[mattpatt]

Hi all,

Anyone got an opinion on HSMworks?

A friend's using it and just like SC it runs inside SW, which is of course most important for me as I just can't stand the thought of not being inside SW while messing with CAM.

Setup looks pretty simple and at quick glance there's a couple of things that SC could really benefit from.

The Adaptive clearing strategy looks great, with very fancy toolpaths, but I have no idea how they'll actually cut on the machine.

One downside I saw already after having a play with a 'pretend' part was that it takes an age to generate the toolpath if cutting rest material. SC would have got the job done a lot quicker.

Comments? If any?

[Brakeman Bob]

Hi Matt,

HSMworks is developed by the same people who created CIMCO Edit and I know that the graphics / backplot side of that is pretty good as long you are only working on a 3 axis machine.

Sorry I can't be more helpful.

Bob

[mattpatt]

Funny you should say that Bob, as when we generated the gcode, the editor was exactly that. CIMCO Edit with a name change. Very handy seeing as I use CIMCO Edit, so no learning curve there.

Backplotting and simulation also very good, but haven't tried it with anything other than a 'test' part that was just a few funny shapes with pockets, holes, and a couple of extrusions.

Anyway, we'll see what happens.

[dengo]

Hi Matt,

Not seen HSMworks but it sounds very much like the version of 'imachining' I tried out.
It had intelligence in the clearing too and Solidcam were telling me about how quick it was at doing calculations but it was a pretty basic part so I didn't notice any real speed increase.

This post also works for your imachining question....how's that for efficiency???

And I'd just like to add that I think "imachining" is an inspired name. Putting an "i" in front of a word !!! Brilliant. How do the boffins come up with these things ?

[CNC_USER]

Just out of curiosity did you like the name "iMachining"? I'm not really sure what a "Boffin" is.

[Brakeman Bob]

I think it is a ridiculous name, just gimmick trying to associate the technology with the epitome of cool (in some peoples opinion).

[mattpatt]

Silly name indeed, but is it any good. Has anyone actually evaluated it?

It seems that these days you have to put an 'i' in front of everything to stand any chance of selling it.

[Brakeman Bob]

It hasn't been released yet. It was supposed to be released at the MACH exhibition here in the UK back in June but now it will be included with SolidCAM 2011 (due in August but don't hold your breath). Don't know if it will be part of the main package or a module like HSM.

[dengo]

It is a module, and I've also heard on the grapevine that 3D may be dropped soon so they can concentrate on HSM & imachining.

And for CNC_USER in the USA, i don't like the "New" name.
Sorry for my English irony showing through.
And a Boffin would usually be associated with a mad scientist type in a white coat. Think "Doc" in "Back to the Future".........

[liranko]

iMachining appears to be promising.

I found a site explaining iMachining advantages
iMachining