The release of BobCAM for SOLIDWORKS V6 brings with it, the most powerful, versatile Lathe module in the history of the BobCAM software family. The Development team at BobCAD-CAM has rebuilt the Lathe portion of the software to deliver unparalleled control and power to our customers.
We build our software based on customer requests, and this release is no different. BobCAM for SOLIDWORKS V6 brings functions that provide improved speed, intelligence, and organization to the easy to use flow that our customers know and love. With key improvements to CAM and Simulation, BobCAM for SOLIDWORKS V6 helps take the headaches out of everyday work and will have you cutting more parts faster and more efficiently than ever before.
In order to stay current with technology and give our customers the best possible experience, BobCAM for SOLIDWORKS V6 is a 64 bit only application.
Users now have the ability to handle the licensing of their software without ever having to make a phone call, whether they have internet or not. With new email activation, the user can simply…
A license response will be sent back to the user. This new control allows all license management to be handled by the end user directly and at any time, even outside of BobCAD-CAM office hours.
Introduced by popular demand, we now offer Network Licensing! In many cases, programmers move from station to station and need to be able to have their licensed software available at any one of those stations. In the past, that would require purchasing a licensed copy of the software for each station they may have to work from. With Network Licensing, those licenses are stored on the server and available on any station connected to it. Now, no matter how many stations are available, licenses only need to be purchased based on the number of stations that may be active at one time.
BobCAM now offers a way to track tool movements for a single operation without the need to launch the simulation. By right-clicking on an operation and selecting the Backplot options, users can now see the tool movement , current tool location, orientation, feedrate, start point, and start direction for a single operation directly in the CAD Window.
There are times when, for whatever reason, something about the feature geometry changes. Maybe one or two features on the CAD model have been modified or, even worse, maybe the machine zero has changed and now every single feature in the CAM Tree needs to have the geometry reassociated. To cure headaches like these, the Update All Geometries option has been added to the Job Tree. By selecting the Update All Geometries option, you can easily update or reassociate all modified geometries associated with the CAM Tree in one easy step.
Complicated parts can cause a complicated CAM Tree. Being able to name features only gets you so far as the number of overall features and machine setups grow. In order to bring some improved organizational control to your CAM Tree, Groups can now be added to the machine setup. Adding a group creates a folder inside of your CAM Tree. Drag and drop features into the folder to save space in the CAM Tree and have the control to set Add Toolpath Pattern, Post All Yes/No and Blank/Unblank Toolpath options on all features inside of the folder at one time.
The BobCAM for SOLIDWORKS V6 release now offers a visual of the CAD model on the setup sheet to allow you to provide even more information about the part and machine zero to the machinist.
Machinists know, you're only making money when cuts are being made. As such, it is ideal to keep machine moves that aren't cutting to a bare minimum. In the new BobCAM for SOLIDWORKS V6 we now offer a Minimize Tool Retracts option that does just that! When multiple depths are used on the Profile Rough and Finish, and Corner Rounding operations, this feature will help to eliminate moves back up to the rapid plane and then back down again before the next pass is made. This feature also gives you the power to choose whether to link the passes with a rapid or feed move!
Points is a new toolpath pattern option to assist in copying toolpath and entire setups whose copies need to have varying distances between them. In the past, there was no way to create a toolpath pattern that did not fit nicely in an array, translation, or rotation. There are many case when a feature, or many features need to have copies that have varying X, Y, Z distances. With the new toolpath pattern option, those variations can be entered in the software as coordinates, or as points selected from the graphics area. Once all coordinates, or points have been selected, BobCAM will make copies of the toolpath at those locations.
BobCAM now offers new and improved sequencing options in order to offer lower cycle times. When using Standard Drilling operations, you will find new, highly effective ways to maximize the efficiency of the sequence. We now offer X and Y Direction sequences, and even a Custom Direction option you can define yourself. All of these options can be set to a Zig or Zig Zag style sequence, and we even go a step further in offering a ‘Reverse Each Operation’ option to save even more moves. With Reverse Each Operation, drilling features that contain multiple operations, can have subsequent operations track back along the path of the first operation to keep the tool from having to move all the way back to the beginning to start the path again. No matter what type of Drilling or Tapping type you choose you’ll always be able to manually pick the geometry in the order you want it to be machined or you can let us do the work for you and use "closest" to have BobCAM find the next closest hole.
