MecSoft’s RhinoCAM 2.0 Handles 3D CAD/CAM Projects

By Margaret S. Gurney

2-1/2 Axis Pocketing using flat area features in RhinoCAM 2.0

MecSoft Corp. (Irvine, CA)  released RhinoCAM 2.0, the newest version of its suite of plug-in manufacturing technology solutions for Rhinoceros 4.0 from Robert McNeel & Associates. The RhinoCAM 2.0 suite, which offers full data associativity and seamless user interface integration with Rhino, comprises three modules: RhinoCAM Standard (STD), RhinoCAM 2.0 - 4th Axis Module, and RhinoCAM Professional (Pro) 2.0.

MecSoft says that “RhinoCAM 2.0 introduces new features found only in systems costing 3 times as much,” which, in turn, makes the RhinoCAM 2.0 and Rhino 4.0 combination “the most powerful and easy-to-use CAD/CAM system” costing less than $5000.

Three Modules
The RhinoCAM STD 2.0 plug-in provides general-purpose machining capabilities and includes 2-1/2-axis, 3-axis, and hole-making operations. Plus,  RhinoCAM STD comes with hundreds of postprocessors and a postprocessor generator for creating user-definable postprocessors.

RhinoCAM 2.0 - 4th Axis Module is an add-on module for RhinoCAM STD that allows for 4th axis indexed and continuous roughing and finishing operations. It offers curve-based continuous machining, including 4-axis facing, pocketing, profiling and engraving, as well as surface/solids/meshes based machining such as roughing, finishing, and curve projection machining.

MecSoft describes RhinoCAM Pro 2.0 as suitable for mold, die and tooling; woodworking; rapid prototyping; and general machining operations. RhinoCAM Pro 2.0, says the company,  provides powerful toolpath generation strategies coupled with tools for efficiently controlling the cutting tool for detailed machining capabilities, without sacrificing ease of use. The company adds that RhinoCAM Pro 2.0 has all the basic functionality as well as additional features suitable for demanding users with sophisticated manufacturing requirements.

Finish machining of a Guitar component in RhinoCAM 2.0

Pocket machining of a Guitar component in RhinoCAM 2.0

Use the Same Interface
“RhinoCAM 2.0 is a fully integrated best of breed CAD/CAM solution that offers full data associativity with seamless user interface integration,” says MecSoft’s President Joe Anand. “The associativity between design and manufacturing data allows users to react to design changes instantly, reliably, and most of all without the need for data translation.”

Plus, Anand adds, “RhinoCAM’s user interface is seamlessly integrated into Rhino allowing the user to create manufacturing operations without the need to learn a completely new user interface. All of this translates to significant productivity improvements and cost savings for the user.”

“We believe strongly that RhinoCAM 2.0 is simply the best CAD/CAM product in its class. Download a demo from our website today and we have no doubt that you will be impressed,” Anand concludes.

RhinoCAM 2.0 User Interface with multiple viewports and transparent stock display

Transparent display of simulation model 0

What the Modules Do
In the 2 1/2 axis milling area, all three (RhinoCAM 2.0, 4th Axis Add-On module,  and RhinoCAM Pro) offer pocketing, profiling, engraving,  facing, v-carving, v-carve roughing, hole milling, thread milling, and chamfering capabilities. RhinoCAM Pro also offers re-machining.

In 3-axis milling,  the RhinoCAM 2.0 suite provides horizontal roughing, parallel finishing, horizontal finishing, spiral machining, and radial machining.

RhinoCAM Pro offers additional functionality such as plunge roughing, horizontal re-roughing, plunge re-roughing, projection pocketing, 3D offset profiling, 3D offset pocketing, pencil tracing, including flat mills,  valley re-machining, plateau machining, steep area parallel machining, steep area horizontal machining, curve machining, between 2 curves machining, reverse post machining, and horizontal hill machining.

Only the 4th Axis Add-On Module and RhinoCAM Pro offer 4th axis indexed milling, 4th axis auto multiple indexing, 4th axis continuous facing,  4th axis continuous pocketing, 4th axis continuous profiling, 4th axis continuous engraving, 4th axis continuous roughing, 4th axis continuous finishing, and 4th axis hole making.

For 5-axis milling,  RhinoCAM Pro offers 3+2 axis indexed milling and user-defined cutters. All three solutions support ball, flat, corner radius, and tapered tools. Only RhinoCAM Pro covers toolpath editing, instancing, transformations, and arc fitting.

In the Post-Processor Generator category, all three (RhinoCAM 2.0, 4th Axis Add-On module,  and RhinoCAM Pro) cover user-customizable postprocessors, user-defined cycles, helix output, spiral output, and simulate cycles.

And while all three cover HTML Based Shop Documentation, RhinoCAM Pro extends that by offering knowledge bases, fixture offset programming, check surface boundary creation, tool double contact boundary creation, and tool holder collision detection.

In Utilities, all three solutions provide direct numerical control (DNC) and G-code analysis verification tools.

Cut material simulation of a Parallel Finish Operation

RhinoCAM 2.0 User Interface with transparent stock display

RhinoCAM 2.0 Training & Tutorials
MecSoft says RhinoCAM is easy to learn and easy to use so that even beginning users can put it to work in a relatively short period of time. The company offers users various levels of training options, and each level is designed to accommodate a range of expertise levels and adapt to the budgets of users.

Training can begin with instructed, assisted online training on RhinoCAM that you can take right on your own Windows desktop. Instructors will walk you through the features and show various machining operations followed by a question and answer session. Instructions can be customized to the needs of the individuals.

The company offers is a full-day of training at its Irvine, CA, or Canadian facilities as well as a full day of training at your facility anywhere in the U.S. Self-help training is available on the company’s RhinoCAM 2.0 tutorials webpage. There you’ll find videos,  other training, materials, and a pdf version of the user’s manual.

Pricing
RhinoCAM 2.0 costs $999 (upgrade $349); the 4th Axis Add-On costs $999 (upgrade $449); and RhinoCAM Pro 2.0 is $3999 (upgrade $599).

For users wishing to upgrade from RhinoCAM 1.0 for Rhino 3.0 to the same level of RhinoCAM 2.0 for Rhino 4.0, please add $149 to the corresponding upgrade prices above. Note:  Rhinoceros is not included with any of the plug-in products quoted above.

To learn more about RhinoCAM 2.0, you can download an evaluation version from the MecSoft website (links below). From the same spot, you can read case studies, glance over testimonials, and view a gallery.

For details on RhinoCAM, contact MecSoft Corp. directly.

Read why DE’s editors chose this as a Pick of the Week.

The RhinoCAM 2.0 product is available for download — on the same page see links for case studies, testimonials, and a gallery.

Access RhinoCAM 2.0 Tutorials.

View MecSoft’s offerings in training for RhinoCAM.

See McNeel North America’s new features in Rhino 4 or download an evaluation version of Rhino 4.

Margaret S. Gurney is the editor for new products at Desktop Engineering magazine.