Streamline Production: CAD/CAM Software for Precise Manufacturing

Computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing refers to computer software that is used to both design and manufacture products. CAD/CAM applications are used for both designing a product and programming manufacturing processes like machining. The CAD software creates models and assemblies that are used by the CAM portion to generate tool paths that drive the machines to turn the designs into physical parts. CAD/CAM software is most often used for machining of prototypes and finished parts.

IRBCAM was developed specifically for industrial robots. Its generated robot code is verified with ABB, Fanuc, KUKA, and Motoman. It has an intuitive and user-friendly 3D interface. Complex robotic systems with external axes can be configured intuitively with graphical wizards.

IRBCAM released a CAD/CAM add-in software package for ABB’s RobotStudio – the 3D offline programming environment from ABB. The add-in now allows tool-paths generated from CAD/CAM packaged to be imported into RobotStudio. This allows the user to simulate the robotic machining paths in 3D graphics and check for collisions using the same software as on the IRC5 robot controllers from ABB. Further, MultiMove can be used on CAD/CAM toolpaths to distribute the motions between the robot and external actuators.

As the desire to increase efficiency drives industrial companies, controllers are increasingly important. The Fanuc iPendant is a factory-hardened, portable display and operation panel that is highly customizable. It has multiple applications with the Fanuc CNCs, like complimenting the primary display so the user can get near large machine applications. The iPendant supports all the standard CNC screens for operation, programming, and maintenance with a touch panel interface