Published 1/8/2025

Moduleworks Software Features Efficient Toolpath Programming

The 2024.12 software release features contain enhancements across multiple components, ranging from multi-axis surface finishing to simulation and many more.

Software

Edited by: Chris Pasion

Managing Editor, Modern Machine Shop | Production Machining

Source: Moduleworks

ModuleWorks’ 2024.12 release of its software components for digital manufacturing and digital factory includes enhanced features aimed at increasing safety, toolpath generation efficiency and part quality. These features contain enhancements across multiple components, ranging from multi-axis surface finishing to simulation and many more.

The four-axis Swarf mode has been significantly enhanced to achieve optimal geometric accuracy. This improvement addresses the challenge of machining complex surfaces, such as cylindrical cams, using flank milling on a cost-effective four-axis machine. The new algorithm now accounts for kinematic limitations during the initial toolpath calculation, eliminating the need for four-axis enforcement in postprocessing and reducing the risk of inaccuracies. With the ModuleWorks 2024.12 release, this enhancement brings several benefits, including improved accuracy of parts, reduced machining costs and greater flexibility in selecting tool diameters.

In the 2024.12 release, 3+2-axis deburring has been improved to provide 3+2 orientation with minimum five-axis motion. As a result, users benefit from enhanced machining safety and accuracy.

Additionally, a three-axis machining feature in ModuleWorks 2024.12 assists users by automatically identifying the steep and shallow areas on the part. This enables optimal use of the range of barrel tools, reducing cycle times for finishing and improving surface quality.

The ModuleWorks 2024.12 release also introduces a feature that automatically detects the areas left by the previous short tool. This enables efficient machining with a longer tool stick-out. It assists users by automatically detecting the rest regions. Users can also apply more specific cutting conditions to each operation to improve the surface quality.

Lastly, the ModuleWorks 2024.12 release adds a triangulation method based on a dexel model. This method delivers significantly faster stock drawing and mesh exports, resulting in improved simulation performance. In addition, the triangulation improves the watertightness of exported meshes.