4.3 released

[Dan B]

Here is another reason for upgrading to 4.3: holder collision check in the simulation. From the madCAM website:

Tool holder collision (When simulating 3-axis with Entry Level, Four-axis or Expert Level)
Tool holder collision is shown in the simulator now. If setting the toolholder diameter for the saved cutter, the chuck collision will show in red color if colliding with material.

Take a look at the attachments. I intentionally created a large diameter holder with a short tool.

Thanks,

Dan

[svenakela]

Is naaayce.

[svenakela]

There's a service release now, some corrections made.

[Dan B]

The simulation now has a status bar for the times when you use "Next toolpath". Previously, if your toolpath was quite lengthy, the simulation appeared to freeze up, and Windows would give you the "Not responding" note. Now you know something is happening.

This is what's new in madCAM 4.3 2011-11-10.

Several minor bug fixes for 4 and 5 axis. Better linking and safe clearance checking.
Bug fix for the 4-axis roughing when selecting a cylinder as stock material.
Improvements of the pencil tracing when using flat cutters and corner end cutters.
Multi threading for planar finishing also for X and Y direction. madCAM is now able to use 4 calculation threads that will calculate faster on dual and quad core processors.
New progress bar for the simulator when clicking on the "Next Toolpath" button.
New *FEED_SCALE* variable for the post processor.
New madCAM toolbar. The subroutines from the Rhino script is only used when right-clicking on the "Select model" and "Post process" button. (You can still modify your own toolbar and use the script if you like)


Dan

[Khalid]

Thats great to hear about Madcam and the discussion between two moderators.. Keep it up guys keep improving the software that all become MAD.
Regards

[Dan B]

I'm not much of a moderator. I should have been fired a long time ago!

[Khalid]

For the reasons You are not fired Dan... You are the chosen One.. I am watching you since i joined this forum.. By the way i am amazed if their is possibility of High speed machining like trochoidal or something smart like Volumill having...

[Dan B]

Well, madCAM 5 is being written right now, so this is probably a great time to mention it. Maybe something like a troichoidal roughing path would be a good place to start?

[svenakela]

Thats great to hear about Madcam and the discussion between two moderators.. Keep it up guys keep improving the software that all become MAD.
Regards

Eeeh... Because we're mod's we're not able to discuss other things than spammers?


I've been HSM'ing long time before any circular motion roughing was invented. The machine itself, the tool and the setup are more important in this case. I'm not saying that the trocho-milling is useless or worthless. I'm saying you can already go HSM as it is.

[Dan B]

There is a new (and probably final) release of madCAM 4.3.

From Joakim:

This is what's new in madCAM 4.3 Nov 17.

Some more multi thread optimization for the planar finishing when using X or Y direction. (This for speeding up the calculation when using 4-axis and V-cutters)

Bug fix for region curves. It didn't work correctly in same cases with region curves at steep areas when using a corner end cutter.

Dan

[Rodent]

Bug fix for region curves. It didn't work correctly in same cases with region curves at steep areas when using a corner end cutter.

I discovered this very issue last weekend when generating tool paths on a new body design, and was going to put together a test case this coming weekend. I worked around it by cutting in the opposite direction (I experienced a 'wild' cutting curve in the Y axis, but all was good if I utilized the X axis instead)

I'm downloading the latest version as I type this and will confirm if this resolves what I was experiencing. If not, I'll submit a test case before calling it quits on Sun evening

all the best,

R

[Rodent]

bummer ... still getting that 'wild' cutting curve when cutting Planar Finishing pass with a ZigZag Y direction, but all is OK when cutting with a ZigZag X



I'll get the testcase packaged and sent off late this weekend

all the best,

R