Mastercam
Mastercam, a specialist in CAD/CAM software, has announced a new Add-On product, Mastercam APlus by CAMufacturing Solutions, designed for 3D printing. APlus can be used with Mastercam Mill, Lathe, or Router licenses.
Using the same interface Mastercam users are familiar with, APlus customers can program, backplot, and simulate 3D printing scenarios as they would with traditional toolpaths in Mastercam according to the company.
APlus uses direct energy deposition (DED) and has toolpaths developed specifically to handle any geometry in 3D printing according to Mastercam, as well as features and utilities designed to remove uncertainty out of the process and to improve efficiency.
Hybrid manufacturing provides users with the versatility to build parts from scratch, add features to an existing part, or to repair a worn or damaged part says Mastercam. The company says that APlus integrates ‘seamlessly’ with Mastercam to allow users to generate 3D printing toolpaths, as well as visualise the additive machining outcome.
“APlus brings additive manufacturing to the Mastercam user in a form that is consistent with the workflow used for over 40 years. Direct energy deposition is making its way into many machine shops and being able to program hybrid machines or dedicated additive machines using Mastercam makes the transition seamless. With the hybrid process of alternating adding material and milling allows parts with internally machined features to be created that would have been impossible without additive," said Kenneth Fortier, Technical Product Manager, Mastercam.
Mastercam says that since AM is ‘not simply reversing machining toolpaths’, all features and toolpaths are designed and developed to ensure users experience efficient and practical results for the additive and hybrid manufacturing process.
The company says that an ideal application for using APlus is for blade repairs, where the tip of individual blades are showing wear. To repair the part, the user machines off the worn tip using a suitable toolpath in Mastercam.
Using APlus, a user can 3D print or deposit material onto the machined surfaces to near net shape. Users can also machine the printed sections to the desired specifications, a process which the company says can ‘dramatically’ lower costs when compared to buying or machining a new blade or stocking spare parts.
