“FeatureCAM gives us the high-quality surface finish we need for our specialist surface treatments”

Martin Brown, Director
Lion Engineering, UK

The contract is to further develop an advanced ‘Boat Trap’ system designed to support harbour security in the US and at military bases abroad.

• 2.5D Machining

• 3D Machining

• 5-axis Machining

• Turning

• Turn/Mill

• Wire EDM

• Tombstone Machining

• Simulation

• 2.5D Machining FeatureMILL2.5D enables you to machine holes, pockets, grooves, bosses and threads quickly and easily. Benefits: • Imports industry standard file types such as IGES, DWG and DXF, for easy communication with your customers • Creates reliable toolpaths quickly and easily with the help of step-by-step wizards, saving you time • Combines single part programs into multiple part programs, minimising programming times • Supports tombstone machining on both horizontal and vertical machines, letting you machine several parts in a single set-up • Includes proven post-processors for all major machine tools, reducing machine commissioning time Typical Applications: • General shop parts with simple slots, holes and side features • Tooling fixtures and fittings • Covers, plates and brackets Hogan's Racing Manifolds Partner: HAAS

• 3D Machining FeatureMILL3D offers a wide range of strategies for both conventional and high-speed 3D milling. Benefits: • Maximises metal removal rates, helping you make parts faster • Maintains constant cutter load, increasing tool life • Minimises sudden changes in cutting direction, preventing tool breakage and part damage • Produces parts with excellent surface finish quality, eliminating hand finishing Typical Applications: • Simple moulds and die tooling • Final machining of castings JR Automation Partner: Fadal

• 5-axis Machining FeatureCAM supports both 5-axis positional and simultaneous machining, including 5-axis drilling, trimming and swarf machining. Benefits: • Produces complex parts with fewer set-ups, saving time and reducing errors • Increases accuracy by machining parts with shorter, more rigid, tools • Controls the tool axis, allowing machining of areas that cannot be machined with 3-axis strategies • Converts 3-axis toolpaths to their 5-axis equivalents automatically, preventing collisions between holder and part Typical Applications: • Highly complex mould and die tools with undercuts • Very high tolerance aerospace parts • Turbines and stator vanes • Highly complex engine ports Padgett machine Partner: HAAS

• Turning FeatureTURN provides quick and easy programming of all types of turned parts Benefits: • Creates both common and specialist hole types, facing and cut-off features, and grooves and threads on the outside or inside diameter, letting you machine all types of turned component • Supports a wide range of canned cycles, including rough and finish profiling, threading, grooving, drilling and tapping, making the most efficient use of your machine controller • Posts code to almost any CNC controller on the market today, letting you machine successfully from day 1 • Supports machines with sub-spindles, bar feeders and bar pullers, increasing productivity by reducing material loading times Typical Applications: • Hose fittings • Bearing pins & axles BB Tools Partner: OKUMA

• Turn/Mill FeatureTURN/MILL enables both turning and milling features to be created on a single machine in one set-up. Benefits: • Supports machines with C and Y milling capabilities and sub-spindles, letting you machine more complex parts • Easily programs drilling or milling features on the face or outside diameter of a part with the FeatureTURN/MILL feature wizard, so you get parts onto your machine tool faster • Contains all of the milling features in FeatureMILL2.5D, including holes, slots, pockets, grooves, sides and patterns, for increased flexibility Advanced Turn/Mill Benefits: • FeatureTURN/MILL’s Multi-Turret Turning technology controls turn/mill machines with multiple turrets, speeding production through true multi-tasking processes • Synchronise and optimise your turn/mill operations between multiple turrets through an easy-to-use ‘drag and drop’ graphical interface on a time or operation-basis • Sub-spindle and multiple spindle part transfer is available in FeatureCAM through defined feature operations • Simultaneous B-axis turning in FeatureCAM enables you to create multiple machining orientations in a single set-up and quickly program complex machining operations • Switch between C-axis milling and Y-axis milling to help improve the surface finish of milled parts with the tick of a box Typical Applications: • Complex drilling heads for the oil & gas industry • Engine crank shafts Turn/Mill at Mazak Partner: Mazak

• Wire EDM FeatureWIRE offers an automated approach for programming the full range of 2-axis and 4-axis wire EDM equipment. Benefits: • Automatically provides the operations for different cutting strategies • Includes a cutting conditions database that contains wire EDM generator settings, flushing settings and cutter compensation settings • Supplied with proven post-processors for industry-leading machines, including Agie-Charmilles, Fanuc, Mitsubishi and Sodick • Supports a range of features for part creation, including dies, punches and sides Typical Applications: • Gear blanks • Hydraulic actuators • Precision valve parts

• Tombstone Machining Tombstone machining in FeatureCAM enables easy programming of production milling. Benefits: • Supports both horizontal and vertical machines • Manages the placement of the parts on the tombstone • Helps you determine the milling coordinate systems • Sequences the operations so that tool changes are minimised • Simulates the NC code while displaying the tombstone, parts, tool, tool holder and spindle • Detects any gouges during simulation for safe machining • Allows maximum machine uptime for lean manufacturing techniques Typical Applications: • Finish machining of castings • Short production run machining

• Simulation FeatureCAM provides complete simulation of the machine tool environment to identify collisions between the machine components, spindle, holder, tooling and part stock in order to avoid costly mistakes. In addition to machine simulation, FeatureCAM also offers centerline, 2D, 3D and RapidCut simulation modes. Benefits: • Faster programming turnaround because you can simulate cutting motion ahead of time • Avoid production delays because of a machine that’s down • Avoid costly repairs to a crashed spindle • Avoid cost overruns from scrapped workpieces • General peace of mind Specific capabilities: • Simulate complex machine tools and toolpaths for smoother machine tool movements • Warnings for holder collisions and gouge detection ensure no costly mistakes occur during the manufacturing process • Realistic graphics show metallic part rendering and may be rotated during the simulation • Import or build machine models with FeatureCAM’s Solid Modelling* module or your own solid modeller, including jigs, fixtures and machine specific features • Load toolpaths into different machine models to ensure you use the most appropriate machine to produce the part • Support for multiple cores enables you to simulate your manufacturing process faster than ever • Cursor arrow keys allow you to step through the simulation at your own pace • Part compare allows for quality control prior to machining, preventing scrap and the need for reprogramming • Start a 3D simulation at any stage of the machining process *optional module