CAM Software Release Offers New Features, Enhancements

GibbsCAM 2009 is now available, with positive initial feedback from customers who have already received the software. Features most applauded by early users of GibbsCAM 2009 generally fall into the categories of milling, turning, user interface and productivity, and interoperability.

Highlights of Milling Enhancements

Advanced 3D HSM (high speed machining) - These machining methods, specifically developed for multi-surface hard milling and high speed machining in SolidSurfacer, provide high quality surface finishes to reduce or eliminate polishing.

Contour - Developed for finishing and semi-finishing passes, this routine computes equal increments in Z, and generates toolpaths at the various levels, automatically providing clean transitions from one level to the next with smooth entries and exits.

Constant Step Over Cut - Through user-specified step distance, this routine generates 3D passes with constant separation along a part's surface, working from the outside in.

Highlights of Turning Enhancements

Extensive New Lathe Features - Developed to take advantage of the newer high-tech cutting tools, to turn harder materials and to machine smoother surfaces, these provide greater efficiency through increased tool control.

MTM Enhancements to Sync Manager - Flexibility from new additions to Sync Mgr and Op List and new Op Mgr associativity make multi-task machining easier and more efficient.

User Interface and Productivity Enhancements

Multi-CPU Support and Batch Processing - This allows users to continue working while they generate high-speed, or multi-surface machining and other large toolpaths in the background, without tying up the workstation.

Faster Simulation - Performance enhancements make toolpath simulation much faster.

Multiple View Ports, Panes and Popup Windows - These enable viewing tool and cutter motion from various perspectives, extremely useful for gouge detection and collision avoidance in multi-task machining and multi-axis verification.

Multiple (unlimited) Undo/Redo - Applicable to all user created geometry, solids, surfaces and operations, this added capability increases user productivity by eliminating iteration when returning to a previous condition is necessary.

Graphics Pre-Selection - Simple mouse roll-overs now select faces and edges, eliminating the need to click on items to select them.

Additions for Interoperability

Updated Certification - For flexibility and peace of mind, the software is now certified for Windows Vista and Solid Edge v20.

Multiple CAD System Support - Continuing the ease of using models and geometry from multiple systems, GibbsCAM support extends to Parasolid v19.1, SolidWorks 2008, ACIS v18.0, Autodesk Inventor 2009, CA TIA v5 r18, Granite 5.0, Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire v4.01, and UGS/NX5.