CGTech has announced that its Vericut CNC program simulation software can now read in Geometry Description Markup Language (GDML) files with a new 3DLive interface (GDML is an ‘application independent geometry description format’ based on XML).

3DLive is available in MachiningCloud (an independent provider of CNC cutting tool and work-holding product data) for products that require ‘kinematics’, such as machine tools and work-holding devices.

MachiningCloud has traditionally been known for the ability to provide 3-D models of cutting tools for use in Vericut and other related CAD/CAM and simulation software. DMG Mori, Haas Automation, Mazak, Kennametal and KURT Workholding are among the first to supply GDML machine tool, driven turret units and fixture models to MachiningCloud.

Vericut is the first software of its kind to support the import of 3DLive files for use in verifying, simulating and optimising NC programs. This enhancement provides users with the ability to read in 3DLive data for CNC machines, work-holding fixtures and cutting tool-holders for use in simulations, and thereby eliminates having to measure and model the components by traditional means or request 3-D models from the machine tool builder.

Vericut product manager Gene Granata said: “What has traditionally been a challenging and time-consuming procedure to obtain machine specific information and manually build digital twin machines can now be done quickly and easily in Vericut using the new 3DLive interface to read information-rich geometry data.”

The 3DLive catalog in MachiningCloud currently contains over 8,700 products. 3DLive files contain ‘kinematics, travel limits, minimum and maximum feed rates, initial machine location and 3-D geometry colours’ in a single file format.

This data can be read into Vericut ‘in a matter of seconds’, and 3DLive fixtures used to exactly represent the work-holding setup in a Vericut simulation. Additionally, 3DLive tool assembly holders can be read into Vericut’s Tool Manager.