Editor’s Pick: GeoPath CAD/CAM for Everyday Parts

By Anthony J. Lockwood

Dear Desktop Engineering Reader:

Out of the mill of press releases one from SolutionWare popped up the other day. SolutionWare develops CAD/CAM software, and they’ve been at it for more than 35 years. They’re one of those quiet forces in this arena. Their flagship software system goes under the umbrella of GeoPath for Everyday Parts or just GeoPath. Version 5.1 just arrived in time for your consideration as you enter your new fiscal year.

For those of you still shaking off the fog of too much merriment, let me refresh you. GeoPath seems to be a fully integrated CAD/CAM system. It’s a modular set of applications that integrates the tools any machine shop deploys or needs: lathes, milling, EDM programing, for example. It has a solid verification module that renders a solid model of your part then runs a cutting process simulation, alerting you to errors as it goes along. It has Direct Mazatrol Output module that’s said to provide Mazatrol programmers a full array of CAD/CAM capabilities as well as the ability to output Mazatrol programs. And GeoPath has an auto-programming module called PowerCAM that will automatically program Mazatrol or G-code of your part directly from SolidWorks. So, the idea here is that GeoPath is intended to be a complete CAD/CAM toolbox for all your CNC machines.

Which brings us to version 5.1. It has this feature called Dynamic Tool Management. What this does is empower you to set the tool library for various materials as well as for materials with diverse speeds and feeds for your different CNC machines. That’s good. But here’s the neat thing: When you change the program to run on a new CNC machine, Dynamic Tool Management means that GeoPath will automatically read the tooling, feeds, and speeds then adjust them to the library for the different systems. If the tools do not match, it gives you the option to select a different tool.

GeoPath version 5.1 has also been enhanced with more ways to select geometry for parts, and with drill and hole processes that let you select multiple tools for multiple sized holes. You can read more about GeoPath 5.1 in today’s Pick of the Week write-up. There are a couple of short videos to check out while you and your skeleton crew mill about the shop this week.

Thanks,  Pal. — Lockwood

Anthony J. Lockwood
Editor at Large, Desktop Engineering

Read today’s pick of the week write-up.

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