GibbsCAM Plunge Roughing Unveiled at WESTEC 2010

By DE Editors

Gibbs and Associates, developer of GibbsCAM software for programming CNC machine tools, will reveal and demonstrate the release version of its enhanced Plunge Rough feature at the WESTEC 2010 Exposition. The conference will be held in the South Hall of the Los Angeles Convention Center, March 23-25.

The new Plunge Rough feature within GibbsCAM 2010 accommodates the latest, inserted plunge milling tools developed for this type of material removal, and allows users to specify machining patterns and multiple variables to control tools and motion.

“Our Advanced 3D users will be quite surprised with the new feature,” says Bill Gibbs, founder and president of Gibbs and Associates. “The new Plunge Rough is fully integrated and has increased intelligence about stock condition, tracking where material has been removed, so it can detect safe pull-off direction and distance when it retracts the tool.”

GibbsCAM Advanced 3D users will see Plunge Rough as a custom process tile appearing in their machining palette, with several new options and parameters, including the ability to:

• Specify plunge milling patterns as linear (with cutting direction at any angle), circular, contour, or as patterns between two specified guide curves
• Select part type as core or cavity
• Define pull-off motion and distance to eliminate surface marking and minimize tool wear
• Specify containment surfaces, containment geometry, and stock bodies to control areas to be machined
• Plunge rough contour patterns with containment, after faces to be machined, containment faces, and the start point of the contour are specified

For more information, visit Gibbs and Associates.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company's website.