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SmartCAM FreeForm MachiningModel complex 3D Surface Milling Toolpaths using SmartCAM FreeForm Machining™.SmartCAM FreeForm Machining adds 3 Axis toolpath modeling to your SmartCAM milling application. Generate complex 3 Axis toolpaths directly on solid and surface models. 
The SmartCAM Milling product family offers solutions at 3 levels of functionality and cost.Each level progressively provides increased functionality compared to the previous level: everything that can be achieved in the lower level SmartCAM Production Milling and SmartCAM Advanced Milling applications is available in SmartCAM FreeForm Machining, plus 3 Axis toolpath modeling capability for one‑off, production through to mold and die applications. 
The available Toolpath Motion Types are Part Offset, Spiral, ZigZag, Linear and Morph. A group of wireframe closed island profiles that are to be avoided can also be specified. 
The area to be machined is defined by a wireframe closed profile representing the face boundary. The available Toolpath Motion Types are Part Offset, Spiral, ZigZag, Linear and Morph. A group of wireframe closed island profiles that are to be avoided can also be specified. 
Region elements are wireframe 2D boundaries created using SmartCAM Region Modeling tools. 
Each of the above toolpath processes can optionally generate Rest‑Mill Region elements which can then receive toolpath using the wireframe Region Roughing Process. 
Overlapping or non‑overlapping hole patterns can be created. A group of wireframe closed island profiles that are to be avoided can also be specified. 
SmartCAM Toolpath Modeling functionality for Hole Making operations is consistent in all of the Milling application products. Hole Making toolpaths can be modeled using a number of methods that range from simple holes at a co‑ordinate point through to hole feature recognition and feature‑based toolpaths. Hole Making toolpaths can also be modeled using milling tooling and operations, including Constant‑Spiral and Thread Milling cycles. 
The pocket feature can be blind or through, and may contain any number of islands and/or shelves. The pocket walls can be straight or drafted, and may contain corner radii and bottom fillets. Straight and tapered flat, bull and ball endmills are supported. 
The profile features can be blind or through, and may contain any number of shelves. The profile walls can be straight or drafted, and may contain corner radii and bottom fillets. Straight and tapered flat, bull and ball end mills are supported. 
The target model may consist of any combination of core and cavity features, with open or closed, blind or through pockets, containing any number of shelves or islands. The planar roughing process is suitable for roughing both simple prismatic parts and complex molds and dies. Straight and tapered flat, bull and ball endmills are supported. 
Remove material from inside one or more closed wireframe pocket profiles, with or without islands. Remove material above one or more closed wireframe face profiles, with or without islands. Remove material from an open wireframe profile surrounded by a wireframe stock boundary. 
The group of regions to be receive toolpath can consist of any combination of part‑profile regions representing pockets, faces or open profiles with or without islands and voids. Stock boundaries can be open or closed. 
The pocket feature can be blind or through, and may contain any number of islands and/or shelves. The pocket walls can be straight or drafted, and may contain corner radii and bottom fillets. Straight and tapered flat, bull and ball endmills are supported. 
The target model may consist of any combination of core and cavity features, with open or closed, blind or through pockets, containing any number of shelves or islands. The planar roughing process is suitable for roughing both simple prismatic parts and complex molds and dies. Straight and tapered flat, bull and ball endmills are supported.
SmartCAM Toolpath Modeling functionality for Hole Making operations is consistent in all of the Milling application products. Hole Making toolpaths can be modeled using a number of methods that range from simple holes at a co‑ordinate point through to hole feature recognition and feature‑based toolpaths. Hole Making toolpaths can also be Modeled using milling tooling and operations, including Constant‑Spiral and Thread Milling cycles. Toolpath Modeling Processes available in SmartCAM FreeForm Machining over SmartCAM Advanced Milling include:
Generates consistent step‑over, gouge‑free toolpath for all supported tools regardless of the part model topology. Options for zig‑zag or one‑way toolpath with or without plunge moves are available. A containment boundary can be used to restrict the toolpath to within the boundary. 
Provides toolpath modeling flexibility for when other toolpath process output won’t cut it. The resulting toolpath is gouge‑free for all supported tools, regardless of the part model topology. 
Surface Roughing toolpaths can be modeled using Solid / Surface data or existing toolpath elements. Options for zig‑zag or one‑way toolpath with or without plunge moves are available. A containment boundary can be used to restrict the toolpath to within the boundary. 
The toolpath follows ‑ or flows along ‑ the user‑specified direction of the surface. Ball, Bull and Flat tooling is supported. 
Toolpath is created for all possible profiles at each Z level depth of cut. Options for zig‑zag or one‑way toolpath with plunge moves are available. The toolpath can be constrained to a Z‑level start and Z‑level end. Contour toolpaths are useful for semi‑finish and finish machining curved vertical and near vertical walls, with or without islands and bosses, in mold cavity and core models. Ball, bull, flat and tapered cutter types are supported. The Contour process can also be used to create planar profiles that are suitable for use in the Region Rough process. 
