Mastercam To Show Off MR2 at SOUTH-TEC 2007

The SOUTH-TEC show ushers in the latest CAD/CAM software from Mastercam. The latest software enhancements will be showcased in booth #2205 at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, NC on October 1-4. The latest Milling software introduces significant new capabilities including many 3D toolpath additions and enhancements, added support for SolidWorks® assembly files, Z-oscillation, and much more.

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Mastercam to Unveil New Machining Strategies at Makino Die/Mold Technology Expo

Mastercam will reveal its latest machining techniques at the Makino Die/Mold Technology Expo, September 25-27 in Auburn Hills, Michigan.

The Makino event is geared toward educating the industry on a number of practical machining topics, making it the perfect outlet to show the new Mastercam X2 MR2.

Among the new suite of Mastercam programming techniques to be shown, several are of direct interest to the die/mold industry. These include efficient “peel milling” and new techniques for restricting tool motion to specialized areas.

Makino’s Die Mold Expo

Makino’s 2007 Die Mold Expo will be held September 25 through 27, 2007 at Makino’s Auburn Hills, Michigan Tech Center. Makino’s bi-annual Expo has become a major event for tool, die and mold makers interested in cutting-edge technologies and techniques to improve their competitiveness. The first day of the Expo will feature key industry leaders speaking about business improvement opportunities, including best-selling author Jeff Fox, IRN’s Chief Economist Erich Merkel, IRN’s VP Jud McKinley who will speak about his experience with customer diversification including the “new domestic” OEMs, and several other speakers.

Makino’s Die/Mold Technology Center is located at 2600 Superior Court, Auburn Hills, Michigan, 48326. The building is at Superior and Lapeer roads (M-24), one-mile from I-75 and M-24 off E. Walton Boulevard. It is 31 miles from the Greater Detroit Airport, and is near The Palace at Auburn Hills, a major sports venue in the area. For additional information, call Makino at 1-800-552-3288.

Register to attend the Makino Die Mold Expo by visiting www.makino.com/expo, or by calling Makino’s Auburn Hills Tech Center at (248) 232-6200 or toll free 1-800-552-3288.

Exploring Underused CAM Features

Mastercam contributed an article to Moldmaking Technology magazine that explores some underused CAM features that can improve moldmaking productivity and trim operating costs.

The article focuses on the market pressures that mold shops are experiencing. The key pressures that plague mold shops on a daily basis are shortening delivery leadtimes and reducing labor and material costs, while at the same time maintaining or improving their already high quality standards.

CAM developers are also under pressure. They serve customers (who are the top priority), they serve CNC machine builders, and they serve tooling manufacturers who ask for improvements to current offerings. There is a lot going on in the world of CAM technology. Some of these developments can have the potential to favorably impact a moldmaking shop’s profitability. This article focuses on that – new CAM features that reduce CNC programming labor, and new developments that improve CNC throughput and quality.

CAM software companies can reduce their clients’ labor costs by regularly offering new versions of software with open architecture, associativity, and change recognition. A few examples of how CAM software features can improve quality and throughput are high speed machining, high speed strategies for conventional CNCs, feedrate optimization, and the ability to have absolute control of your software.

To learn more about the underused features of CAM software, go to http://www.moldmakingtechnology.com/articles/050701.html.

CIMCO Edit

As a CNC programmer or machinist on the shop floor who is responsible for creating or editing CNC programs, you need a reliable, fast, and professional tool to make your job faster and more productive.

CIMCO Edit is a great editor for those CNC programmers that demand a full-featured and reliable, yet cost-effective editing and communication tool.

Some features of CIMCO Edit include:

• Handles large CNC programs. It is limited only by the amount of memory on your PC.
• Math functions include basic math, rotate, mirror, tool compensation, and translate.
• Side-by-Side File Compare: Fast and fully configurable allowing users to choose whether to view differences one line at a time or all at once. Supports side-by-side printing for offline review.
• 3D Mill / 2D Lathe Open-GL Back Plotter: Plot your 3-axis Mill and 2-axis Lathe programs inside CIMCO Edit with step and continuous forward and reverse synchronized plotting. * Drag-and-drop editing. * CNC code specific functions including line numbering / renumbering, character handling, XYZ range finder, and more.

For more information on CIMCO edit, visit http://www.cimco-software.com/product_description.php3?prod_id=10.

Mastercam Router Available in Courseware

A Mastercam 3rd Party Partner, Streamingteacher, has completed courseware for the Mastercam Router product. Streamingteacher provides subscription-based delivery of training materials in the form of streaming audio/video. Students are able to learn at their own pace, and from any location (work, home, school).

With quality streaming video and crystal clear voice-over, it’s like a Mastercam instructor by your side 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for the duration of your subscription.

For more information on Streamingteacher visit http://www.streamingteacher.com/.