As machining strategies become more sophisticated and delivery expectations continue to tighten, CNC programmers are under growing pressure to prepare reliable programs quickly while maintaining confidence on the shopfloor. Modern CAM systems provide powerful capabilities to support complex machining. But with longer programs, more operations, and increasingly demanding parts, programmers are also spending more time verifying toolpaths, reviewing simulations, and communicating machining strategies to operators.
To help manufacturers keep pace with these demands,
Hexagon’s production software division has introduced new capabilities in the latest release of Edgecam, focused on accelerating program verification, improving collaboration between programming and production teams, and simplifying interaction with the software itself.
Zoltan Tomoga, product manager at Hexagon’s production software division, said: “At shop level, the pressure is always the same: get the job right and get it moving. The latest Edgecam release focuses on removing delays in everyday programming work, whether that means reviewing a long simulation instantly, helping operators understand the machining process more clearly, or making it easier for programmers to find the right capability inside the software.”
One of the most immediate improvements is in simulation performance. Edgecam now stores snapshots at each tool change during simulation, allowing users to jump backwards through a machining sequence much more quickly. In complex jobs, rewind times can drop from around 30sec to close to 1sec, helping programmers review long programs without interrupting their workflow.
The release also strengthens communication between programming and production teams. A full 3-D machine simulation can now be recorded and embedded directly into Live Job Reports, allowing operators to review machining processes interactively in a browser, even without an Edgecam licence. They can zoom, rotate, adjust playback speed, and scrub through the timeline to better understand how the job will run before pressing cycle start.
These refinements help programmers This visibility is particularly valuable for complex work, including multi-axis machining, large fixtures, and safety-critical setups where operators benefit from a clearer picture of the programmed strategy before machining begins.
Alongside these verification improvements, Edgecam continues to advance machining performance through enhancements across several toolpath cycles. Updates include support for lens tools in the Parallel Lace cycle, smoother roll-in movements in Face Milling, improved holder-aware collision avoidance in Rest Roughing, and expanded Race Line controls for more selective finishing operations. These refinements help programmers generate efficient toolpaths with better surface quality, improved tool engagement, and fewer manual adjustments during setup.
The release also introduces Hexagon Copilot for Edgecam, bringing natural-language assistance into the CAM environment. Programmers can ask questions, locate functions, and access guidance more easily inside the workflow, reducing the time spent searching menus or documentation in increasingly capable CAM systems.
Mr Tomoga added: “Manufacturers are interested in AI, but they are also very practical. For most shops, the value comes when technology helps them work faster without changing how they already operate. Copilot is designed to help programmers get more out of Edgecam by making the system easier to navigate and easier to learn.”
Edgecam already supports advanced automation through feature recognition, Strategy Manager, and knowledge-based machining workflows. Copilot builds on this foundation by helping users access those capabilities more efficiently, particularly for new programmers or teams working under tight delivery pressure.
Together, the latest Edgecam capabilities are designed to address a common challenge across modern machining environments: helping shops move from part model to production-ready NC code with less delay, better visibility, and greater confidence before first cut.