Regenerable Process Containers - the previously released Container elements has been extended. When Inserting into a Container, process panels now capture the panel parameters, insert properties, and element and group references used to create the toolpath, and store them in the resulting process container element. The process panel can later be recalled by modifying the process element, and after changing parameters the toolpath can be regenerated.

Job Library - Allows existing job steps and tools to be stored into a Job Library JOF and reused when adding or editing steps and tools within a job. This functionality can also be used to merge JOF files and automatically resolve tool and step number conflicts.

Process Planner Improvements - The Process Planner has been improved to: allow renumbering of tools, to change the tool type of an existing tool without effecting the tool number, to use the new Tool Copy option allows the current tool definition, to use the Choose Step option which allows a step definition to be updated by copying an existing step.

Hide Selected / Hide Unselected / Show Hidden - A new set of Group commands allow individual elements to be conveniently selected and hidden without regard for their Step or Layer property. Hidden elements can be redisplayed using the Show Hidden command. Unlike masked elements, hidden the elements remain active in the database, so it is now possible to back plot hidden toolpath elements to the graphics view one by one using Showpath.

View Filters - A new display filtering capability has been added to provide more control over the graphics and list views. It is now possible to remove an entire class of elements from the display, for example all Wireframe (Layer), Surfaces, Toolpath (Step), Hidden, or Masked elements. This feature is particularly useful for managing the list view, for example it allows you to synchronize the list view with the graphics view by removing all hidden and masked elements.

Container Elements - A new container element type has been added to the system. Container elements can be used to collapse a sequential set of elements into a single element, for example a part profile or toolpath. Container elements can be created manually from a selected group of elements or automatically as toolpath output from a Process panel. Container elements can be modified allowing their content to be unpacked, edited, and repacked, and a Name and Description can also be specified. This new capability allows you to organize your SmartCAM process model data and reduce list view complexity.

You can create Container Elements in two ways:

Group Invert Selection - A new Invert Selection Group command allows unselected elements to be automatically exchanged for selected elements. This feature is particularly useful when grouping mutually exclusive sets of geometry, for example Cut and Avoid surfaces.

Create Curves - Polyline Thin - A new Polyline Thin command allows a group of polylines to be simplified by reducing the number of segments based on a specified chord height tolerance. You can specify whether to keep the original polylines and if their properties should be matched. The Polyline Thin function is useful for simplifying imported CAD polyline data, or for reducing the Code output of large roughing toolpaths.

View - Dynamic View - Combo - A new Combo option has been added to the Dynamic View panel. When enabled the graphics view can be zoomed, panned, and rotated using a standard 3 button mouse. This improvement provides quicker view manipulation and eliminates the need to switch back and forth between different viewing modes when orienting the model. The mouse controls are:

List View - The behavior of the list view has been updated with the following improvements:

Mouse Wheel Support - SmartCAM lists, such as the list view, the Job Operations Planner Step and Tool lists, and pop-lists, now respond to the mouse wheel to scroll the list up and down.

Edit Filter Improvements - The Edit Filter-Restrict to inputs for Layer and Step now allow entry of ranges, lists, or wild card. The Edit Filter dialog box also now includes the capability to filter on the new Container element type.

Check for Product Updates - A new utility provides the ability to automatically check and compare your current SmartCAM product versions to the latest available on the SmartCAM downloads page. Run 'Check for Product Updates' in the SmartCAMv13 Start menu shortcut to check for any available updates to your installed SmartCAM products.

Configurable List View Markers - Due to the addition of the new Hidden element functionality it became necessary to add additional list view element markers. As a result you can now change the single character marker used to designate elements in the current Group, the Insert Position, and Masked and Hidden geometry. The list view markers are defaulted as follows but can be modified as desired.

[ListViewMarkers]
Selected= - (elements in the current active group)
InsertPosition= * (current insert position element)
Masked= o (elements that are masked)
Hidden= ^ (elements that are hidden)
MaskedHidden= ô (elements that are both masked and hidden)

Active Field Highlight Color - It is now possible to change the text color of the active panel field to a more visible color. In previous versions the default was white, it is now blue.

Customizing SmartCAM Menus - Prior to SmartCAM v13, you could modify and add custom toolboxes to the User Menu only. It is now possible to make similar additions to the Create, Process, and Edit menus.

Customizing Existing Toolboxes - Prior to SmartCAM v13, you could modify and add custom panels to a limited set of system toolboxes. It is now possible to add custom panels to these additional toolboxes: Edit-Transform, Process-Rough, and Process-Surface Machining.

Recording Macros of Custom Panels - It is now possible to record and playback macros which use custom user toolbox panels. When recording the macro within SmartCAM any variable data associated with the PCB panel will be recorded in the macro for subsequent playback.

Spiral Hole Making - Allows users to compute a continuous, smooth spiral toolpath for straight or tapered through or blind holes.

Ramp Entries - A new toolbox in the Process menu provides the capability to create Ramped, Along Path, and Spiral entries that can be applied to non-offset 2.5D roughing tool path to allow the tool to gently descend into material.

ACIS Modeling Kernel Upgrade - The ACIS kernel has been upgraded to ACIS version 15.0. This improvement ensures compatibility with the latest ACIS based CAD modelers.

ACIS Modeling Kernel Upgrade - The ACIS kernel has been upgraded to ACIS version 15.0. This improvement ensures compatibility with the latest ACIS based CAD modelers.

Z-Level (Water-level) Core & Cavity Roughing Automation - Provides FreeForm Machining users a new process which simplifies the creation of pocketing style Z-Level roughing toolpath on a set of surfaces or a solid.

Pencil Milling - A new surface machining process creates tool path that follows the valleys formed by surface intersections or creases within a surface. The tool path is created where the specified tool makes dual contact with the selected surfaces. This new strategy efficiently removes material left over from previous operations.

Project Pattern - A new surface machining process, Project Pattern, creates and projects Radial, Spiral, or Pocket patterns onto a set of selected surfaces. This new strategy is useful for machining circular regions or inside user defined boundaries.

Surface Machining Groups - Surface Machining processes now provide the capability to specify independently named groups for Cut and Avoid surface groups. A Specify Groups button on the Surface Machining process panels opens a dialog box to select a named group for Cut and Avoid surfaces. Where appropriate, this dialog also allows the selection of a Containment Boundary group.

Surface Machining Containment Boundaries - The Straight and Roughing surface machining processes now provide the capability to select either a single profile or a named group to use as a containment boundary. The named group can contain multiple profiles for multiple containment boundaries. This is related to the new Surface Machining Groups feature.