What CAD Software Does
a CAM User Need?
CAD – the Everyday Tool
Anyone who uses CAM software to create NC programs will also use CAD software on a daily basis as it is an important tool. The CAD system displays the digital 3D model and, at the same time, supplies all component information that is relevant to manufacturing. In the CAD/CAM software, programmers create construction aids and make any necessary changes to the component.
What is CAD software?
CAD (computer-aided design) is the computer-aided design of a product or component. Geometric models can be generated and modified much more easily when software is used. According to Wikipedia, professional CAD applications today are complex, expert systems for designing and constructing technical solutions.
What does an NC programmer do with a CAD system?
Classic CAD systems are mainly directed at designers and drafters who are always keen to draw on an unlimited range of functions.
The tasks of a CAM programmer, on the other hand, do not revolve around design, but are instead limited to preparing digital models. The programmer therefore focuses on functions such as the extension of surfaces, closing of holes, or the boundaries of milling areas. It therefore makes little economic sense for CAM programmers to use a CAD license whose range of functions they really do not need.
CAD software from a CAM pioneer
Although NC programmers may need fewer functions, what they do need are special functionalities. The CAM experts at OPEN MIND are very familiar with these everyday challenges, which is why they developed their own CAD software program (formerly hyperCAD®-S) in hyperMILL®.
NC programmers benefit from a unique exchange of data between the CAD and CAM system. Special CAD functions make it easier for them to carry our their everyday work. hyperMILL® is the system that brings CAD and CAM together: CAD for CAM.
CAD and CAM interacting
Good NC programming requires teamwork. As one of the team players, hyperMILL® provides special functions for the fast and high-quality preparation of CAD data. The close connection between CAD and CAM is reflected in hyperMILL® in the perfect exchange of information. The team player directly accesses all information that is relevant to manufacturing from the CAD file. CAD functions are directly integrated in the CAM strategies. For example, the hyperMILL® CAM software can automatically extend milling surfaces without any additional effort.
Features of the Built-in CAD Software in hyperMILL®
User-friendly user interface
The hyperMILLsup>® user interface is modern, ergonomic, and does not rely on hidden functions. This allows the CAM user to fully focus on the task at hand.
Customisable filter functions
In addition to familiar properties such as the layer and color, the most common geometric and system properties are available as user-defined filters.
Keyword navigation: Graphic entities can be linked using tags, similar to keywords. This makes it easy to filter all the information about the CAD model. For example: ‘All faces with a radius between 2 and 20mm’.
Intelligent entity management
Toolpaths, polygon meshes, point clouds and rectangles – the inclusion of CAM-relevant entities in the CAD kernel speeds up processes greatly.
Multi-application mode
An integrated 64-bit system and IDE-style interface enables the opening of any number of documents, each in its own application. Multiple models can be processed and calculated at the same time.
Smooth data exchange
hyperMILL® has a comprehensive interface package.
Import
- Standard
3MF (3D Manufacturing Format)
DXF/DWG - Open
IGES
JT model data
OBJ Wavefront
Point clouds (asc pt txt xyz)
PRC (Product Representation Compact)
STEP (AP 203, AP 214, AP242)
STL - Direct
ACIS
Autodesk® Inventor®
Catia V4, V5, V6 (3D)
hyperCAD®
Parasolid
PTC Creo Parametric, PTC Creo
Rhinoceros
Siemens NX
Solid Edge
SOLIDWORKS
Export
- 3D-PDF
DXF/DWG
IGES
Point cloud
STEP
STL
Intuitive operation
Self-explanatory icons and a highly transparent user interface without any hidden functions secure and accelerate operating procedures.
All languages
Available in all the same language versions as hyperMILL®.
What makes a good CAD system for CAM?
3D data can have many entity types and there is often not much consistency from user to user. NC programmers can tell you a thing or two about the kind of customer data they are confronted with every day. For example, customers send them face models as well as solid or mesh models. In addition, the quality of the model surfaces varies considerably.
Which file format do you want? Native data or standard formats? In many environments, the manufacturing process starts with a CAD model supplied by their customer in their preferred format. A CAD system must be able to reliably read in and process all types of data. hyperMILL® is more than up to these requirements. The CAD software offers every CAM programmer the freedom to react flexibly to all circumstances at all times.