I recently had a customer who asked me a few questions about the Technology Database when using SOLIDWORKS CAM and CAMWorks. Customer Question #1: Can they could use, or share, the same TechDB when they were either using SOLIDWORKS CAM or CAMWorks? Customer Question #2: If question #1 is yes, then how can this be accomplished? Customer Question #3: Can the TechDB be located on their network? My answers to all 3 of their questions… Answer #1: Yes Answer #2: […]
When it comes to OEM manufacturers that make a lot of the same parts, keeping features catalogued in SOLIDWORKS for quick application is a very handy tool. You can do the same for toolpaths in SOLIDWORKS CAM too, with the use of Library files. Saving toolpaths allows the user to implement a CNC operation without having to use a SOLIDWORKS feature, sketch, or model entity to calculate from. You can easily recreate any series of toolpaths by inserting a library […]
CAMWorks Licensing Setup – Standalone and Network Licensing The two main types of CAMWorks licenses are Standalone and Network, and both require a Flex LM license file be requested when setting up the CAMWorks License Manager. Tech Tip: A hardware dongle (USB) can be used in place of a standalone license file for additional security, however keep in mind that the USB dongle is effectively your license and a new license will need to be purchased if lost or stolen. […]
Let’s take a look into some of what’s new with SOLIDWORKS CAM 2021. Material Library In SOLIDWORKS CAM 2021 The Material Library has a new User Interface (UI) in SOLIDWORKS CAM 2021. The Library is organized by material categories, material names, and then any stock items you have created. NOTE: Material categories are not editable in the Feeds and Speeds Editor in SOLIDWORKS CAM 2021. How to add new Material Library which also has a new User […]
All the new features I talk about in this article are available in 2021 SOLIDWORKS CAM Standard and Pro. Along with all license packages of CAMWorks 2021 as well. Additional Stock Types Available in Stock Manager Before SOLIDWORKS CAM 2021, there was not an easy way to define stock as a cylindrical shape for programming mill parts. Now in SOLIDWORKS CAM 2021, you can easily define the stock material by the part Bounding Box by a cylindrical shape for mill […]
Working with customers I frequently get asked “What 3 Axis Milling programming capabilities are included with SOLIDWORKS CAM Standard?” SOLIDWORKS CAM Standard includes the following 3 Axis CAM Features:Area Clearance, Z-Level, Flat Area. Area Clearance – 3 Axis Roughing: The Area Clearance Operation is used to remove the material between the stock or contain area and the selected feature at decreasing Z depth levels by making a series of parallel cuts across the stock with various patterns. Also a Contain […]
While sketching inside SOLIDWORKS, SOLIDWORKS CAM and CAMWorks user interface you invoke the Power Trim command and use it as normal. As a refresher, the SOLIDWORKS Power Trim tool allows you to hold down your Left Mouse Button (LMB) and drag the mouse over any sketch entities you want to trim to the nearest entity. The Power Trim command can also extend sketch entities as well. This is simply done holding down your Shift Key to convert from trimming to […]
CAMWorks Options: Helping Customers Minimize Disruption from COVID-19 At CATI we are continuously trying to offer solutions to allow you, our customers, to do your work remotely and to make the current COVID-19 situation more tolerable. With that in mind we are proud to announce HCL is offering individual FREE CAMWorks Home Licenses for April and May 2020. CAMWorks Home Licenses with ShopFloor For customers who need to work from home during this challenging time, HCL is offering individual FREE […]
How Do I Make My Feature Manager Design Tree When Using SOLIDWORKS CAM/CAMWorks Add-In? After engineering is completed on the SOLIDWORKS 3D CAD side of things your part needs to be programmed for manufacturing by using the seamless integration of SOLIDWORKS CAM and/CAMWorks. With SOLIDWORKS CAM activated inside SOLIDWORKS you may not be able to see all your CAM buttons. Taking the time to manually drag the edge of your SOLIDWORKS Feature Tree every time to make it wider can […]
What’s NEW in SOLIDWORKS CAM Standard 2020 New – Support for Tabs Cutting in Contour Mill Operations in SOLIDWORKS CAM Standard 2020 Allows users to define tabs on the feature profile of a through mill feature machined using a single Contour Mill application. The “Tab” feature consists of a small piece of the stock material along the profile (feature boundary) of the part. By keeping the core material and/or part attached to the stock material with the tabbing feature, the […]