A popular request from customers has been the ability to machine tapered (pipe) threads. BobCAM now offers Tapered Thread support and many other options to make machining threads easier than ever!
When machining threads, many situations call for taking several incremental steps into the final size of the thread. With BobCAM’s V6 release, this method, called side roughing, is now supported for threading operations.
Machinists always like to have control over the program while they're at the machine. When the need is seen, being able to make an adjustment at the machine is incredibly helpful. In order to give customers as much control as possible, Machine Compensation has been added to the patterns page for threading operations to give users that control.
Single Point threading tool and multiple tooth Thread Mill are now supported as separate tool types. The tool definitions have also been enhanced to allow for a more accurate simulation, and the definition of multiple different thread types.
Having the cleanest cuts possible is something everyone strives for. In order to create an offset style toolpath without the linking motions that show up on the final part, the 2 Axis Pocket now offers a Spiral pattern for circular Pockets. This offers the user the cleanest offset style for operations on circular pockets.
When the machine can accept them, outputting helixes in the g-code can save hundreds of lines of code. BobCAD-CAM will now output helixes in the posted code for all your spiral cuts. In order to assist with those whose machines cannot accept a helix, we have added Post Block: "553. Break helical arcs into lines? Y/N" which utilizes the arc break tolerance on block 320.
Every job has to be roughed out, and it is hard to beat the Adaptive Roughing pattern for the Advanced Pocket toolpath for a quicker, more efficient toolpath. However, the larger the job and the tighter the tolerance, the longer the job will take to compute. Now, we have made a great toolpath method even better, by improving the calculation speed and giving you smoother lead in motions. The calculation speed improvement has been tested and ranges from an amazing 20% to 90%!
In many cases large areas inside a pocket have already been cleared by a previous operation. Forcing the software to start the cuts in the void while not trying to cut air can save a lot of time. To help with these scenarios, internal hole boundaries are now supported for Advanced Pockets by using dashed entities.
Machining is all about having the control you need to get the required results. Having the control to handle certain surfaces or areas differently in one operation is a hugely helpful when programming the final product. To help with this, Gouge Checks are now available for all the Mill Pro toolpaths. You can set various clearance options for the different components of the tool, select which surfaces you would like to check, and choose either Retract Tool, or one of the six other strategies to use in case of a gouge detection. This option can be used to handle gouges of course, but can also be used to give you even more control over how particular surfaces are handled. You can choose surfaces to give additional allowance to, or even avoid particular surfaces completely.
Finishing is a huge part of machining. Everyone strives for the cleanest finish possible and the less time that has to be spent machining that perfect finish, the better. Since bigger tools get rid of more material, those are usually used first and then smaller and smaller for the finer and finer details. Being able to have each tool finish only what is needed is essential in creating the shortest program possible. Now, new Rest Finishing options have been added to the Advanced Planar, Advanced Z Level Finish, Equidistant, and Project Curves toolpaths.
BobCAD now offers two great solutions for handling your rest finishing needs:
Utilizing the Previous Tool Information – This solution is excellent when using a similar type of toolpath and utilizing a smaller tool to clean up areas the previous larger tool could not fit. This calculation has been enhanced by utilizing a new 3D trimming boundary to give an even more accurate calculation than previous versions of BobCAM.
NEW – STL Stock Model – With so many factors in what type of machining happened prior to finishing, the most accurate calculation is to utilize the stock model in its current state before figuring out the most optimal places to cut. The new Stock Model option allows users to import the cut stock model from simulation, giving the most accurate rest finishing calculation possible, completely eliminating cutting areas that have already been cut to finish size
The Angle Range option has been an amazing way to further the amount of control the user has on exactly where cuts need to be made. Simply set a range of angles to either avoid, or to focus on and the software does the rest. Now the Mill 3 Axis Pro toolpaths that utilize the Angle Range have an even higher level of accuracy with the new and improved algorithm driving the Angle Range calculations. See images below to see the improvement on the Angle Range. In this case the cuts have been focused on surfaces in the 0° to 30° range.
Every job has to be roughed out, and it is hard to beat the Advanced Roughing toolpath for a quicker, more efficient toolpath. However, the larger the job and the tighter the tolerance, the longer the job will take to compute. Now, we have made a great toolpath method even better, by improving the calculation speed and giving you smoother lead in motions. The calculation speed improvement has been tested and ranges from an amazing 20% to 90%!
