Autodesk has announced the introduction of new features to PowerMill 2019 (a CAM solution for high-speed and five-axis machining) to enable manufacturers to “harness the ‘power of the cloud’, streamline processes and therefore better compete in the new era of digital manufacturing”. (www.autodesk.com/powermill)

This latest release includes a new ‘Posts in the Cloud’ platform, which will allow CAM programmers to better manage their post-processor files.

By centrally storing these on a secure cloud-site, manufacturers can have greater confidence that teams are using the most up-to-date version at all times, rather than relying on traditional sharing processes such as e-mail, which can make version-control challenging.

Other key improvements made in PowerMill 2019.1 include the introduction of surface probing, which allows spindle-mounted probes to be used to measure parts during manufacture.

Users can also share 3-D inspection reports via Autodesk Drive (a cloud-based collaboration tool), to allow production-quality issues to be addressed quickly and efficiently.

Also, interactive collision management has been enhanced, to make it easier for programmers to identify and avoid collisions or near-misses involving the cutting tool assembly and workpiece.

Furthermore, improved machining set-up reduces the time and effort needed to programme machined components that use multiple fixtures and/or operations, while faster roughing tool-path calculation allows customers to start making chips sooner.

Moreover, PowerMill’s ‘Vortex from Stock’ roughing strategy now supports step-overs of up to 99% of the tool diameter for shorter cycle times when using indexable cutters.

The addition of a ‘pattern-turning’ tool-path type gives programmers increased choice and flexibility when ‘driving’ mill-turn machinery, while faster project management capabilities allow large and/or complex PowerMill projects to open significantly faster than before — plus there is improved performance when searching tool databases.

Clinton Perry, PowerMill product manager at Autodesk, said: “This new release will serve the existing needs of PowerMill users, while also enabling them to take advantage of the ‘power of the cloud’ to ensure more-efficient, safe and accurate machining.

“There’s no escaping that the industry is being disrupted by new technologies; we will continue to evolve our solutions to reflect this.”

Autodesk is currently offering a free 30-day trial of PowerMill Ultimate 2019 (www.autodesk.com/powermill-free-trial).