High-Speed Machining for Direct Volumetric Machining of Solid Models

Gibbs and Associates, developer of GibbsCAM^® software for maximizing programming efficiency of CNC machine tools and a Cimatron company, announced today the availability of GibbsCAM VoluMill^TM Solids, a new option for the high-speed- machining (HSM) of solid models directly within GibbsCAM. The VoluMill Solids option, an incremental enhancement to the GibbsCAM VoluMill Wireframe option, is fully integrated within GibbsCAM. As such, it allows GibbsCAM users to select solids, surfaces and facet bodies, to quickly and easily generate HSM toolpaths with ultra-high performance and efficiency. Typically, traditional roughing toolpaths are generated as parallel offsets (with sharp corners and transitions), which require stops, starts and variable speeds for optimizing motion to reduce tool wear and excessive tool loading. In contrast, VoluMill develops toolpaths optimized for volumetric material removal, based upon desirable material removal rates, by using continuous tangential motion, specialized contour ramping and adaptive feed rates to achieve the highest feeds and speeds possible. By leveling tool load, maintaining constant machine-tool motion and using high-speed-repositioning, the software produces more efficient toolpaths, extends tool life and significantly reduces cycle times. The GibbsCAM VoluMill Solids option provides users the ability to directly machine solid models, whether they are created in GibbsCAM, SolidWorks, Inventor, CATIA, Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire, Siemens NX or almost any other CAD system. VoluMill Solids is available immediately for the GibbsCAM 2010 and subsequent releases.

"We are quite pleased to be adding yet another tool to help our users increase efficiency and profits," said Bill Gibbs, Gibbs and Associates company founder and president. "This new option is a testament to our commitment to our customers and their productivity."

The GibbsCAM VoluMill Wireframe and Solids Package provides users volumetric material removal on solid, surface and wireframe models, and on any combination of part and stock boundaries. It supports an unlimited number of islands, tapered walls, variable pocket depths and variable island heights. Additional key features that contribute to faster material removal, extended tool life and much shorter cycle times include: