New Users Are Adopting Simulation Software
Even though the market for NC simulation software is mature, that doesn’t mean that new users cannot adopt it. In fact, one CGTech representative lists four reasons why shops that had never considered simulation software before are now opting for it.
Share
I might have thought that NC simulation software was a mature market. CGTech’s Vericut software, which accurately models CNC machine tools in order simulate the postprocessed version of an NC program, has been available for years—long enough for shops able to benefit from this simulation to have found it. Yet when I recently spoke with a CGTech representative, he said that in fact new business is surging. Shops that have never considered simulation software before are opting for it now.
The company points to various reasons for this. They include:
1. Solid models. In past decades, it wasn’t necessarily true that shops were programming with solid models. Today, the use of solid models is commonplace. Broader availability of solid models for workpieces, cutting tools and machines makes program simulation easier to implement.
2. Higher value work. Particularly for U.S. manufacturers, some of the most lucrative machining opportunities involve parts that are geometrically challenging and/or made from a challenging material. Where the part value is higher, the value of avoiding an error or collision that could damage the part becomes that much higher as well.
3. Capacity constraints. Many shops today have enough work that they are challenged to schedule it all. Performing program prove-out on the machine, therefore, becomes a costly use of machine capacity. Better to prove out the program with software instead.
4. Five axis machining. This is the big one that CGTech sees. Many shops installing their first five-axis machine tool are justifiably cautious about the complexity of this machine’s movements. Simulating the five-axis job before it runs offers a way to safeguard this sophisticated machine.
Related Content
-
Cutting Part Programming Times Through AI
CAM Assist cuts repetition from part programming — early users say it cuts tribal knowledge and could be a useful tool for training new programmers.
-
2 Secondary Coordinate Systems You Should Know
Coordinate systems tell a CNC machine where to position the cutting tool during the program’s execution for any purpose that requires the cutting tool to move.
-
Continuous Improvement and New Functionality Are the Name of the Game
Mastercam 2025 incorporates big advancements and small — all based on customer feedback and the company’s commitment to keeping its signature product best in class.