Software Enhancements Accommodate By-Region Machining

CNC Software has released Mastercam’s X2 Maintenance Release (MR2), which includes improved tool paths for high speed machining, multi-axis enhancements and more. Delivering high speed cutting to 2D projects, the software's peel-milling tool path moves the tool in and “peels” away material, layer by layer. It is said to support efficient, constant climb milling by using a trochoidal motion with accelerated “back” feed moves when the tool is not engaged in material. The Operations Manager pane can float to a different area of the graphics window or to a separate screen when users are working with dual monitors. Even in a remote location, the operations manager can be docked. The Create Boundary function restricts the tool path to highly-specific areas. Users can calculate the boundary using shallow areas, theoretical rest areas, cutter-contact areas and enhanced silhouette boundary controls. Enhancements to the multi-axis tool paths include “by region” machining, which optimizes the toolpath motion by completing one region before moving on to another, and expanded entry and exit macros that simplify contacting and leaving the material, the company says. The software includes more sweep orientation control options and greater flexibility in the use of multiple along- and cross-curves. In addition, users can match along cross curves with better accuracy while using less data to define the resulting Non-Uniform Rational B-Spline (NURB) surface.