CGTech CAM reduces programming time

CGTech's VERICUT 6.2 simplifies validating the most complex configurations to improve results and reduce programming time and shorten machining cycles.

CGTech said that its VERICUT 6.2 CAM improves the development, analysis, inspection and documentation of CNC programming and the machining process.

Managing director of CGTech, John Reed, said that VERICUR has a novel position, located between the writing of an NC program and deployment on the shop floor.

He added: "VERICUT software development is driven by the evolutionary changes in manufacturing technology: new CAD/CAM software features, new machines and tooling, new machining techniques and processes, and our customers' needs to implement and improve on these changes".

Reed explained: "VERICUT 6.2 includes several new innovations to simplify validating even the most complex configurations in order to produce better results and reduce the time spent in the programming and machining cycle".

* NC program review enhancements - 'NC Program Preview' offers an option to process an NC program in VERICUT without actually simulating material being removed.

CGTech told manufacturingtalk that this very speedy 'quick check' uses much less memory.

When in preview mode, VERICUT displays a tool trace of the NC program over the design model.

At the end of the preview VERICUT enters NC Program Review mode.

Preview checks for collisions, gouges, minimum excess and instances where axis limits are exceeded.

Several new utilities have been added to the NC Program Review window.

These include: a Calculator, and user-configurable text Coloring, syntax checking and block renumbering options.

* More tool set-up Wizards - for CNC turning/milling, a turret set-up wizard has been added, which compliments the milling tool set-up wizard introduced in VERICUT 6.0, Turret Setup easily loads, changes tools, or changes tool positions in a turret.

Users can also easily produce a swept model of a turret.

An enhanced Tool Manager describes the shape, position, and orientation of a waterjet cutter or a tap in a tap tool assembly.

* Simulating tapping - VERICUT now supports simulation and analysis of tapping operations.

Tapped holes are visually differentiated from other drilled/bored/reamed holes.

VERICUT checks for correct feed rate and direction when using a tap tool, and also detects if the tap hole is pre-drilled too small.

* More powerful X-Caliper - X-Caliper measures thickness, volume, depth, gaps, distances, angles, hole diameters, corner radii, scallop heights, etc.

VERICUT 6.2 can now directly measure the depth of blind holes as well as the top and bottom radius of a countersink.

Picking a hole returns the center point.

X-Caliper can also be used to measure the distance between the tool and the stock, and shows the thread features of tapped hole (e g, pitch threads/inch (or pitch threads/mm), etc), as it does for turned threads.

Produce set-up plans with dimensions - Setup Plan window adds dimensions or notes to produce a drawing of a set-up layout or set-up plan.

The set-up plan is stored in the VERICUT session and can be output in a VERICUT report.

* AUTO-DIFF precision - AUTO-DIFF automatically detects differences between a CAD design model to a VERICUT simulated cut part.

The AUTO-DIFF Surface Range tables now include a value to represent surface cuts exactly matching (i e, with no deviation from) the design model.

A separate colour can be designated for these features.

The CATIA V5-to-VERICUT Interface (CATV5) has been updated to do the following.

* Enable selecting CATIA sub-programs.

* Retrieve cutting tool descriptions from CATIA Resources.

* Set the VERICUT working directory to the location specified in CATV5.

* Create no table entries, when desired.

The Siemens NX-to-VERICUT interface (formerly the Unigraphics-to-VERICUT interface) has been updated to do the following.

* Support merging the tools in the current NXV session with those in the set-up template.

* Remove Program Groups that a user does not want to export to VERICUT.

Removed program groups are still saved with the NX part.

Note that CGTech also offers interfaces to PTC, MasterCAM, EdgeCAM and GibbsCAM, and interfaces are also available from Delcam, for powerMill, and from Open Mind for HyperMill.

* CGTech at MACH 2008, NEC, Birmingham, UK, April 21-25, Hall 5, Stand 5644.

Back to top