In order to give users as much control as possible, the Advanced Rough now gives the option to turn Profile After on and off when the Parallel pattern is in use. Profile After creates an additional profile pass at the end of each depth. BobCAM also provides a spacing option to control how close the initial passes are to the profile.
BobCAM has added Detect stock thicker than to the Advanced Rough toolpath. This option allows you to focus the toolpath on stock consisting of a particular range of thickness. Setting a value here will force the toolpath to ignore any stock whose thickness does not meet this value. This is another tool to give you as much power as possible without the need to create new geometry to use as a boundary.
The Advanced Rough toolpath has always been a powerful tool, but customers loved the boundary options on the Mill Pro finishing passes so much, we have added them to the Advanced Rough as well. You can set the tool to keep to the center, stay inside, stay outside or even offset its spacing from the boundary without ever needing to create additional geometry.
Using the Flatlands is an incredibly easy way to face off all the flat areas of the part, without having to worry about setting depth. No matter how many different depths the flat areas exist on, just choose the Flatlands to finish them all. However, in the past, there has only been one pattern option. Now, we have added to the Offset style pattern with a Parallel, and even an Adaptive Roughing style pattern. Adaptive Roughing even provides an optimized adaptive toolpath which will approach from the air to reduce the overall machining time.
The Radius value for Round Corners in the Advanced Planar toolpath has been replaced with Maximum Deviation.
The Advanced Planar toolpath now has a Step Down option available. This will give you the ability to use multiple passes.
By default, the Spiral pattern on the Advanced Z-Level toolpath does one full pass , or "Full Contour", at the same depth before beginning the spiral, and another at the end of the spiral. We received requests from customers to have control over these full contours, so we created additional options. You can now choose to exclude the first, last or both closed contours from the spiral.
With the release of BobCAM for SOLIDWORKS V6, comes a new module for our 3 Axis customers: 3 Axis Premium! The new 3 Axis Premium gives users 8 additional surfaced based toolpaths: Parallel Cuts, Cuts Along Curve, Morph Between 2 Curves, Parallel to Multiple Curves, Project Curves, Morph Between 2 Surfaces, Parallel to Surface, and Flowline. Flowline and blended toolpaths, along with the ability to do undercutting, are just the start. Users that require the best possible surface finishes and demand an unsurpassed amount of control will find this module to be a must have! The new 3 Axis Premium toolpaths will give you the tools you need to stay one step ahead of the competition!
BobCAM now offers new and improved sequencing options in order to offer lower cycle times. When using Cross, or Multiaxis Drilling operations, you will find new, highly effective ways to maximize the efficiency of the sequence. For our Crossing Drilling, we now offer Along, and Around Rotation Axis sequences, and even a Custom Direction option you can define yourself. All of these options can be set to a Zig or Zig Zag style sequence, and we even go a step further in offering a ‘Reverse Each Operation’ option to save even more moves. With Reverse Each Operation, drilling features that contain multiple operations, can have subsequent operations track back along the path of the first operation to keep the tool from having to move all the way back to the beginning to start the path again. No matter what type of Drilling or Tapping type you choose you’ll always be able to manually pick the geometry in the order you want it to be machined or you can let us do the work for you and use "closest" to have BobCAM find the next closest hole.
Another way we have managed to save you from the need to create additional geometry is with the Extend Edge Curve that has been added in the Surface Quality section of Morph Between 2 Curves, and Parallel to Multiple Curves. This option forces the software to extend the edge curve in the background so the toolpath does not wrap around the open ends of a curve when the surface continues beyond the ends of the curve.
A new option has been added to the Morph Between 2 Curves and Parallel to Multiple Curves toolpaths to assist with surface quality. In the Advanced dialog of the Surface Quality section there is now a Stepover Calculation option that allows you to select from an Approximate or Exact calculation method.
When using multiaxis toolpaths a good method, in many cases, is to keep the tool normal to the surface at all times. There are many times, though, that using this method will cause a lot more movement than we would want. With Common Direction, the aim is to find a single tool axis orientation on the full toolpath or a single contour that works well on all areas of the selected surfaces. With the Common Direction, the tool axis is set to a normalized, single direction for all toolpath points and the option is available for all tilting strategies.
All surfaced based Multiaxis toolpaths now put the control over toolpath point distribution in your hands. You can enter a Maximum Distance and/or a Minimum Distance with a Deviation Factor. This allows you to have unprecedented control over the tolerance of the final part.
