|
"The ongoing innovations in SURFCAM provide us with the confidence to
program parts both accurately and efficiently. Using SURFCAMs MachineWorks verification, we are
able to produce quality results in a fraction of the time versus previous methods. This reduction
in programming time has truly boosted our shops productivity."
Ian Adie, Western Industrial Tooling
"The client kept telling us that we wouldn't be able to mill a part
like that with the desired surface finish. But of course, we did. They gave me a sketch of the part;
I drew it up in SURFCAM, programmed it, and cut it out of aluminum. We just love doing the impossible.
SURFCAM, in particular, is the closest thing to magic that I've seen here in Batesville. We wouldn't be
where we are today if it weren't for this software.We can go toe-to-toe with any competitor."
Gary Blair, Batesvilling Tooling & Design, Inc.
"We knew that the investment we were making in 5-axis capabilities was an
investment in the future of our business,We were concerned about the time it would take us to be
productive with our new equipment, but that's what has impressed us the most about SURFCAM. The
immediate impact that our new machine has made on our business is a testament to the ease of use and
competence of the SURFCAM software. It has really provided a seamless transition into a whole new world
of capabilities that we are eager to explore."
Rick Ward, Owner, WARD Performance
"Our moldmakers have an average of over 25 years experience, building
hundreds of molds per year for a variety of customer, using the latest computer technology. Because
of SURFCAM's ease of use and short learning curve, it is now as standard on the shop floor as the
1-inch micrometer. We currently have nineteen seats of SURFCAM, more than we ever expected to have.
It's a powerful package for a mold builder, with many features that make machining easier."
Tim Peterson, Industrial Molds, Inc.
"We've been using SURFCAM for about three years now, and it has definitely
given us a competitive edge. Our engineers are confident that they can machine just about any part that
we can throw at them.It's a very fast product. In one test we conducted, our previous NC program took 4
hours to verify toolpaths because it was geared towards solid geometry rather than surfaces. SURFCAM
verified the same toolpaths in 5 minutes, because it has been designed to work with surfaces. The
difference was incredible.For our business to be successful, we knew that we had to have a software
program that defined and machined surfaces extremely well. When it's all said and done, we need to have
good surfaces that we can machine. And that's what we get with SURFCAM."
Rick Gould, Polymer Corporation
"For us, lights out machining is a big deal - we're small and it gives us
that competitive edge. With SURFCAM's SRM, we have more confidence that the finishing operation is going
to run smoothly over night when nobody is here because there is a consistent step that is being removed.
We don't have to worry about the tool gouging or breaking and we have a dead even finishing pass. In
essence, it's like adding a second or third shift without increasing labor costs."
Jonathan Elrod, Modacam
"SURFCAM's reliability has decreased our programming time. What used to
take us three days now takes us just three hours. I would have to rate the product a '10', without a
doubt."
Gene DeGennaro, Mars Manufacturing
"We're always looking for ways to save money without compromising production
or product quality. SURFCAM is one of the tools that helps me to do just that."
Jon Kammerer, Jon Kammerer Guitar
|
 |
 |
This Issue
President's Letter
New Website
Product Update
Tips & Techniques
Upcoming Events
|
A Letter from the President
I would like to introduce myself. My name is Stephen Diehl and I am the President and CEO of
Surfware. In case my last name sounds familiar, I am the eldest son of Alan Diehl, one of Surfware's
original co-founders. In the last eight months, our company has been incredibly busy. We have been
working on one of the biggest releases of SURFCAM in the history of this company, SURFCAM Velocity
4. Since January, we have added additional staff and support to gear up for the future direction of
both SURFCAM Velocity and our TrueMill technology. With SURFCAM Velocity 4, we are proud to deliver
the "Best in Class" CAM software that is required to stay competitive in our ever changing industry.
I wanted to let you know that SURFCAM Velocity 4 will be released in the next month and is very
close to completion. I also wanted you to know that I am committed to delivering SURFCAM Velocity 4
in impeccable condition. As our customer, you are far too important to us to give you anything less
than our very best. If you are interested in learning more about what we are providing in SURFCAM
Velocity 4, please go to our new, redesigned website at www.surfware.com and look under Products.
| | In terms of the overall company, Surfware is in excellent shape and is expanding every day, both
in personnel and in sales. In fact, we've recently moved to new headquarters in Camarillo, California
and are opening a dedicated Surfware Demo and Training Center nearby, where we'll offer ongoing
demonstrations, training via webinars and on-site training classes to support our customers' and
dealers' needs and requirements.
I sincerely wish to thank you for your commitment to SURFCAM. We would not be the CAM company we
are today without the support and feedback you have provided to us over the past 20 years. We are
committed to continually providing you with not only the highest quality CAM software but also the
support and service that is key to your success.
