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New Stand-Alone 2-, 3-Axis Toolpath Engine

Feb. 8, 2010
High-performance program generator for any CAM system, cuts cycle time and extends tool life.

Celeritive Technologies now offers its VoluMill toolpath generating program in a “universal” version it indicates can be used with any CAM system. VoluMill Universal is a “stand-alone, ultra high-performance toolpath engine” that computes high-speed toolpath. These programs, it adds, “are cutting cycle times by up to 80 percent while doubling and even quadrupling tool life in some cases.”

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VoluMill Universal generates two- and three-axis toolpaths (shown here) for any geometric configuration, including open shapes and islands, in any format from any CAD/CAM system.

Previous releases of VoluMill were available only as fully integrated versions for Mastercam, GibbsCAM and BobCAD-CAM programs.

VoluMill Universal has the full range of functions for generating two- and three-axis toolpaths, for any geometric configuration, including open shapes and islands. It will receive part design geometry from any CAD/CAM system in any neutral format — e.g., DXF, IGES and STEP. A dialog accepts the input parameters for the toolpath and generates a toolpath program in G-code (from integrated post processing) or CL data. “Viewing and manipulation functions are second nature to NC programmers, so ultra high-performance toolpaths can be generated within minutes of installing the software,” according to the developer.

Start your engines:

VoluMill Universal is a stand-alone version of the toolpath engine previously available only for speific CAM programs. However, it has the full range of functions and capabilities as prior releases, including:
  • 2-axis toolpath creation for roughing and rest milling.
  • Importing DXF, IGES and STEP files for geometry definitions.
  • Robust geometry chaining to easily designate part and material boundaries.
  • Ability to edit, regenerate, reorder, back, plot, post process, hide, unhide and delete toolpaths.
  • Performing multiple setups per operation and multiple toolpaths per setup.
  • Robust coordinate system creation and manipulation.
  • Panning and rotating via icons or mouse buttons.
  • Ability to zoom to window, zoom to fit or dynamic zoom with scroll wheel, with the zoom origin determined by the cursor location.
  • Icons and Alt-keys to access the six standard orthographic-projection viewers plus an isometric view.
  • Unlimited undo and redo.
  • Output G-code, CL and Mastercam NCI data.
  • 3-axis toolpaths for rough milling and rest milling freeform shapes.
  • Importing STL files for part and/or stock definitions.
  • Easily creating cylindrical or rectangular stock.
  • Setting color and transparency on STL meshes.
  • Multi-threaded for faster calculations where multiple processors are available.