In many cases, the tilt of the tool is based on the surfaces being cut. Drastic changes in the surface can cause the axis of the tool to shift significantly over a short distance. This shift is most noticeable when the surface normal in fillets changes from 90 to 0. Maintain Tilt has been added to the Tool Axis Control tab to resolve these issues. This option can be used when the Tilted with Fixed Angle to Axis option is selected.
BobCAM is very proud to introduce the newly enhanced Lathe module within the V6 suite of products. With enhancements to the Feature types, new toolpath additions to every single operation, this is by far the most powerful lathe system ever offered by BobCAD-CAM.
The Feature definition for all lathe features has been completely reimagined to deliver a more easily understood and flexible system.
When working with complicated parts, it can sometimes be difficult to find the overall outline of the part to machine on a lathe. With the introduction of the Spun Profile, this is now done automatically for the customer. Simply select the model and BobCAM will pull the overall outline of the part to use as the feature geometry.
Cutting air is always something to avoid in machining. In the past, there were ways to work around the issue. But, when we offered our customers the ability to assign operational stock to milling operations to focus cuts on the stock itself, our users were elated! Now, BobCAM offers the same functionality in lathe, and even goes a step further by tracking the effects of each operation without the need to save the stock as an .stl, to then assign to particular operations. In this release, each operation automatically updates the operation stock of the following feature! This new functionality, used hand-in-hand with our Trim to Stock feature helps eliminate pesky air cuts.
In the past, a features toolpath was all the same height, unless it was an offset of the selected geometry. Offsetting toolpath was the best way to handle cast stock, but in that, and certain other situations, you could still be left with small areas of toolpath cutting air. Now in BobCAM for SOLIDWORKS V6, we offer a way to trim away unwanted portions of toolpath with the Trim to Stock option. With the simple selection of a check box, BobCAM will now be able to trim away all air cuts and focus only on stock.
Another new addition to the lathe system is a complete rework of the lathe tools, including ISO standard insert definition, as well as easily created tool holders without the need to create geometry!
Once a feature has been selected, choose the Feature Type and a Region.
The constraints give the user the ability to define the area in which the toolpath will be generated without the need to trim and extend geometry.
From Stock- Sets the Top of Feature to the highest point of the stock diameter.
From Feature- Sets the Top of Feature to the highest point of the selected feature geometry.
Custom- Sets the Top of Feature from the highest point of the selected feature geometry to the value entered. This allows you to pick a point as well.
Extensions allow you to extend and trim the virtual feature geometry without the need to adjust the actual CAD geometry. Choose the Start / End option, and then enter the values to trim and extend those virtual geometries along the chain. You can even create them at an angle, and this can all be done without the need to touch a CAD tool.
For years, BobCAM has trained users on how to add geometry to CAD model to act as a bridge over areas of the geometry. With this method, you could keep the tool away from particular areas of the model you did not want to be cut with a particular operation. The new Undercut options offer a way to do this by simply selecting a check box in the Lathe Wizard. Pick an entire chain for the feature geometry and select what should be left out without the need to touch a CAD tool. Select Remove Primary Undercut, Remove Secondary Undercut, or both to have full control over what the operation completes.
The Lathe module now provides you with a Rapid Plane option to allow users control over where the rapid motion to the feature ends.
BobCAM has added a new feature called the End Face Feature. The purpose of the End Face Feature is to have a lathe feature that makes facing off the part quick and easy without having to draw in any additional geometry.
The Lathe module now has a separate Groove Feature to choose from. This feature, gives users the ability to choose multiple grooves at one time, and even rotate the feature for grooves on an angle.
Rotations of grooving features can be accomplished by entering an angle or picking geometry to align the walls or the floor of the feature with.
Each operation has had several toolpath enhancements made to give you all the control you would ever possibly need in a lathe toolpath.
The roughing operation used for both turning and facing has seen several enhancements and further control offered.
BobCAD-CAM customers have been requesting an Offset style pattern to assist with cast, or custom stock and general efficiency. BobCAM for SOLIDWORKS V6 now offers this pattern option for use with the lathe roughing.
Once a pattern is chosen, you can now choose from a Standard or Zig Zag style cut to get exactly what you are looking for.
Once the tool is engaged in a pass, it is usually preferable to continue up the geometry in order to eliminate steps in the roughing pass. Now, you can set not only the lead out options, but also what happens prior to the lead out of each pass. You can set each pass to track back to the distance of the previous pass, set each pass to do nothing before the lead out, or even set a custom distance to track back to.
