CAM-TOOL

The latest release of CAM-TOOL V14.1 is available. Click here to learn more.

I. Overview of Software

CAM-TOOL, the "Elite CAD/CAM" system, addresses the needs of the Manufacturing Tooling Industry. CAM-TOOL addresses the sophisticated requirements of Mold & Die builders by offering unparalleled functionality using our powerful NC programming strategies that simply do not exist in other systems.

Whether you're doing High Speed Machining or Hard Milling, CAM-TOOL's integrated surfacing modeling and NC programming techniques allow the user to generate toolpath to run your NC machine "Safely & Unattended" while providing unparalleled finish quality.

  • Increased Tool Life by 10-20%
  • Better Surface Finish - Produce mirror finishes from the CNC machine
  • Reduce EDM Time - Machine more small details to reduce EDM
  • Reduced Spotting Time by 25%
  • Cut Hard Steel with Ease - Use materials you didn't think were possible
  • Micro Machining - Use the smallest tooling imaginable 

 

II. Overview Software functions

1. BASE & MODELING - for High-Speed Machining

Original kernel surface modeler is excellent for modeling in mold & die - Surface modeling commands specialized for mold & die extract fast product model into mold model fast. It also enables reliable CAM calculation even with an imported data from any CAD.

Data Translate

High quality translation for most famous native CAD systems. Reliable data translation from other CAD systems supports a smooth translation for modeling work.

Standard

  • IGES Import / Export
  • DXF Import / Export
  • STEP Import / Export
  • STL Import

Option

  • CATIA Import / Export
  • CADCEUS Import
  • NX Import
  • UG Import / Export
  • Pro-E Import / Export
  • I-DEAS Import / Export
  • SolidWorks Pulgin
  • thinkdesign Import

2. 2.5D CAM & HOLE

Operation integrated into 3D CAM achieves efficient and safe machining.

 

2.5D CAM

It's possible to set multiple sections at the contour of wire frame and define a pocket and an island shape. Section and plane parts whitch are machined by 2-axis/2.5-axis in the surface model are detected and cutter paths are generated.

2.5D CAM Cutting Mode

  • - Contour Cutting
  • - Round of Cavity
  • - Round of Core
  • - Flat Cutting
  • - 2-Dimensional Cutting
  • - 2.5D Rough Cutting
  • - 2.5D Side Cutting
  • - 2.5D Plane Cutting
  • - 2.5D Re-machining
  

HOLE

It's possible to set multiple sections at the contour of wire frame and define a pocket and an island shape. Section and plane parts whitch are machined by 2-axis/2.5-axis in the surface model are detected and cutter paths are generated.

HOLE Cutting Mode

  • - Canned Cycle Drilling
  • - Chamfering
  • - G01 Drilling
  • - Circular Hole-wall Cutting
  • - Circular Hole-step Cutting
  • - Circular Hole Rough Cutting
  • - Circular Hole-bottom Finishing
  • - Helical Tapping

 

3. 3D CAM

Suppress Tool load fluctuation even High speed direct cutting on high hardness steel. Surface and Polygon calculation achieves highly precise and highly efficient machining.

Z-level Rough Cutting with Multiple Tools

This is a rough cutting mode that performs Z-level offset cutting for a raw work material. Cutter paths are automatically created using multiple tools so that the part left unmachined in rough cutting is removed with a tool of small diameter. Ball end-mill, radius end-mill and flat-end mill tools can be used in combination.

  

Z-level Re-machining with Multiple Tools

The remaining area is detected based on the cutter path information of the previous tool, and efficient re-machining with proper order & less retracting can be achieved.

Corner Processing (Polygon)

This mode outputs "Along surface offset path" and "Contour line offset path" in the remainder regions such as groove parts or ridgeline parts where the tool of the previous process could not access. The type of the output cutter paths differs depending on the angle of inclination in the remainder region. "Along surface offset path" is output in a gently sloping area and "Contour line offset path" is output in a steeply sloping area.

Cutting Mode ( Surface calculation )

  • - Z-level Rough Cutting
  • - Z-level High Efficiency Rough Cutting
  • - Z-level Finishing
  • - Z-level Scan Finishing
  • - Scanning-line Area
  • - Flat Part Circumference
  • - Horizontal Area Cutting
  • - Re-machining
  • - Surface Finishing
  • - Aiming Check
  • - CL + Check
  • - Curve Cutting
  • - Pencil Cutting
  • - Curve Control Along Surface
  

Z-level Finishing (Spiral Mode)

Z-level Finishing have a new cutting method "Spiral". Tool path runs from top to bottom with spiral move without approach and escape. Since it reduces approaches and escapes dramatically, its cutter mark can be reduced. Tool path of offset cutting also runs with spiral move if possible.

Cutting Mode ( Polygon calculation )

  • - Z-level Scanning-line Rough Cutting
  • - Scanning-line Cutting
  • - Z-level Rough Cutting with Multiple Tools
  • - Z-level Re-machining with Multiple Tools
  • - Z-level Re-machining
  • - Corner Processing
  • - 3D Offset Cutting
  • - Z-level Finishing

 

4. Simultaneous 5-Axis

Provides the precise 5-axis machining by the same operation as 3-axis.

Maximizes the performance of 5-Axis Machining center without any special skills for 5-Axis Machining.

Our Simultaneous 5-Axis Machining aims at realizing high-quality surface finish by controlling the rotation axes smoothly with minimum change of the tilt axes. In our Simultaneous 5Axis Machining, 3-axis cutter paths are converted into Simultaneous 5-axis cutter paths by a "5-axis conversion function". This is a mechanism of attaching tool vector data without changing the cutter locus. This method does not require any specific skill of Simultaneous 5-Axis Machining that has been considered a burden on operators, and it is possible to generate efficient cutter paths.

5-axis conversion function

Creates 5-Axis Simultaneous tool paths, by adding the information about tool direction to 3-axis tool paths. In converting tool paths, "smoothing control"(Youtube) adjusts the tilt axis and rotation axis to make the Machine Tool move more smoothly. It is also possible to have the tool tilt gradually before the point where the tool direction changes rapidly. These functions provide high-quality finished surfaces.

  

Simultaneous 5-Axis Cutting Mode

  • - Swarf Cutting
  • - Z-level Undercut Finishing
  • - Undercut Curve Control Along Surface
  • - Undercut Re-machining
  • - Base Surface Rough Cutting
  • - Base Surface Side Finishing
  • - Base Surface Bottom Finishing
 

Base surface modes

"Base surface modes" in simultaneous 5axis CAM in Version8.1 are new powerful cutting modes to create tool path on specified base surface. It achieves extreme quality surface finish by the surface calculation characterizing CAM-TOOL. It can eliminates retracts substantially, so it will also achieves to prevent the deterioration of surface finishing, and furthermore, it reduces cutting time!

  

5. Peripheral solutions for automation and labor saving.