CAMWorks 2008 Overview

THE #1 CAM SOLUTION FOR SOLIDWORKS AND SOLIDS MACHINING

CAMWorks was the first fully integrated CAM solution designed exclusively to operate in SolidWorks and the first to offer knowledge-based, feature recognition and associative machining capabilities within the SolidWorks environment. CAMWorks Series operates completely inside SolidWorks or as an independent CAM System utilizing the SolidWorks modeling engine in our Shop Series bundles. Guaranteed 100% compatible with SolidWorks design software.

CAMWorks was the first fully integrated CAM solution designed exclusively to operate in SolidWorks and the first to offer knowledge-based, feature recognition and associative machining capabilities within the SolidWorks environment. This close integration means:

• The CAMWorks machining trees and commands are available in SolidWorks with the click of a button. You never have to leave SolidWorks to generate toolpaths.

• CAMWorks uses the same SolidWorks geometry to generate toolpaths to ensure the part you machine is the same part you have modeled.

• Time-consuming file transfers using standard file formats such as IGES and SAT are eliminated.

Ease of Use

CAMWorks uses the familiar SolidWorks interface, so it is easy to learn and easy to use. The CAMWorks trees are similar to the SolidWorks FeatureManager design tree. Items in the tree can be suppressed, expanded, renamed and moved using the same procedures as SolidWorks. Online help, an Installation and Quick Start Guide and tutorials help you generate toolpaths and code quickly.

Best-in-Class Choice

CAMWorks was the first SolidWorks Certified Gold CAM Product and is a best-in-class choice for users who want an optimum modeling system (SolidWorks) plus a seamlessly integrated, innovative CAM system.

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CAMWorks 2008 Utilities

Save time, improve quality, increase productivity and lower costs

CWDifferenceFinder compares solid parts or surface models and identifies face and volume differences between two versions or two configurations of the same part. Using CWDifferenceFinder, you can improve quality with an accurate comparison of geometry and save time by avoiding a manual comparison of geometry

Features:

• Identifies different or unique faces and edges

• Identifies overlapping faces

• Assemblies can be compared

• User defined tolerances can be set

• Imported solids can also be compared

CWPartFinder is a completely automated geometric 3D shape-based encoding and search library that helps you quickly identify and retrieve previously designed similar products. CWPartFinder is a comprehensive solution to:

• Reduce the time to market by locating a part based on shape and re-using the geometry with minor changes.

• Shorten your customer response time for quotes by locating similar parts based on shape and retrieving information for reuse.

CWFeatureFinder applies intelligence to static geometric data and makes it ready to use in SolidWorks and CAMWorks. CWFeatureFinder recognizes features on a solid body that has been imported into SolidWorks from files produced by standard translators such as STEP, IGES®, SAT (ACIS®), VDAFS (VDA) and Parasolid®.

eDrawings Manufacturing is the standard in 3D collaboration that facilitates the sharing of 2D and 3D product design data. eDrawings provides innovative capabilities that eliminate common communication barriers and speed the design review process. Unlike CAD files, eDrawings files are compact and easy to email. eDrawings gives you and your extended team the tools necessary to visualize, interpret and collaborate with 2D and 3D product design data. eDrawings Manufacturing allows toolpath viewing to others outside the programming environment.

Technology Database

The Technology Database is shipped with data that is considered generally applicable to most machining environments. In order to take full advantage of CAMWorks, the user can modify this data and input additional knowledge that represents the user's expertise and the facility's capabilities. The machining information in the database is divided into these categories:

• Machine - "Virtual" machines for all the CNC machines in your facility and the associated controller and tool crib.

• Tools - The tool library can contain all the tools in your facility.

• Cutting Parameters - Information for calculating feed rates and spindle speeds, stock materials and tool materials.

• Feature and Operations - The machining sequences and operations for each combination of feature type, end condition, and size.

Automatic Feature Recognition

CAMWorks is a feature-based CAM system. To make feature-based machining even more powerful, CAMWorks provides the ability to automatically recognize many prismatic features including tapers. Automatic Feature Recognition (AFR) analyzes the part shape and attempts to define the most common machinable features for mill such as pockets, bosses, holes and slots for mill. AFR also defines Turn features such as the outside diameter and inside diameter of the part, front face and grooves. AFR recognizes features on native SolidWorks part models or on solid parts imported via IGES, SAT, etc.

Interactive Feature Wizards

CAMWorks provides Interactive Feature wizards for defining features that are not recognized automatically or features that are not recognized the way you want to machine them. Similar 2½ Axis and Multi-Surface features can be created quickly using the Copy command. Existing features can be modified easily.

Machining Operations

After machinable features have been defined, the user can generate an Operation Plan to machine the features on the part. Machining operations include roughing, finishing, drilling, etc. Operations are associated to machinable features. The Operation tree provides an outline view of the operations.

Knowledge Based Machining

TekSoft’s proprietary TechDB, a Microsoft Access database, is the intelligence behind the machining automation in CAMWorks. Using Knowledge-Based Machining technology, the TechDB associates operation parameters to the machineable features. When you generate operations, CAMWorks applies these settings automatically. To further enhance the automation process, the knowledge-based rules in the TechDB are fully customizable to represent your current machining environment.

Before or after generating toolpaths, operations can be customized including:

• Suppress, delete and rename

• Combine similar operations

• Change machining parameters

• Add machinable features

• Change the machining order

Assembly Mode for Milling

CAMWorks leverages the power and flexibility of SolidWorks Assembly mode to support NC programming of multiple parts for production machining and to more accurately represent the virtual machining environment. Some of the key benefits include:

• The entire machining environment can be modeled including machine components, parts, stock, clamps, and fixtures.

• Multiple copies of a part can be positioned in the assembly document and machined with CAMWorks.

• The same part can be machined with multiple different machine tools.

Additional Features and Tools

CAMWorks provides numerous integrated features and visual tools to improve productivity including:

• Integrated post processor supports virtually any CNC machine tool.

• Universal Post Generator can be used to customize G-code output.

• API's to customize CAMWorks.