Developed to build on the productivity enhancing features introduced with its previous revision, the latest release of Planit Software Limited’s market leading Edgecam computer aided manufacturing (CAM) software, Edgecam 2009 R2, offers even more.

Featuring significant enhancements to all aspects of the product, R2 will enable users to be even more productive with the introduction of time saving and safer machining features.

For the efficient programming of turning, milling and mill-turning machine tools Edgecam’s easy to use Operations provide significant benefits. Based on the most useful and common options of the underlying cycles, they enable both new and current users to quickly generate high quality toolpaths. Edgecam 2009 R2 adds new Operations for rough and finish turning, as well as for 5-axis applications.

Also in turning, the “Rest Roughing” option has been enhanced to remove material more effectively. For more advanced turning centres, the Safe Turret Parking options ensure the machining process is executed safely, avoiding costly collisions.

Axis over travel is a common issue for head/table mill-turn centres. Chief Technical Officer, Russell Franks, says: “In this release we have introduced ‘Safe Zone’ options to ensure that approach moves do not over travel the axis limits and the tool can approach the part safely after an index move, making all approach moves much safer.”

The Automatic Feature Finder within Edgecam Solid Machinist has been enhanced to detect every ‘hole’ feature contained in a model in a single command. This is complemented by the new option to automatically remove duplicate features and place them in the Feature Bin. In turning, features can now be copied or moved between the main and sub-spindles easily to save time.

The introduction of Flat Face Features makes it quicker to machine and automate the machining of flats with the facemill, flatlands and roughing options. The new features are associative to the model and can be used in Edgecam Strategy Manager.

An improved user interface is just one of many enhancements to Edgecam Strategy Manager, an automation tool that captures the best machining practices and re-uses them on future projects. A new ‘Run-Only’ license introduces a cost-effective method for Edgecam users to view and run processes without the ability to edit them.

The introduction of ‘In-Process’ stock for milling and mill-turn machines produces an intermediate stock model as the machining sequences are executed, enabling an accurate representation of the remaining stock to be used for subsequent operations.

Edgecam 2009 R2 has been comprehensively endorsed by Autodesk, gaining full certification for use with Inventor 2010.

Customer feedback is critical to the development process, and in addition to many new features, Edgecam 2009 R2 includes many minor enhancements requested by Edgecam users.

“Achieving the balance between new features, and satisfying the minor enhancements requested by our Edgecam users is always a challenge, but in this release we feel we’ve achieved that. I’m confident new and existing users will enjoy greater productivity from Edgecam 2009 R2,” comments Russell Franks.