What is SOLIDWORKS CAM?
SOLIDWORKS® CAM is a fully integrated, Knowledge Based Machining (KBM) technology that allows you to integrate 3D design and manufacturing processes under one system; to evaluate designs earlier in the process to avoid unexpected costs and delays in finishing products on time.
Streamline your CNC machine programming
SOLIDWORKS CAM leverages the rich content in the 3D CAD model to speed up product development and reduce error prone, time consuming, repetitive manual steps in the current development process, like programming CNC machines. Knowledge Based Machining (KBM) is the foundation for streamlining the programming process, learning as you program which frees up your time to focus on the critical areas of the components.
SOLIDWORKS CAM is an add-on to all versions of SOLIDWORKS Desktop CAD that lets you prepare your designs for manufacturability earlier in the development cycle. Manufacturing tasks that had to wait until a design was complete can now be performed concurrently with the design process.
Overview Demo
Tolerance Based Machining
SOLIDWORKS CAM Capabilities
Enhance your manufacturing process by capturing company standards, speed up quoting, and test manufacturability of a design earlier in the process.
"TriMech's quick response time, sales and technical support are all very good. We implemented SOLIDWORKS in 1998 and to date, remain a satisfied customer"
Brad Toole
Engineering Manager, Breaker Technology Ltd.
SOLIDWORKS CAM Features
Powerful and intuitive programming and production tools
Feature Recognition
The use of knowledge-based machining and rules-based machining allows new users to adapt to a company’s machining process readily, and allows for:
- Recognizing any updated geometry as the model changes through feature updates or newly imported parts.
- Assigning machining strategies based on features that are recognized.
- Updating machining strategies if a design’s tolerance changes.
- Rules-based machining enables designers and engineers to:
- Catch design errors and new part setups through Automatic Feature Recognition.
- Quote components quickly using company standards captured as rules.
3 Axis Milling
SOLIDWORKS CAM includes 3 axis milling routines to machine complex, contoured surfaces routinely encountered in mold/tool making and aerospace applications.
- Adaptive roughing strategy provides the ability to cut using the full depth of the tool and safely run your machine at optimum speed. This can reduce machining time up to 40% over conventional roughing with less wear.
- 3 Axis finishing operations include parallel slice cut, constant stepover, Z-level, curve project, and others
- Z Level/Constant stopover combination operation can be used for machining steep and shallower slope areas in one toolpath.
- All 3 Axis milling operations support rest or leftover machining. Rest machining is used to reduce air cutting by restricting toolpaths to areas within the feature that have not been machined previously.
Turning
SOLIDWORKS CAM will support single turret turning inside the SOLIDWORKS part environment. Similar to part milling, users can take advantage of Automatic Feature Recognition, Knowledge-Based Machining, and configurations.
A predefined library of tools and machining strategies are loaded into the Technology Database. These can be customized at any time to enhance the programming process. Users have the ability to create custom tools and holders for specific machining operations. Simultaneous mill/turn or live tooling functionality is not available with SOLIDWORKS CAM.
High-Speed Machining
With the advancements in machine tools and tooling it is necessary to optimize machining toolpaths to get the most out of your equipment investment.
SOLIDWORKS CAM Professional utilizes VoluMill 2.5-axis milling routines from Celeritive™ Technologies. The advantages of using these machining strategies are:
- Up to 75% savings on cutting tool costs.
- 50% to 80% reductions in machining cycle times.
- Easy-to-learn machining strategies
- No special machine tools are required
- Reduced wear and tear on your equipment due to smoother transitions in toolpaths
SOLIDWORKS CAM Packages
Four manufacturing packages to choose from
Package
SOLIDWORKS CAM Standard
SOLIDWORKS CAM Standard lets you quickly program individual milled parts and configurations without leaving the SOLIDWORKS 3D CAD environment. You have full access to defining rules within SOLIDWORKS CAM to create and build to your company standards, as well as Tolerance-Based Machining (TBM).
Package
SOLIDWORKS CAM Professional
SOLIDWORKS CAM Professional builds on the capabilities of SOLIDWORKS CAM Standard with increased programming capabilities. The additional features include High-Speed Machining (HSM), configurations, assembly machining, turning, and 3+2 programming to drive four- and five-axis machines.
