Mastercam X4 Sneak Peek: Multi-Threading in Mastercam X4

Development work has been underway to take advantage of the newest computer hardware technology. Systems with multiple processors/cores are becoming common, and the trend toward using additional processors and cores will continue. CNC Software will roll out Mastercam support for multiple cores and processors starting with High Speed multi-surface Toolpaths (HST) and multiaxis toolpaths during the X4 product life cycle.

Mastercam X4 includes an option that allows a user to turn the multi-threading capability on or off. With multi-threading on, a toolpath will be processed in a multi-threaded mode if the toolpath type is supported. Toolpath types not supported by multi-threading will be processed as they would normally. The multi-threading manager directs the supported toolpaths to their own processor/core for processing or regeneration in separate threads as processors become available. During this processing, Mastercam is free to continue working on other tasks. The user has control over the number of processors to use and the priority of specific operations being processed. The user can also pause and cancel processing of any particular operation.

The new multi-threading capability delivers benefits in two ways. First, users can continue working in Mastercam as the multi-threading manager is processing. Without multi-threading, users have had to run multiple Mastercam sessions so that other work could continue while waiting for Mastercam to process a toolpath. By targeting the surface high speed and multiaxis toolpaths first, we are able to provide the greatest possible benefit. A second benefit provided by this technology is a dramatic decrease in toolpath processing time. Users can see the benefits themselves by trying the multithreading capability and viewing the time savings recorded in the Mastercam Event Log (running in the system tray during a Mastercam session).

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