OMAX, Spatial co-develop 3D tool pathing solution for waterjet machining

By Niraj M Wanikar, Chief Editor, CNCTimes.com, 2014-06-11 12:16:09

Spatial Corp, the leading provider of 3D development components for manufacturing applications and OMAX Corporation, the leading provider of advanced abrasive waterjet solutions, have combined technologies to create what could be considered the market’s easiest-to-use 3D tool pathing solution. The new Intelli-CAM software tool for OMAX JetMachining Centres generates 3D tool paths from solid 3D models as well as quickly performs 3D to 2D file conversions.

Intelli-CAM incorporates Spatial’s 3D InterOp to import CAD files from a variety of 3D sources, including CATIA, SolidWorks, Solid Edge, Autodesk Inventor, Siemens NX, Pro/E, Creo and much more. Intelli-CAM then applies custom solutions from OMAX and Spatial to convert the geometry into full 3D paths suitable for waterjet cutting.

The OMAX JetMachining cenre’s controller then uses the 3D paths to automatically apply cutting models using OMAX’s AutoPath functionality, which ensures the most precise part in the least amount of time and with minimal operator involvement.

“Helping OMAX expand the 3D capabilities of Intelli-CAM highlights the power of the Spatial component platform and the value our partnership with OMAX,” explained Mr Vivekan Iyengar, vice president of research and development for Spatial. “For Spatial, data reuse means delivering data in a manner that allows applications to more easily integrate into existing workflows with minimal disruption and high reliability. Reliability is important to OMAX. To their end user, any problem in the workflow has an associated cost and is typically seen as a problem in the application, not as a problem in the integrity of the incoming CAD model. 3D InterOp does the most to prevent the user from ever seeing those problems by automatically cleaning and repairing the CAD model during the import process,” he said.

According to Mr Carl Olsen, lead software engineer for OMAX Corporation, Spatial’s 3D InterOp technology allows OMAX to provide extremely robust and proven 3D file import capabilities to its JetMachining Center owners. “Our customers can now import practically any major 2D or 3D CAD drawing out there, which is especially beneficial to job shops because they often don’t know the original CAD system for a file,” he said. “Plus, they don’t have to purchase expensive CAD software filter packages.”

Olsen also noted that OMAX customers doing 3D programming for 5-axis waterjet cutting will find Intelli-CAM greatly simplifies those operations, suggesting that Intelli-CAM “may be the easiest to use 5-axis CAM software ever.” Intelli-CAM, which interfaces directly with OMAX’s intuitive Intelli-MAX Software Suite, is available as a free update to OMAX JetMachining Centre owners and is backed by the company’s unparalleled support.

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