curves has been added that is based on similar functionality within Delcam’s PowerSHAPE CAD software. This allows adjacent arcs, lines, curves and surface edges to be merged into one composite curve, and simplifies 2.5D programming and flowline machining.

Two new tool types have been added to the wide range supported by PowerMILL. Barrel tools, which are typically used for the manufacture of blades, are now supported. They allow a small cusp height to be achieved while using a relatively large stepover. The addition of dovetail tools allows easier machining of features such as undercuts and gears, which would otherwise require a series of more complex toolpaths with multiple tool changes.

Two areas for customization of PowerMILL have also been enhanced.   The dialogue boxes for creating custom toolbars have been redesigned to improve their creation and management. The maximum number of custom toolbars has been increased from four to thirty-two, and they can be exported in an XML file for use on other PCs.

A number of commands and functions have been added to allow files to be created and manipulated.  These allow files and directories to be copied or deleted, data to be extracted from lists using more succinct expressions, the names of active folders to be determined quickly, and any sequence of edits to be automated.

For more information, visit Delcam.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.