Home >> Latest ArtCAM News >> Delcam’s design software on show at APMM
DM Solutions, Delcam’s reseller based in Derry, New Hampshire, will demonstrate how Delcam’s software for artistic applications can help professional modelmakers at the APMM conference taking place in Boston from 26th to 29th March. Among the software range that DM will present will be the ArtCAM family of products, plus the PowerSHAPE CAD program for more complex design projects.
The main change in the ArtCAM 2010 version that visitors will see at the expo is the completely new interface. This can be customized by each user to give them the optimum productivity. Every user can set up the software to give quicker access to the commands that they use most frequently, so releasing much more of the screen for visualization of the model as the design progresses.
Another change that will increase productivity is the ability to use many more commands on the 3D model directly. Previously, much of ArtCAM’s modelling had to be carried out on a 2D view, and then calculated and visualized in 3D. Direct editing in the 3D window will give more immediate feedback, and allow much faster creation and modification of designs.
Further improvements have been made to the sculpting tools. These tools are highly valued by ArtCAM’s creative users as they can be used to produce virtually any shape. They duplicate in the virtual world the ability to sculpt physical materials but with the added advantage that material can be added as well as taken away.
On the machining side, a great deal of underlying technology has been incorporated into ArtCAM from Delcam’s industry-leading engineering CAM system, PowerMILL, such as the latest in multi-threading technology which gives faster calculation times. The machining improvements in ArtCAM 2010 will also give users greater flexibility to edit toolpaths, in particular to optimize the leads and links.
The main change in the new release of PowerSHAPE is a new solid modelling kernel. The addition of this additional kernel, together with Delcam’s existing tools, allows PowerSHAPE to read in and repair models from all sources, including IGES and native CATIA files, and output solid models that can be read directly into all major CAD software.
The new Solid Doctor feature uses automatic data repair tools, together with the surface creation and editing options that are available from PowerSHAPE. This combination means that simple repairs can be carried out quickly and easily, while more complex problems can be overcome by deleting and replacing the existing surfaces within the model.
Designs from ArtCAM and PowerSHAPE can be combined by wrapping decoration developed in ArtCAM onto product models developed in PowerSHAPE. This unique combination of functionality is ideal for adding logos or other branding onto packaging, for creating highly decorated items such as toys and for converting standard products into more distinctive designs with higher apparent value.