EngNet » Product & Service News » VERICUT CNC Machine Simulation and Optimisation Software

VERICUT CNC Machine Simulation and Optimisation Software

Product News Friday, June 9, 2006: CGTech Ltd

CGTech Streamlines CNC Simulation with VERICUT Version 6

(Brighton UK - Friday, 02 June 2006) – CGTech has now released the latest version of VERICUT CNC machine simulation and optimisation software. VERICUT 6.0 has many new features designed to increase the ability of CNC manufacturing engineers to simulate, analyse and optimise the entire CNC machining process.

“Due to global competitive pressures on our customers CGTech is increasingly challenged to simulate more complex processes and more complex machines,” said Product Marketing Manager Bill Hasenjaeger. “VERICUT 6.0 ties these complex processes together with the ability to simulate multiple setups in a single simulation session.”

VERICUT 6.0 also includes enhanced collision checking that monitors spindle states for milling and turning simulation, enabling VERICUT to trap common programming errors with spindle and cutting tool usage. Additionally, significantly enhanced simulation of complex cutting tool shapes commonly used in production processes shows the user exactly what will happen when using a tool.

“The result of this work is a tightly unified environment for simulating complex mill/turn multi-function machining centres for production processes,” said Hasenjaeger. VERICUT 6.0 leverages the results of simulating these complex processes with the ability to create inspection instructions, CNC inspection programs, and automated process documentation using the simulated workpiece. Because of VERICUT’s accurate feature-rich in-process model, the inspection and process documents utilise and accurately reflect the state of the workpiece at any stage of the process.

To ensure VERICUT’s Machine Tool simulation is as accurate as possible, CGTech has partnered with many key machine tool builders and control manufactures. CGTech’s Technology Partner Program establishes a cooperative working relationship with a goal of helping mutual manufacturing customers maximise their success and productivity. VERICUT can be integrated and used with all CAD/CAM/PLM systems including Catia, UGS and PTC.

Some of the new and improved features users will find in VERICUT 6.0 include:

Multiple Setups in a Single Session
With the new Project Tree, the user can organise all the NC process steps in one place and the workpeice(s) transition from setup to setup automatically during the simulation session. Each setup has its own CNC machine, fixtures, tools, NC programs and simulation settings. The cut stock moves from setup to setup, with automatic orientation. Once the user selects the CNC machine configuration, the stock, fixture and design component information is attached to the machine, ready to simulate the entire set of machining operations.

Simulate Machines with Multiple Synchronised Tools
VERICUT 6.0 now offers the capability to synchronise up to 32 machine “channels” or machines with multiple synchronised CNC controls. VERICUT’s virtual machine is organised into multiple sub-systems that can all synchronise together seamlessly.

New Tool Manager Speeds NC Program Optimisation
VERICUT’s NC program optimisation module--OptiPath®--is easier to implement thanks to a redesigned Tool Manager. OptiPath tooling data is now stored inside the Tool Manager. This simplifies the implementation by placing all relevant tool information in one place. The new tool assembly wizard simplifies tool creation by using an interactive dialog panel.

Model Export Enhancements
Model Export creates CAD models from the VERICUT ‘in-process’ cut model generated by simulating an NC program. The model includes machined features such as holes, ?llets, corner radii, pocket ?oors and walls – exactly as it is cut on the CNC machine. In VERICUT 6.0, Model Export outputs features where possible and also “synthetic features” when individual features are not possible or desirable (such as “scallops” created by a ball endmill).

Create CNC Probe Programs and Inspection Sequences
VERICUT is an ideal place to create probing routines because of the ‘in-process’ model which is not available anywhere else in the CNC manufacturing process. Rather than having to create additional “manufacturing” CAD geometry that “hopefully” represents the as-cut workpiece, using VERICUT’s simulated in-process feature geometry to create the CNC probe program makes on-machine in- process inspection a practical reality. In addition VERICUT 6.0 allows the creation of customisable inspection reports in HTML or PDF format for use by machine operators and quality control staff.

64 Bit Hardware Support
VERICUT runs as a 64 bit application on Windows XP64. This increases virtual memory access from Windows XP 2GB application limit to the hardware’s maximum.

VERICUT runs under Windows and UNIX operating systems. With headquarters in Irvine , California , CGTech specialises in numerical control (NC/CNC) simulation, verification, optimisation, and analysis software technology for manufacturing. Since 1988 VERICUT has become the world-wide industry standard for simulating and verifying CNC machining. With subsidiaries in the United Kingdom , Germany , France , Italy and Japan and resellers throughout the world, VERICUT software is used by companies of all sizes, universities and government agencies.