Introduction to the Concepts of SmartCAM Milling

In this video, we summarize the scope and content of our Production Milling demonstration overview series. If you have never before experienced SmartCAM, you will get your first glimpse of our unique and productive user interface. (49 seconds)

As all CAM engineers know, the type and size of the component being manufactured influences our approach to CNC manufacturing and production engineering. There is never a single, correct approach to manufacturing any one component, and SmartCAM delivers all of the flexibility you will need to make it the way you wish. Here we describe the component and its features to help set the scene for the production engineering methodology that follows. (1 minutes, 26 seconds)

You can't cut parts without cut tooling. Here we show some of the ways of managing cut tooling in SmartCAM. (2 minutes, 52 seconds)

CAM engineers using SmartCAM have the unique ability to create toolpath from wireframe CAD geometry, and to create wireframe geometry from toolpath. In this part of our demonstration we show you some of the methods available in SmartCAM to manipulate imported CAD data to create toolpath. (5 minutes, 42 seconds)

Regenerable Toolpath Processes are a significant feature in SmartCAM. The geometry being machined, inputs and control parameters of SmartCAM Toolpath processes can be easily modified and the resultant toolpath quickly regenerated. Our toolpath processes and controls generate excellent toolpaths, but true to SmartCAM, flexibility is built‑in and where required in special cases, process containers can also be "unpacked" so that every single piece of toolpath becomes available for modification to precise needs. Here we introduce the basics of SmartCAM Process Containers. (2 minutes, 20 seconds)

SmartCAM Regions are a powerful feature of SmartCAM that are applicable in numerous metal removal situations. Regions can be comprised of a combination of open and closed stock and component boundaries and our toolpath engine used to generate toolpath that is aware of the stock & part relationship. In this video we use SmartCAM Region Roughing to show an alternative approach to manufacturing our demonstration part. (3 minutes, 6 seconds)

Pocket Roughing is fundamental to any CAM system. Here is one way that we how we do it with SmartCAM, applying our Group Pocketing regenerable toolpath process to the pockets on our part. By this stage of our demo, we think you will have formed an understanding of the SmartCAM Difference, our unique methodology and concepts. (1 minutes, 18 seconds)

Our demonstration component doesn't require it, but we wanted to include a look at SmartCAM Regions being used to generate Rest Machining toolpaths, as required when manufacturing this component. (3 minutes, 5 seconds)

We have said that Regions are a powerful SmartCAM feature that is applied in many situations. Here we apply our Region functionality to generate toolpath for a very different requirement to that in our previous use. (2 minutes, 48 seconds)

The SmartCAM user has multiple methods for modeling hole features and generating holemaking toolpath. Here we look at a couple of options when using wireframe geometry. (2 minutes, 57 seconds)

Working from Solid Models adds another dimension to Holemaking in SmartCAM, enabling a level of automation due to the additional data that is available. Here we look at SmartCAM composite hole‑feature recognition from a solid model of our demonstration component. (1 minutes, 58 seconds)

SmartCAM Production Milling is not used to directly generate milling toolpaths on a solid model -- as we can when using SmartCAM Advanced Milling or Freeform Machining -- but solid model data can still be useful because profile geometry can be extracted from the model for use in toolpath processes. (2 minutes, 11 seconds)

We use CAD wireframe and solid models in our demo, but the SmartCAM programmer also has a complete range of innovative geometry creation, manipulation and editing tools available. Here we show just one of those that are available, using the SmartCAM Profile functionality to create the outer boundary of our component as if we are working from a print. (6 minutes, 7 seconds)

We have already shown the ease of holemaking in SmartCAM; this short video will use those techniques for the remaining counterbored holes (2 minutes, 13 seconds)

The final toolpath process required for this part, profiling the chamfer using our Profile Regenerable Process. (48 seconds)

It is very easy to forget that the whole point of investing in a good CAM system such as SmartCAM is to generate CNC code. Our users know that our Code Generators are amongst the most open and flexible in the industry. Code Generators (also referred to as post processors) are not a costly 'black box' for SmartCAM users. Many customers opt to download a code generator from the library available on our website and tune it to their exact requirements. (1 minute, 9 seconds)

SmartCAM users can manipulate and edit toolpath just as if it were CAD geometry. If panel work is important in your CNC manufacturing operations, you will be interested in this video which shows how SmartCAM can be used to grid‑nest an array of components and optimize the entire toolpath for the resulting layout. (1 minute, 51 seconds)

You have seen that SmartCAM Production Milling can do a great job for you, but if you regularly machine solid model data or program machinery with 4th and 5th axis positioning, then you will benefit from an upgrade to our Advanced Milling solution. Our premier milling solution, SmartCAM Freeform Machining, further adds 3D‑Surface toolpath generation capability. This final video looks at just a few of the benefits of our higher‑level milling systems. (5 minute, 39 seconds)