We are currently looking into developing a new NC Verification and Simulation (Virtual Machining) software system that would have many of the features and look-and-feel of commercial-grade systems at a more affordable price for the masses.
A brief introduction of NC Verification and Simulation systems for those that are not familiar with them:
Many NC programs are verified through trial machining which are slow, costly and sometimes dangerous to the machine and/or the operator. CNC users can overcome this by using software tools to simulate and verify NC programs in a Virtual Machining environment before making the actual cuts on their parts. Also, such programs give the added benefit of allowing the optimization of cutting parameters which in turn speed up the machining process, improve the quality of parts, and increase tool life. Commercial-grade systems allow users to visualize the cutting process and the part in fully interactive 3D modes (including viewing from any angle, zooming into tight areas, use of transparencies and 3D sectioning, etc.), get feedback on cutting times, accuracy and mistakes (e.g. gouges and undercuts), and directly debug and optimize NC programs.
There are currently a few commercial systems in the marketplace that sell for many thousands of dollars and are feature-rich. There are also smaller software systems that sell for much less, but lack the accuracy, speed, features and look-and-feel of their commercial equivalents. We want to create a system that fills this gap by delivering many (but not all) of the features of commercial-grade systems at lower-costs to allow mainstream CNC users access to the benefits of a more useful NC Verification and Simulation system.
Since the development of such a system involves a great deal of effort, time, and expense, please help us in our decisions by responding to the survey and making any related comments in your messages.
Thank you.
revygcam
(Please see a general overview of the software in my followup posting below)