The CAM Overview
Introduction
This topic contains an introduction to all of the major areas of the CAM system and provides links to all of the machining topics in this help system.
Getting Started Machining
The CAM Tree is where all machining programs start in BobCAD-CAM. The CAM Tree is used to define system settings, including the system defaults and job settings. It is also used to create and edit machining jobs, tools, stock, and features.
Read Me First - CAM Quick Guide
Setting Defaults and Creating Jobs
CAM Defaults
The CAM defaults and new jobs are handled using the top folder in the
CAM Tree, 
CAM Defaults. This item is always available
in the CAM Tree. The CAM Defaults include the Current Settings, Cutting
Conditions, Tool Pattern, Tool Library, Thread Library, Stock Material
Library, Adapter Library, and Tool Holder Library. You start with the
CAM Defaults to define the system settings as you need them. This includes
machine creation and setup, tool data, operation defaults, and stock materials.
You can also use CAM Defaults to start a new machining job.
To create a new job or define system defaults for machining:
-
In the CAM Tree, right-click
CAM
Defaults. -
Select an item from the shortcut menu as explained in CAM Defaults.
CAM Jobs
All CAM Jobs start with the Machining Job dialog box. You select the Job Type and the machine for the job. You can then start the Stock Wizard, or the Lathe Stock Wizard to begin creating the program. Before you create a job, the CAM Tree only contains the CAM Defaults folder. When you create a CAM job, it is added to the CAM Tree with all the items that you need to start creating the program. The following section shows what items are added to the CAM Tree for each job type. Click the links in the following section to learn all about CAM Jobs.
Milling Job
The following items are added to the CAM Tree when you create a Milling job.
Milling Job >>
System Default
Machine
Post Processor
Milling Tools >>
Workpiece
Stock >>
Stock
Material
Machine Setup >>
Fixture
To learn about Milling Jobs, view The Milling Job.
Turning Job
The following items are added to the CAM Tree when you create a Turning job.
Turning
Job >>
System Default
Machine
Post Processor
Turning Tools >>
Workpiece
Stock >>
Stock
Material
Machine Setup >>
To learn about Turning Jobs, view The Turning Job.
Mill Turn Job
The following items are added to the CAM Tree when you create a Mill Turn job.
Mill Turn Job >>
System Default
Machine
Post Processor
Mill Turn Tools >>
Workpiece
Stock >>
Stock
Material
Machine Setup >>
Submachine
To learn about Mill Turn Jobs, view The Mill Turn Job.
Wire EDM Job
The following items are added to the CAM Tree when you create a Wire EDM job.
Wire EDM Job >>
System Default
Machine
Post Processor
Workpiece
Stock >>
Stock Material
Machine Setup >>
To learn about Wire EDM Jobs, view The Wire EDM Job.
The Default Parameter Templates
When a new CAM Job is created, select a Default Parameter Template from the list available in the Machining Job dialog. You can also change the template in the CAM Tree on a job that has already been created. With the proper template saved to the CAM Tree, every feature and operation which have had custom parameters saved to the template will automatically be loaded with those parameters as their default values. To find out more about the Default Parameter Templates, see The Default Parameter Templates topic.
Machines
The machine is an integral part of setting up the software to create machining programs. The machine controls various settings such as the post processor and posting parameters for the machine and what type of programming functionality is available for the current job, such as multiaxis output. The following topics contain everything you need to know about machines in BobCAM.
The Current Settings Dialog Box
Machine Selection in the CAM Tree
The Machine Setup Modification and Feature Creation
Creating Tools
The Tool Library contains the tool data for all Mill and Lathe tools in the system with a Drill category that is shared between the two. Creating your tools in the library can greatly speed up program creation. This makes it easy to add the tools that you need for a job to the Tool Crib, which aids in proper tool selection for feature operations in the CAM Wizards.
Creating Stock
Milling, Turning, and Mill Turn
The
Stock Wizard (Mill, Mill Turn
Stock Materials and Feeds and Speeds
Setting the stock material for your job defines the feeds and speeds that are used for automatic feedrate calculations in the CAM Wizards.
Stock Material Selection and Modification
The CAM Wizards
When you create a CAM feature, the CAM wizard displays to guide you through creating the machining feature. You select the geometry, set the parameters, define the machining strategy, which is the number and order of operations for the feature, and define the individual parameters for each operation. When you finish a machining wizard, the Feature is added to the CAM Tree.
Features in the CAM Tree
When you finish a wizard, the feature is added to the job in the CAM Tree. The Feature tree handles feature modification, feature creation, feature status, and operation status. This includes posting status, toolpath visibility, toolpath color, and naming. Editing of geometry selection, boundary selection, operation start points, and toolpath calculation is also accomplished using the Feature tree.
Milling Features in the CAM Tree
Turning Features in the CAM Tree
Wire EDM Features in the CAM Tree
CAM Tree Warnings
Certain icons can appear in your CAM Tree to inform you of the current state of the associated items. This section will explain those icons and how to handle them.
Feature 2 Axis >>
Geometry
Default Chain
Start Point
Pocket >>
Drill Tip Position
Profile
Rough >>
Chain Start Point
Profile
Finish >>
Chain Start Point
In the above example of a CAM Tree feature, we can tell quite a bit about the history of this feature by its icons. The main icons to take notice of are:
-
- Icons with an exclamation point show the geometry associated with the feature has been altered in some way. Expand the feature to find the operation(s) with the same icon to find the geometry, verify it is in the desired state, and update the feature.
-
- These icons show there is no geometry associated with the item or, in the case of the Chain Start Point items, that the original location has not been customized.
-
- These icons show the item is locked from being computed. This can be from the Toolpath Editor being used on an operation, or from applying it specifically to ensure the current toolpath cannot be altered. Right-click the item and select Lock/Unlock Operation to remove the lock and allow the item to be recomputed.
To find out more about reading the CAM Tree, see the Reading the CAM Tree Example
Feature, Geometry, and Machining Strategy Reference Guide
The Feature, Geometry, and Machining Strategy Reference Guide
Toolpath Patterning
Toolpath patterns are used to create repetitive programs from a feature, machine setup, wrapping group, or index system.
4 and 5 Axis
The following items are used to create programs for 4 and 5 Axis machining. (View the CAM Wizard topics to learn about the 4 Axis Rotary and Multiaxis features.)
Laser, Plasma, and Waterjet Machining
Creating programs for routers, laser, plasma, and waterjet machines follows the same process as milling with some minor differences in the setup process.
Program Simulation
Program simulation provides an extensive set of tools for verifying the programs that you create.
Getting Started with Simulation
Posting
All of the following topics explain what you need to know about creating NC programs (G-Code). The machine is an important part of posting programs in BobCAM. The following topics explain machine and post processor setup, posting order control, post processor selection and customizing, and how to post (output) the G-code.
