The CAM Plug-in for TurboCAD Platinum is the machinist’s choice for 2.5D CAD. This powerful plug-in generates native G-code for your machining equipment with no post-processor. The CAM plug-in includes a built-in communication module which allows you to set-up your CNC controller!

With many CAM products there are several distinct activities:

• Import the drawing or design the part, and clean up the drawing.
• Define the tool paths based on, for example, a 1/4" drill bit.
• Export the design.
• Import the design into the post-processor.
• Perform post-processing setup.
• Export g-codes.

Any change to the drawing, the paths, or the tool size, for example, and many applications force you to go back to step 1. Not the CAM Plug-in for TurboCAD Platinum!

The CAM Plug-in for TurboCAD Platinum performs steps 1-6 in an associative manner so that a change to bit size, or a design change to add a peck-drilled pocket can be performed at any time and all other steps including the g-code are automatically updated. Work on the project in the order that makes sense to you. Design changes, revisions, secondary milling for precise finishing can all be made quickly and efficiently.

Productivity is enhanced further with design simulation and 3D rendered views of the completed part. The plug-in offers step-by-step simulation in 3D wireframe, hidden line, or rendered mode. Models may be viewed in completed rendered mode or exported as STL solid models. CNC programmers will see significant time savings, and material savings by spotting and correcting errors before the DNC downloads g-codes to the controller.

Using the TurboCAD Platinum constraints in the design means that an entire part may be automatically modified by changing a single variable dimension. With the single value being entered, all corresponding drill paths and g-codes are updated. This is a simple way to define entire part families.