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A comprehensive set of instructional videos from PartMaker Inc., a division of Delcam Plc, detail the enhanced features in PartMaker version 9. These tutorials can be downloaded from its Web site, www.partmaker.com. Users with a valid maintenance agreement can log into the company’s support zone and download comprehensive instruction for the new version, including details about how to take advantage of the software’s more productive, restyled user interface; its ability to program directly on a solid model; and the facility to automatically generate HTML-based setup sheets.

The major highlight of the updated software is a new-look user interface featuring configurable toolbars designed for ease of use, the company says. Additionally, existing icons have been recast to make them easier to understand. The new toolbars are said to make the software faster and more productive for both new and existing users.

The update allows users to integrate a solid model into the programming window and assign tool paths directly to the model. The “Extract Parameters from Solids” feature automatically retrieves critical manufacturing data from a solid model to save time and reduce the chance for error by eliminating redundant data entry, the company says.

The software also allows the user to automatically generate professional setup sheets to improve shopfloor documentation. This feature, available to users who have licensed the PartMaker Documentation Wizard (PDW), is said to speed machine setup time by eliminating the manual setup sheet creation and by providing clear instructions about how to set up a new job.