With very best regards,
Stephen A Diehl |
|
Roadmap to our new website
Surfware has completely redesigned its website, www.surfware.com, updating the design to provide more in-depth information and
to make it simpler and more intuitive for browsing, as well as more interactive in operation. From the Home page, you can navigate to the latest news on SURFCAM and
TrueMill features, see the latest Surfware Press Releases and visit What's New to learn about major milestones. Across the top of the site, tabs lead you to detaileld
information on Products, Industry applications and Case Studies, Dealer sites and locations and Media coverage including articles and videos. Browse the Knowledge Base
and find out more About Us, including a timeline dating back to 1950. Our new website is Phase One. Please visit frequently as we continue to add more information and
interactive features!
New and Coming Soon In SURFCAM Velocity 4!
SURFCAM Velocity 4 is a major new release with world-class functionality. Extensive additions have been made to our 3-Axis and 4/5-Axis products based on our customers'
most often requested enhancements.
All-New 3-Axis Finishing
The high-speed machining dedicated finishing strategies feature smooth and fluid toolpaths. Some of the new features are: Faster processing, multiple-processor support, automatic arc
filtering, optimized retracts, up-down cut control and adaptive stepdown.
3-Axis Rest Milling
The rest machining automatically calculates the areas of the part where material remains after the running of a
toolpath and generates a toolpath in these areas. There is no real need to manually create boundaries. The Rest Machining differentiates between near horizontal
and near vertical corners, and it uses the best-suiting cutting strategy to machine these areas.
3D Offset Milling
The 3D Offset passes are at a constant distance from each other along the surface of the part ensuring constant scallop
height. Therefore the 3D Offset finishing provides superior surface finish regardless of the part shape. Processing time is up to 80% faster over the previous
SURFCAM version.
|
3-Axis Offset Pencil
Pencil Milling passes are used to machine the corners of the job to give an excellent finish. It is possible to
make single or multiple offset pencil milling passes with 3D offset passes.
|
3-Axis Steep/Shallow
Steep/Shallow machines steep and shallow regions of the part as one operation by using the optimal machining
strategy for each region. It also can machine only the steep or the shallow regions. This gives you the option to cut steep and shallow regions with different tools,
as separate operations.
|
|
High-Speed Linking
Smooth and tangential linking moves accommodate maximum speeds and feeds.
|
Up-Down Cut Control
The passes are broken into pieces such that each piece is machined downwards/upwards.
|
|
Adaptive Stepdown
Where the horizontal distance between the passed is significant. Adaptive Stepdown can be used to insert extra
passes and reduce the horizontal distance. It also leaves a uniform amount of material.
|
Optimized Retracts
In the previous SURFCAM version, the retracts implementation consisted of rapid moves to the rapid plane. In Velocity 4,
these moves are optimized for the part topography.
|
|
Automatic Arc Filtering
Automatic arc filtering helps to generate smaller NC files and get improved finishes. It also has the convenience
of a single checkbox in the UI to turn it on.
|
To learn more about SURFCAM Velocity 4 visit: SURFCAM Velocity 3-Axis.
Powerful 4/5 Axis Machining
SURFCAM Velocity 4 offers true simultaneous 4- and 5-axis machining, full visualization and verification. This enables
the NC programmer to gain precise control over every aspect of multi-axis machining, ensuring safe tool motion in the most challenging applications. 4/5 axis provides
support for all standard tools with collision checking, gouge avoidance and toolpath containment.
|
New Gouge Avoidance Strategies
Users can now specify not one, but four different cascading tool gouge strategies
that can be applied to a single operation. In addition, up to four separate check surface groups can be selected and individual gouge avoidance strategies
can be applied to each successive group allowing the user precise control of the tool motion.
|
Enhanced Swarf Machining
Additional tool control has been added to Swarf cutting to allow the tool to be tilted away from the surface to better
control the cut. Better surface edge controls have been added to handle geometric inconsistencies found in imported geometries. Axial adjustments to allow tool shifting
in respect to the calculated cut point have been added to give the programmer added control when necessary.
|
Enhanced Lead-In/Out and Gap
Handling
Full surface edge and gap handling had been added and seven different lead in and lead out options can be applied to
allow the user total control of the tool motion during any event of the cutting process.
|
New Retract Types
New retract types, including Plane, Cylinder and Sphere, have been added to allow the user to custom tailor the retract
motion to be closer to the part type and orientation wasting less time on the machine and allowing safer tool repositions.
|
To learn more about SURFCAM Velocity 4 visit: SURFCAM Velocity 4/5-Axis.
|
|