madCAM 5.0 Service Release 11

5-axis profiling and scribing in 5Xtra. 
New function for creating lines perpendicular to the model along a curve or several curves. It works on a single surface, polysurfaces and/or solids. It also includes some extra control for angle limits of the machine head, unify normals and flip normals. The perpendicular lines are automatically generated and grouped so that they can be selected by one click when used for the 5-axis trimming/scribing function.







Mesh tolerance. (3X,4X,5X and 5Xtra)
New tolerance to set in madCAM options that will be used for the mesh. If the Rhino render mesh is set to "jagged and faster" or if the "maximum distance edge to surface" is set larger than the madCAM tolerance, madCAM will automatically regenerate the mesh according to the madCAM tolerance before it's used for toolpath calculation. In this way, you do not have to think about the mesh settings in Rhino.



Start points. (3X,4X,5X and 5Xtra)
New option for selecting one or several start points. madCAM will use the start points for linking the toolpath and having the entry point closests to the closest start point. madCAM will check which start point that is closest and calculate the entry point on each toolpath. (3X,4X,5X and 5Xtra)

Default without start points.




When using start points.

madCAM 5.0 Service Release 8

Smart linking for Z-level finishing in madCAM SR 8.

There is a new way of making ramp approaches inbetween curve levels. madCAM looks for the next closed toolpath curve and moves the seam point to minimize the lead-in distance to the next ramp approach. This makes a better cutting action and less "cutting air". The helix lead-ins are only created on open curves.

Scriptable commands.

It is now possible to script the 4-axis and 5-axis settings for indexing and for the axis of revolution. For example: If you type MC_Fiveaxis from the Rhino command line, this will bring up the dialog for the settings.

If you type a minis (-) sign in front (-MC-Fiveaxis), you will be able to enter all settings from the Rhino command line. You can also attach sequenses of commands to a custom button. The new scriptable commands are -MC_FiveAxis, -MC_FourAxis, -MC_Cutter and -MC_Postprocess.

 Overtravel function in 5-axis custom dll's

It is now possible to program the behavior of overtravels in custom dll's. The overtravel function is used  to avoid any axis from exceeding maximum rotation angle limits. The programable overtravel function gives the user full controll of how the process of the retract, rewind and approach motions should act.