WORKNC 2021.0

Faster Toolpaths

On average, twice as fast. For some projects, four times faster. Those figures have been recorded for the enhanced Parallel Finishing toolpath in WORKNC 2021, which lets manufacturers use high speed cutters of any shape… especially circle segment tools such as barrel, lens and oval cutters.

This strategy is now on average twice as fast as the previous equivalents, Planar Finishing and Z-Level finishing. In certain projects, the calculation time difference was four times faster.

Part Centering - Probing

Another important feature in the latest release of the software is the New Part centering / probing function, which generates pointset nodes for any inspection machine or direct CNC part inspection on a milling machine. And a new Probe Inspect command creates and exports control points in the CAM project to feed a probing system. There are also specific improvements to part centering, tailored for CNC machines with table palletization.

Automatic Curve Creation | 5-Axis

The latest release builds on the popular fully automatic 5-axis curve creation, by splitting the steps when more complex curves are required. It also enhances the synchronisation capabilities between each curve’s bottom and top limits.

Corner Finishing | 5-Axis

Improvements to corner finishing with 5-Axis rolling include being able to improve surface quality by using a cutting tool’s larger circle segment. This 5-axis strategy can now change the contact point on the tool, ensuring optimal corner finishing with the tip of an oval tool.

ISO Guiding | 5-Axis

A new strategy – 5-Axis ISO Guiding – not only guides the toolpath by curves, but also by an underlying drive surface. It supports profiled cutters with  advanced toolform technology; and new 5-axis blade finishing functionality allows profile cutter management, based on new algorithms.

WORKNC | Designer

Advanced Analysis

New items of functionality in WORKNC | Designer – the specialist CAD for CAM 3D modelling module – include eight dedicated advanced analysis functions for interrogating, analysing and validating CAD models: Compare, Draft Analysis, Edge Analysis, Altitude Analysis, Curvature Analysis, Face area Analysis, Thickness and Face type.

Reverse Engineering

WORKNC | Designer’s Reverse Engineering module allows imported scan data, either from files or directly by connecting to Hexagon scanners, to be converted into a refined mesh. The mesh data can then be used as it is, or as a reference for curve and surface creation, enabling mesh models to be fully reverse engineered to complete CAD or convergent models.

WORKNC 2020.1

The 2020.1 Release of WORKNC is said to make smart factories even smarter with new and enhanced functionality which addresses a number of manufacturing issues.

Advanced Toolform Roughing

When machining with high feed cutters, but calculating with a theoretical circular insert, the resulting stock left will be inherently uneven. WORKNC 2020.1’s Roughing with Advanced Toolform technology allows the milling process to deliver a more accurate roughing stock, eliminating imprecisions characteristic to the traditional parametric toolpath calculation.

While the main roughing cycle took the same time to machine, the more precise result allowed all subsequent rest-roughing toolpaths to be significantly faster in both calculation and machining times. Our tests presented improvements in the rest-roughing area of up to 70%.

The use of the modern Advanced Toolform technology, even when applied to regular parametric tool shapes, improves the quality of the toolpath, and allows the user to break free from limitations such as stepovers or negative offsets bigger than the tool’s corner radius, even on conical tools.

Electrode Module - WORKNC | Designer

WORKNC’s Advanced hybrid modelling system, WORKNC | Designer, introduces an Electrode module, with intuitive and simple dedicated functions designed by engineers with experience in the mould and die industry.

The combination of the new, streamlined electrode functionality, easy to use direct modelling commands and powerful surfacing and healing tools, means electrodes from imported models can be extracted quickly, to create finer details on parts which can’t be machined using traditional milling techniques.

WORKNC Enhanced Link - WORKNC | Designer

WORKNC | Designer also brings an enhanced link to WORKNC Traditional, now preparing the entire workzone before sending it to the manufacturing planning phase of the process. The workflow has been streamlined, making sure the process is as simple, automated and straight-forward as possible. The WORKNC solution is now empowered by a modern CAD preparation platform that will continue to bring WORKNC users closer to the digital thread.

NCSIMUL Interface

WORKNC 2020.1 also brings an integrated link to Hexagon’s simulation solution, NCSIMUL, meaning that manufacturing data created in WORKNC is brought automatically into the application, including fixtures, roughed stock, design part, program origins, machine programs, and complete cutting tool library. From the WORKNC to NCSIMUL link interface, users can elect the Digital Twin Machine available to prove out post-processed G-code programs. This seamless process can transfer multiple part set-ups for verifying multiple operation G-code.

This link between the two solutions is designed so that no further manipulation is required in NCSIMUL for the project set-up. After the interface has done its job, NCSIMUL verification is ready for troubleshooting the new machining jobs through the unique and easy three-step verification process. It means no more file manipulation, lower risk of error, and faster programming-to-verification time. NCSIMUL provides feedrate optimisation, and shop floor documentation.

WORKNC 2020.0

Advanced Toolform

WORKNC 2020.0 expands its exclusive Advanced Toolform technology with the introduction of 5-axis machining for any tool shape.

It allows for 5-axis tool shapes such as barrels, ovals, parabolic, or any given shape, to be calculated over the part surfaces, including negative offsets (allowances).

Circle-segment tools bring the benefit of a smoother contact point, resulting in larger stepovers, without compromising on accessibility, as it keeps the shank diameter relatively small. WORKNC’s Advanced Toolform solution allows for multiple surfaces to be machined at the same time, in CAD models coming from any source, solid or surface based.

Wall Machining Toolpath

The Wall Machining toolpath also gets a boost by including the Spiral patterns and 2D toolpath compensation. Sharp edges are now protected by a corner smoothing radius and retracts have been optimised to increase productivity and reduce machining time.

Performance Improvements

Customers will benefit from performance improvements achieved in this version, specifically on the Waveform roughing toolpath, on Holder and 5-axis Machine Collision checking, and 3D Stock initialisation.

Toolpaths Improvements

Finishing toolpaths can now handle bottom stock allowances, and the Global Roughing toolpath can now access more difficult regions by allowing miniscule shank approximations.