FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 4, 2002

Delcam Upgrades Engraving and Woodworking Software

Delcam has launched a new version of its ArtCAM Insignia software that incorporates improvements to both the design and machining capabilities of the system. ArtCAM Insignia, the entry-level version of ArtCAM Pro, can be used for a wide range of 2D and 2 ½D manufacturing operations, including engraving of tooling for coins, medals and jewellery, and routing of signs and furniture.

Among the design enhancements is the ability to retain DWG and DXF layer information when importing drawings from AutoCAD. This means that time is not wasted in re-sorting data, allowing machining to begin that much more quickly.

Vector offsetting has been added, with the option to use square, chamfered or radiused corners on the offset geometry. There is also a ridging option, which can create offsets on both sides of open or closed lines, for example, when creasing lines are needed in embossing tools for card. In addition, related elements of a design can be kept as a group when nesting models in a specified area to minimise material wastage. This allows letters from a single word or similarly linked components to be kept together.

On the machining side, toolpath merging allows multiple operations with the same cutter to be grouped into a single operation. This can be used to link pocketing, drilling and trimming operations with the same size and shape of tool on a single part. Similarly, machining can be carried out in a more efficient sequence when cutting a number of nested items with the same range of cutters. In both cases, the amount of air moves and the number of tool changes can be minimised so reducing the overall machining time.

Calculated toolpaths can now be copied, mirrored or rotated, either singly or as the whole set of operations for a particular shape. This speeds and simplifies the creation of related items, such as duplicate cavities in a single tool, and left and right hand versions of components.

Improvements to the machining simulation module mean that the tool geometry can be displayed during the simulation. In addition, the speed of the simulation can now be varied so that any complex or troublesome areas can be examined in greater detail.

DELCAM
3270 Electricity Drive
Windsor, Ontario Canada N8W 5J1
Phone: 800-664-3506
Fax: 519-974-8170
E-Mail: marketing@delcam.com
Website URL: www.delcam.com