Users now can add an additional pass to the groove roughing to clear any steps and leave a consistent amount of material for finishing.
The pattern repeat operation used for both turning and facing has seen several enhancements and further control offered.
BobCAM now offers Pattern and Sorting options for the Pattern Repeat operation. Choose between the Standard or Offset Pattern and set either a Standard or Zig Zag style sorting option.
Once a pattern is chosen, you can now choose from a Standard or Zig Zag style cut to get exactly what you are looking for.
The pattern repeat operation used for both turning and facing has seen several enhancements and further control offered.
When finishing a lathe part, many variables go into the decision of how exactly the part should be finished. Between the allowance that has been left, the tool being used and the shape of the part, a basic continuous pass on the part may not be ideal. In previous versions, breaking up a finishing pass into separate directions would require separate features. With the pattern options now available in the turn finishing pass, BobCAM now offers a way to Alternate between face and turn methods all in one operation. When you choose the Alternate method over the standard Continuous method, you have the option to Face Vertical Only, Turn Diameter Only, handle both scenarios at once, and even decide whether to include or exclude angled walls with a simple check box.
The rough grooving operation used for both turning and facing has seen several enhancements and further control offered.
Grooves now offers combinations of patterns and sorting options so that a user can accomplish features exactly as they wish. Standard, Single Pass, and Zig Zag are all pattern options available to the user.
If a Standard pattern is chosen, you can choose the order of the cuts to get exactly what you are looking for.
When a Single pass is chosen you will be able to choose how to line the tool up with the constraint of the selected geometry.
Users now can add an additional pass to the groove roughing to clear any steps and leave a consistent amount of material for finishing.
Grooves can now be broken into multiple depths by the user. We offer control over whether to use multiple depths, and even how to organize those depths. This additional option allows for use in combination with pecking, so material can be removed a layer at a time.
In some cases the selected geometry causes the toolpath to be broken separate areas along a number of passes. With the Processing area, you will be able to decide how the tool will move between the separated areas of toolpath.
The Groove Finish operation used for both turning and facing has seen several enhancements and further control offered.
Grooving tools are always more effective when the force is applied straight down into the material. The Groove Finish operation now offers an option to force that down cutting motion, and even has that set as the default method. On top of that, you can even apply a custom overlap amount so the final pass will overlap the first. This creates a much cleaner finish, the user and the final customer will both appreciate.
How the tool moves from one piece of geometry to another can make a big difference over the result of the final part. In some cases users want to round the tool over corners to help de-bur the part. In other cases parts require precise, sharp corners. BobCAD-CAM now offers a Sharp Corner option for the toolpath creation and compensation calculation to give users the best of both worlds.
Approach options have now been added to the Rapids page. Now, along with the rapid exit options, you will be able to control the approach options in order to control every aspect of the Lathe job.
With the new Lathe module, come tons of new lead options to go along with the custom lead that was already available.
To make switching views in the simulation easier, the Smart View option has been added. The Smart View feature can be utilized with the Rotation Cube. While on, the Rotation Cube will allow you to click on a face of the cube to shift to the Top, Bottom, Right, Left, Front, and Back views. Clicking on the corners of the Rotation Cube will allow you to quickly shift into the various isometric views.
When simulating stock removal, the graphic quality is always turned down while the simulation is running. This helps in facilitating a smooth running simulation. Once the simulation has stopped there has been an option to refine the graphic quality to show a more accurate representation of the result. This refine now happens automatically when the simulation is stopped without the need to do so manually.
The Measure Distance function now has the ability to measure distances between machine components as well as between distances on the stock itself.
For quite some time now, users have been able to save an entire simulation as an .exe file. This has allowed users to export the simulation and all the controls in the simulation to share with decision makers to green light a project, or perhaps, to gain the business of a potential client. However, providing this much power, control, and data to others can, in some cases, be counterproductive. Now we offer the ability to simply capture a video of the graphics window, allowing you to keep things simple when needed.
Additional options have been added to the Program Based Stop Conditions. Along with the options to Stop on Tool Change and Stop on Operation Change, the On Block option has been added to allow for further stop control. The On Block gives users the option to force the simulation to stop at the particular move block defined by user. The Stop Before Occurrence option gives users the option to force the simulation to stop before the specified type of occurrence.
Users will now have the option to set all axis values to the initial starting points of the program.
The current shortcut key has been added to the information displayed in tool tip when hovering over a button in simulation.