Finish strong with CAM software

As cutting tool types, shapes and capabilities continue to advance, precision CAM software must keep up to safely optimize cutting performance. Precision tooling coupled with powerful software capabilities offer manufacturers the potential for better part quality and decreased cycle times.

Take a moment to visualize your machining processes. Do you know which have room for improvement?

Most customers look for cycle time improvements on roughing operations. Roughing is where the most benefits can be achieved when implementing a new strategy or trying to cut costs or time. This is also where most timesaving CAM technologies have focused their efforts. But another process is worthy of a closer look: finishing.

Finish is a critical manufacturing component because, in addition to its visual aspects, it affects part quality, performance and material properties. Despite its importance, I find that manufacturers do not often consider finishing an operation that can be improved upon. In fact, many believe that not much can be done. They think that achieving a quality finish takes time, and that’s the end of it. This may be the case with traditional finishing operations but not with new tools in CAD/CAM software packages.

In our case, in Mastercam we call it Accelerated Finishing, which uses new cutting-edge geometries from tool manufacturers to decrease cycle time while improving part quality and finish. The software includes these geometries in all three-axis and multi-axis toolpaths via existing toolpaths, not within a new toolpath suite. All paths are familiar to Mastercam users — there’s no need to relearn anything. It’s just a matter of applying a new tool form and strategy to these existing paths.

A circle segment endmill delivers a precision finish while reducing machining time. Image courtesy of CNC Software

Finishing is an active area of CAD/CAM software development that becomes better every year regarding how software supports tools, tool geometries, control strategies and tool libraries. The technology was developed in conjunction with innovations in advanced cutting tool shapes, including oval form cutters, barrel mills, taper cutters, lens-shaped cutters and combination lens-barrel form tools.