Delcam’s 2010 PowerMILL CAM release improves user productivity by extending the application of the latest background-processing and multi-threading technologies available in recent hardware. The combination of these two developments is estimated to reduce calculation times by up to 25%, allowing more efficient toolpath generation.
PowerMILL 2010 also includes more than 50 other major enhancements with the most obvious change for existing users being an update of all the toolpath-creation forms to a new and improved layout. The forms make it simpler for new users to find the commands they need, while also giving experienced operators more logical access to the more advanced options. In addition, there is new toolbar for faster and easier creation and editing of work planes.
A new series of strategies for roughing and finishing corners has been added, as well as enhancements for both rest roughing and offset roughing.
In a related development, more options have been added to the collision avoidance functionality to give more control over the direction chosen by the software to avoid the problem.
Constant-Z toolpaths have been enhanced to include the detection of flat areas and the automatic insertion of extra Z-levels to machine these exactly. In addition, a filter has been added to remove small enclosed segments from the toolpath as these can damage the cutter. The “Steep and Shallow” machining combination strategy uses these latest additions for the steep sections and a range of new options have been added for the shallow areas.
