Computer Aided Manufacturing. In reference to software, it is the means of processing a designed part model, creating machine toolpath for its various components and creating an NC program that is then sent to a CNC Machine tool to be made. The CAD and the CAM are integrated into one system. CAD/CAM software is also highly referred to as CNC Software as well. The heavily searched term, "CNC Software" will also include pc-based cnc controller software as well. This is where you can turn your computer into a controller for your machine that supports up to 6 axis programs. An excellent example of this is Mach 3 controller software provided by ArtSoft.

 

The purpose of CAD/CAM is to automate and streamline CNC programming allow innovators, designers and CNC businesses to manufacture products, bringing them to market faster and more profitably than ever before. It is the concept of producing goods Faster... Smarter & Easier.

 

Traditional Offset versus High Speed Toolpaths

 

The term, "Toolpath" is used to visually display and describe the route in which the CAM side of the software tells the cutting tool to machine the geometric regions of the part model. It's the path that the tool takes when machining. Toolpath is going to be basically being defined by the part or areas that the user has chosen to machine, the size of the tool being used, the cutting regions for those tools and the type of machining strategy that is used. That is toolpath whether it's for a mill, router, laser, burning machine, waterjet or cnc lathe. There is a lot of other data that is included in the creation of a NC Program that has to do with post processing parameters such as speeds and feed rates based on strategy, material and tool data and more. Machine controllers can be different in how they want to see the g-code for the program to be read properly by the controller. That is toolpath.

Related tags:Laminating machine, servo motor, preform machine