Package
SOLIDWORKS CAM Machinist Standard
SOLIDWORKS Machinist Standard provides all the functionality found in SOLIDWORKS CAM Standard plus a Part only modeling environment allowing you to work seamlessly with SOLIDWORKS Part files and import several neutral file formats. This connectivity makes easy to work with customers and vendors to collaborate on the manufacturing process.
Package
SOLIDWORKS CAM Machinist Professional
SOLIDWORKS Machinist Professional provides SOLIDWORKS CAM Professional capabilities with SOLIDWORKS Parts and Assemblies to allow the user the ability to import and design fixtures and other manufacturing components used in the machining process. By using Assembly mode in SOLIDWORKS CAM Professional, automatic toolpath clipping can be used to ensure your programs do not collide with custom fixtures or vises.
SOLIDWORKS CAM Matrix
Compare the different versions of SOLIDWORKS CAM software
| Capabilities | CAM Standard | CAM Professional | Machinist Standard | Machinist Professional |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rules Based Machining SOLIDWORKS CAM uses rules-based machining to enhance the programming process while leveraging tolerances that were assigned to components. Rules-based machining lets you focus on the critical areas of making a part rather than touching every feature that needs to be machined. | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Tolerance-based Machining (TBM) Tolerances and annotations in 3D models are used to automatically create machine programs. TBM automatically adjusts asymmetric tolerances to mean tolerances for cutting tool strategies. | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Knowledge-Based Machining (KBM) KBM is like have a machinist at your fingertips. Once features are identified by automatic or interactive feature recognition, KBM defines machining strategies and tools to best machine the geometry. Using these rules will automatically allow you to define repeatable machining processes based on your company standards. | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Associativity with SOLIDWORKS 3D CAD Any change made to a design in SOLIDWORKS CAD is automatically updated, applied, and reflected in SOLIDWORKS CAM. | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Automatic Feature Recognition (AFR) Recognize certain types of geometry (holes, pockets, bosses, and turn–Professional only) not only as CAD features. Automatic feature recognition allows prismatic parts to be identified at a feature level based on machinable shapes. | ● | ● | ● | |
| Automate Machine Times Automate machine time calculation and compare it to traditional methods for ensuring all aspects of a part are accounted for ahead of time before committing to production. | ● | ● | ● | |
| 3 + 2 Programming SOLIDWORKS CAM Professional can employ a machining technique where a three-axis milling program is executed with the cutting tool locked in a tilted position using the five-axis machine's two rotational axes. | ● | ● | ||
| High-Speed Machining (HSM) SOLIDWORKS CAM Professional HSM using VoluMill technology maintains constant tool pressure throughout the cutting process. The variable feed rate allows the tool to cut at full depth to shorten cycle times while extending machine and tool life. This best-in- class machining routine works with standard cutting tools to lower overhead cost when machining components. | ● | ● | ||
| Turning Capabilities SOLIDWORKS CAM Professional has turning capabilities that include face rough and finish, rough and finish turn, groove rough and finish, rough and finish bore, cut-off, ID and OD threading, and drill, and tap on center. | ● | ● | ||
| Part Modeling/Import Part modeling and import is the foundation of programming in a digital world. Creating and importing parts allows the user the ability to communicate with designers, read MBD data and make necessary manufacturing adjustments. Because it is SOLIDWORKS, it is easy to use and learn. | ● | ● | ||
| Assembly Modeling/Import Assemblies take our components to the next level by allowing us to check fits and tolerances plus explain to manufacturers how we want to build our products. By using assemblies for manufacturing, we can import clamps and vises to make sure our parts are made the first time correctly and provide the necessary clearances to be able to remove the finished product when it completed. | ● |
Looking for a Cloud Alternative?
3DEXPERIENCE Works provides a Safe, Social, Connected, Informed and Structured alternative to SOLIDWORKS CAM for team leaders, project managers and other professionals who want to manage data on the cloud and collaborate without constraints.
Safe: Customer controlled access. Transparent cloud backup. Encrypted communication protocols. Data always safe-no overwrite, no loss of data.
Social: Integrated structured and unstructured collaboration tools enabling social innovation. Collaborate on product design or engage with your stakeholders early in product development.
Connected: Every user always connected to a single, common database. Access data anywhere, anytime, on any device. Review and markup models.
Informed: Choose from the widget library, Create and share Dashboards. Get the latest information about your product development. Always have access to your latest data.
Structured: Zero overhead data management - store and manage data across collaborative spaces, share information in communities. Find indexed data faster by using tags, custom search, etc.