Delcam will launch the latest version of its PowerMILL CAM software at MACH next month (NEC, May 15-19). PowerMILL 6.5 incorporates new and improved functionality for roughing and finishing with both three-axis and five-axis machines, including a wider range of five-axis strategies for both roughing and finishing, intelligent plunge milling, three-axis swarf machining and parametric surface finishing, together with faster calculation times and easier data management.
The range of five-axis roughing strategies has been increased to match the wide list of options previously available for finishing. It now includes machining to or from a point, orientation through a line or curve, and programming using a reference surface. Using five-axis roughing can significantly reduce the number of set-ups needed to machine many components. It can also be used to give a more efficient cutting angle that will allow more material to be removed with each pass.
Plunge milling removes bulk material by a series of plunging moves, similar to a network of drilling operations.
The technique should give faster clearance of deep pockets than conventional roughing strategies. However, it has seen limited application because of the potential damage to the spindle and the cutter resulting from the severe increases in load as the cutter enters and leaves the material.
Both these potential problems can be overcome with PowerMILL's new 'intelligent' programming methods. The software updates the stock model after each cutting operation so that each subsequent move is based on the remaining material on the job. This ensures that an even amount of material is under the cutter before each plunge and so keeps the load on the tool and spindle at safe levels.
New strategies for finish machining include parametric offset machining, three-axis swarf machining and interleaved constant Z. In parametric offset machining, the number of toolpaths used over a surface of varying width is kept constant. Instead of stopping and starting some paths, the step-over between the toolpaths is varied within preset limits. This approach gives a better finish by avoiding sudden changes of direction that can leave marks on the surface.