Toolpath is generated for all positions at which the specified tool makes dual contact with the selected surfaces. Pencil milling supports ball, bull, flat, and tapered cutters. The resulting Pencil mill toolpath is gouge‑free for all supported tool types regardless of the part model topology. 
Toolpath is created for all positions where the tool contacts the selected surfaces and is gouge‑free regardless of topology. Project Pattern supports ball, bull, flat and tapered cutters.
What more should you know about SmartCAM?Toolpath & Geometry ModelingToolpath Modeling is an important SmartCAM core concept.Each of the automated Toolpath generation Processes we have summarized above contain appropriate input options and parameters that can be used to control the resulting Toolpaths. The Processes generate single elements in the database, Process Containers in SmartCAM terminology. Every SmartCAM license additionally includes extensive Toolpath Modeling functionality. CAD & Toolpath Elements can be constructed, manipulated and edited using the same set of SmartCAM tools. CAD Elements can be property‑changed to become Toolpath Elements.
Toolpath Elements can be property‑changed to become CAD Elements.
The contents of those automated Process Containers can be extracted. Every single Toolpath move then becomes available for editing if necessary, and returned to the container or not. What is the significance of SmartCAM Toolpath Modeling to you?SmartCAM Toolpath Modeling means that you are able to create Toolpath and CNC code to the exact and sometimes unique needs of your CNC manufacturing business.
Toolpath Verification
Every SmartCAM license at any product level is enabled with Toolpath Verification.Toolpath motion can be verified with or without stock and fixturing. When stock is enabled the stock model is updated with the effect of every material‑removing cut. Rapid moves through remaining stock and rapid or feed moves that cause a collision condition between any part of the tool assembly and remaining stock or fixturing can be flagged and clearly marked on the verification model. Standard and custom cutting tools and holders can be included in the verification. The resulting stock model can be saved and used as the stock for subsequent component operations. Using CAD Drawings and Solid Models in SmartCAMAll SmartCAM licenses can read and write wireframe, surface and solid CAD files using ACIS SAT, STEP, IGES, DXF or DWG file formats.Additionally, native CAD file translators are available at an additional cost that read SOLIDWORKS® .SLDPRT, Autodesk® Inventor® .IPT files, Solid Edge® .PAR and .PSM part files and ProE®/CREO® .PRT and .XPR files. All SmartCAM applications can use CAD wireframe drawing data as reference geometry, toolpath, toolpath boundaries, stock boundaries and more. Surface and Solid data can be read and wireframe geometry obtained from the model which can also be used for those same tasks. Users of the higher‑level SmartCAM applications can model Toolpaths directly using the solid model. The SmartCAM Code Generator (aka Post Processor)Why buy a CAM system in the first place?The single‑most important reason for investing in any CAM system is to enable you to quickly and easily generate high quality and reliable CNC Code for your CNC machining operations. We could take up so much of your time in telling you every detail about the CNC code‑creation functionality delivered in every SmartCAM license, but as enthusiastic about our solutions as we are, this is not the place for us to do that. But we would like to let you know that The SmartCAM Code Generator tools delivered with every single SmartCAM license are probably the most open and flexible in the CAM world. They are not inaccessible black boxes but are based upon open formatting, output control and logic functions that enable SmartCAM users to modify and fine‑tune outputs to their precise needs.
Code Generators are most often created using an existing SmartCAM library code generators as a template. Naturally - as with any software that is new to you - there is a learning curve before you can fully understand the tools and how to apply them. If you prefer to concentrate on producing parts then a chargeable code‑generation consultancy service is available.
The SmartCAM Customization ToolKitCustomize, extend and automate SmartCAM for yourself.Referred to as The SmartCAM CTK by the SmartCAM community. SmartCAM is effectively greater than the sum of its parts. It's kind of difficult to convey, but we'll try to explain. SmartCAM is designed and created by engineers for engineers: we know a lot about CNC machines, CNC Machining and CNC Code. The tools in SmartCAM are comprehensive and flexible. The SmartCAM community rates the fact that if you were to hit an apparent limitation then there is usually a technique that can be used in SmartCAM to deliver exactly what it is that is required. We know that SmartCAM users would not have it any other way. That does not mean that SmartCAM delivers functionality for every specific and uniquely detailed application of CAM for every applications case for every CAM engineer in every CNC manufacturing facility anywhere in the world. We wouldn't dare claim to do that, and no credible supplier of CAM software can guarantee to do so. But the SmartCAM Customization Kit is another of our open set of tools delivered with every SmartCAM license that can be used to, well, customize your use of SmartCAM. A manufacturer of volume parts used in the hydraulic and pneumatic industries, for example, would benefit from parameterized family of part programming that could be created using the SmartCAM CTK. Customization can flawlessly produce Toolpath, CNC code and other outputs time and time again. In fact we know that customers who have created such customization seldom bother to check graphical Toolpaths or code. It works, every time. A further example scenario for application of the SmartCAM CTK is in automating small‑ or large‑scale tasks that are specific to your CNC manufacturing procedures, machines and personnel when necessary. Your setup and work practices may, for example, require you to frequently apply tasks or sequences of tasks that are not in the box of any CAM system. 
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