I attended the SurfCam users meeting I have been dismayed at the lack of progress made since the buy out and acquisitions of Surfcam by Vero in 2013 and then again in 2014, when Vero was sold. It seemed that SurfCam's heyday was over and I expected to be disappointed again, but you know, there was a free lunch there, so I went...
I was shocked as Surfcam has without warning announced a totally new product for 2015, and its a biggie, let me tell you. The marketing name for the new product is, SurfCam EVO
Every 5-7 years, SurfCam seems to announce something really different, in 2002 it was TrueMill then in 2009 it was all new 5-axis capabilities and 3axis Multi-Cut. What I saw today, will probably eclipse all of that, AND by a long shot.
I don't work for Vero Software and I'm not affiliated with them, their dealer network or any of their software offerings, so please don't call me some kind of Surfcam paid advocate. I've been a SurfCam user since the first year of the companies initial software release. I worked with the Diehl family way back then and was there for the launch of Truemill. The new product looks to be even more revolutionary than Truemill was in back in 2002, which is saying alot...
Some highlights that I saw:
- It has virtually nothing in common with SurfCam 2015, totally new 100% windows integration from the ground up.
- Complete Windows functionality, like SolidWorks
- Detachable and dockable tool bars, menus and such
- Complete Feature based solid model milling package
- Complete Feature based solid model lathe package
- Complete Feature based solid model Mill/Turn package
- Automatic Stockmodel Creation
- Automatic Stockmodel update after each machine operation
- Automatic Stockmodel update, rest machining, for mill and also for lathe and mill/turn
- Automatic Tool Selection for all machining and rest machining operations
- New engagement milling process (think: New TrueMill version)
- New engagement lathe turn process (think; New TrueMill for turning tools)
- New engagement lathe mill rotary turn process (think; TrueMill for C-axis turn/mill milling operations)
- Post Processor/Kinematic machine verification and integration all in one, machine selection also selects kinematics and post processor. Verification is done in with the actual post processor
- STL machine Kinematic graphic files, user configurable (ala VeriCut)
- Native CAD files open in their native format, using native kernel integration, result; zero surface or trimming errors, 100% solid model functionality and feature recognition
- Full 64-bit multi-thread, multi-core processor support, with background processing, user selected
- Automation Selectable with up to 100% automatic feature recognition, true hands free tool path creation, either one and done part programming or manual control as desired...
System requirements will be high, 64-bit, 8 core processor, 16gb ram, Quadro or ATI-Fire Pro 4gb video cards, minimum
Demonstrations are always skewed to be simple and trouble free for the demo jock, as we all know. However, I literally watched 2 and 3 axis parts imported from Pro-E and Catia for lathe, mill and mill/turn, recognized for geometric features and then machined complete with no programmer intervention. Automatic tool selection, tool type and tool length. It was almost scary, as I considered my decades of experience as a programmer being handed over to some high school kid with no machine shop experience...
Supposedly, they loaded a mill/turn program on an Okuma Multus, 5 axis mill/turn and it ran in simulation mode without errors
They stated that this is not a replacement for SurfCam 2015, but a parallel product, I'm not sure why that is, maybe a user legacy issue that they always talk about at SurfCam
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The cost...? I believe it will probably be like a new seat of SurfCam, depending on functionality of the product purchased, ie, 2 axis basic or advanced, 3 axis basic or advanced, lathe, mill/turn, 4/5 axis etc....
The promise..? They stated without doubt and I asked twice to be sure; ALL users currently on maintenance WILL receive both versions at the same level, (I get a full 5 axis version) as being 'grandfathered' in, though you will be required to sign up for a 2 day training class to qualify...
Any questions....?
PS. If your software support is not current, I would definitely think about sending in your maintenance update payment 2-DAY....