Delcam has launched the 2011 version of Delcam for SolidWorks, its integrated CAM system for SolidWorks. This new release includes comprehensive options for the programming of turning and mill-turn equipment, alongside the company's industry-leading technology for drilling and two- through five-axis milling. This expanded range of strategies will allow users to program everything from lathes up to mill-turn equipment, more quickly, more reliably and more easily than with other integrated CAM systems.

Delcam for SolidWorks combines the benefits associated with Delcam's PowerMILL and FeatureCAM CAM systems. It is based on Delcam's proven machining algorithms that are already used by more than 30,000 customers around the world. The software offers PowerMILL's exceptional speed of toolpath calculation, plus the advanced strategies for high-speed and five-axis machining, to ensure increased productivity, maximum tool life and immaculate surface finish, even when cutting the hardest, most challenging materials. At the same time, Delcam for SolidWorks has the same strong focus on ease of use as FeatureCAM, including all of the knowledge-based automation that makes that system so consistent and reliable.

The new release of Delcam for SolidWorks benefits from all of Delcam's recent developments to take advantage of the latest hardware, including support for 64-bit computers. 64-bit technology removes the memory limitations of 32-bit computers so allowing more efficient toolpath generation, especially for companies machining large or complex parts. The use of the latest multi-threading technologies has been extended to further increase user productivity. In addition, improved memory management within the software gives faster calculation times, with the greatest benefits again coming when programming larger or more complex components.

All of the latest turning developments in FeatureCAM 2011 are incorporated into Delcam for SolidWorks, including a new style of finishing that uses separate passes to cut the faces and the diameters of the component. This approach gives a better surface finish, improved tool life and more efficient clearance of the chips generated during the first pass over the part.

All of the new options are, of course, fully integrated into the SolidWorks environment so that the program continues to look and behave like SolidWorks. Full associativity is still maintained so that any changes in the CAD model are reflected automatically in the toolpaths.

All of the additional strategies can be checked by the integrated simulation module on the computer before being passed to the machine tool. Finally, the range of post-processors has been extended to allow fast accurate data transfer to all leading types of turning equipment, including sophisticated turn-mill machines, such as the Mazak Integrex, Daewoo Puma and Nakamura-Tome products.