CAM for Additive and Subtractive Manufacturing

3D Systems Corporation (Rock Hill, SC) offers the latest version of GibbsCAM®, its software for production machining. This comprehensive update to 3DS’ industry-leading software incorporates an all-new Universal Kinematic Machine (UKM) engine that further simplifies CNC programming. The release also includes multiple enhancements that extend capabilities and accommodate new machines of all configurations. As an integral component of 3DS’ design-to-manufacturing digital thread, facilitating cross-technology manufacturing between additive and subtractive methods, GibbsCAM enables improved production efficiency and greater profitability. Developed for ease-of-use, GibbsCAM empowers numerical control programmers and machinists, with solid modeling, 2- through 5-axis milling, high speed machining, mill/turn, Swiss, multi-task machining and wire-EDM capabilities.

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“We are committed to providing 3D digital design and fabrication solutions that enable our customers to be more productive and competitive,” said Ilan Erez, the vice president, co-chief operating officer and chief financial officer for software products at 3DS. “With the recent addition of GibbsCAM to our digital manufacturing thread portfolio, our customers can now enjoy the ability to use both subtractive and additive manufacturing to achieve the highest productivity possible. Manufacturers can use the two technologies in tandem, printing a metal part and then using a milling machine to achieve the required surface finish, for example. It’s a perfect fit. With the new release of this software, we enable our customers to program any machine with a single program and a single interface,” continued Erez. “Its new features and enhancements are designed to save time in programming, provide more flexibility in selecting and using tools, and make toolpath verification and machine simulation more accurate and efficient.”

Some of the new features include:

• New Tooling Functions and Capabilities that extend the ability to define, use and simulate tools, with new icons and dynamic 3D viewing of tools and tool holders. Support for straight, tapered and stepped shanks was extended to all mill tools, while new mill and lathe tool types are also introduced, including 3D form tools and 75 deg Diamond (ISO E-style) lathe tools.
• Numerous Enhancements for Holemaking that include additional support for hole features from CAD systems and full associativity for hole features from Autodesk Inventor, CATIA v5, Solid Edge and SolidWorks. New is the Hole Editor for editing hole features, including compound holes, which are supported with multiple straight, tapered and threaded segments. In addition, feature recognition has been enhanced, and the 5-axis drilling interface has been streamlined. These features simplify hole-making operations and make the programming process faster.
• Intermediate Tooling Support for Multi-task Machining (MTM), which makes tooling more manageable, simulation more accurate, and programming easier, with more accurate placement and orientation of tools. Additions include a tool block library and support for tool blocks, such as adapter blocks, holders for tool holders, right-angle and adjustable heads, and flash tooling. A fixture library and support for fixtures (chucks, tailstocks, steady rests and other work holding devices) are included.
• Machine Simulation which is greatly improved as a result of UKM, intermediate tooling support, and an improved rendering palette. Rendering is more accurate and efficient, displaying intermediate tooling for a more complete simulation of all moving components. Customized monitoring of key conditions is enabled with a new Stops and Watches feature. Combined, these additions make the programming-through-simulation process faster and more accurate.
• Integration with Sandvik Coromant’s Adveon Tool Library, which enables importing tools from Sandvik and ISO 13399 compliant systems to make a standard library available at any time, simplifying tool definition and tooling-data management. This also allows a shop to build, save and reuse a library, and link tools and tool assemblies to parts and processes, enabling faster reuse of a program for a subsequent part run, and faster updating when parts change.

3D Systems Corporation, 333 Three D Systems Circle, Rock Hill, SC 29730, 803-326-3900, www.3dsystems.com.