FeatureMILL2.

5D Introduction to FeatureCAM
Introduction to FeatureCAM
Introduction
This module will familiarize you with Delcam FeatureCAMs history descri!e what
FeatureCAM is and show how it is ad"anta#eous o"er other CAM systems.
Increased sho$ $roducti"ity is the $rimary #oal of all FeatureCAM $roducts. Traditional
CAM systems are o$erations !ased and re%uire you to $ro#ram e"ery o$eration one at a
time to create your $art. All the manufacturin# details are left to the machinist. That means
that you must s$ecify the details for e"ery s$ot drill drill ream and rou#hin# $ass of your
$art.
&ith FeatureCAM you #enerate your $art usin# features such as a ta$$ed hole a !oss or a
turned #roo"e and the o$erations are automatically created. FeatureCAM also mana#es the
details of the manufacturin# $rocess such as tool selection s$eed and feed rates and
tool$aths. To modify any element of the $art $ro#ram 'ust chan#e a few settin#s on a feature
and a whole new set of o$erations are #enerated to reflect your chan#es.
(ase of use is another #uidin# $rinci$al of FeatureCAM $roducts. )ur system was ori#inally
de"elo$ed as a #ra$hical &indows*!ased $ro#ram. As a result it does not suffer from an
outdated D)+ loo,. FeatureCAM $ro#rams are full of #ra$hical feed!ac, ste$*!y*ste$
wizards and tutorial*style animations that run directly in the $ro#ram dialo# !o-es. (ase of
use has always !een a FeatureCAM ad"anta#e and we continue to study ways to ma,e our
system e"en easier to learn and use.
The Ima#e a!o"e shows a $art that may !e %uic,ly $ro#rammed in FeatureCAM

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FeatureMILL2.5D Introduction to FeatureCAM
What is a Feature?
If we loo, at a $art such as that shown on the $re"ious $a#e and consider how we would
manufacture it we can see that it can !e !ro,en down into a series of machinin# o$erations.
For e-am$le we would $ro!a!ly want to start !y facin# off to$ of the $art then machine
around the two raised areas down to the ne-t flat le"el. )utside area of the $art would need to
!e rou#hed out and then the side of the $art finished. There are then a series of $oc,ets which
would need to !e rou#h and finish machined and finally we would drill the holes and add
chamfers to the $art. (ach of these areas of the $art Face +ide 0oc,et 1ole Chamfer and
so on is a Feature of the $art.
FeatureCAM defines a $art in terms of Features usin# common sho$ terms so for instance
and area that loo,s li,e a $oc,et can !e machined usin# a 0oc,et Feature. &hen you define
an area as a 0oc,et FeatureCAM will then automatically decide what o$erations to use to
machine that area. All you ha"e to do is say 2This is a 0oc,et3 and FeatureCAM will select
suita!le rou#hin# and finishin# o$erations toolin# s$eeds and feeds. 4ou are then free to
modify these default "alues to suit your $articular situation. 5y automatin# the #eneration of
o$erations the o"erall time ta,en to $ro#ram a $art can !e drastically reduced.
The ima#e a!o"e shows some of the features of the $art. There are many more feature ty$es
that can !e created the illustration is 'ust to #i"e you an idea of how the $art can !e !ro,en
down into its com$onent features for manufacturin# $ur$oses.
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FeatureMILL2.5D Introduction to FeatureCAM
How are Features Created?
There are a num!er of different ways in which features can !e created in FeatureCAM which
method you choose will de$end u$on the data a"aila!le to you. In !road terms the methods
are6
From Dimensions
If you are wor,in# from a $rint then often the %uic,est way of creatin# features is to $ull the
dimensions from the $rint and enter them directly into FeatureCAM. For e-am$le you can
create a rectan#ular $oc,et !y enterin# its len#th width de$th and location. Additional
attri!utes for the feature can also !e added such as a draft an#le fillet radius or chamfer.
From Curves
If you ha"e a $rint or a 2D drawin# of a $art in electronic format you can create cur"es for
more irre#ularly sha$ed $arts and then create the feature from the cur"e.

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FeatureMILL2.5D Introduction to FeatureCAM
Automatic Feature Recognition (AFR)
If you are wor,in# from a solid model then FeatureCAM has the ca$a!ility to analyze the
$art and identify features automatically. 5asically you say 21ere is the $art #o and $ro#ram
it3. FeatureCAM then loo,s for 0oc,ets 5osses +ides 1oles and so on and $re$ares the
necessary machinin# o$erations selects the tools and feeds 7 s$eeds. This can wor, "ery
well on sim$le $arts !ut on more com$le- $arts it may re%uire some manual twea,in# to #et
the o$timal tool$aths.
Interactive Feature Recognition (IFR)
This also wor,s off a solid model in a similar manner to AF8. The difference is that you tell
FeatureCAM what ty$e of feature it is that you are loo,in# for for e-am$le 2Loo, only for
+ide features3 or 2Loo, for holes with a diameter of less than ..95in3. This ta,es a little
lon#er than AF8 !ut #i"es you #reater control o"er how the features are created and often
results in a shorter cycle time for machinin#.
CAM Software Strategies
There are three main different ty$es of CAM software strate#ies for creatin# tool$aths in
todays modern CAM software. These strate#ies are )$eration !ased 0rocessed !ased and
Feature 5ased. +ome of these strate#ies use Knowledge Based Macining (KBM). :5M
is when machinin# intelli#ence is !uilt ri#ht into the CAM software. :5M is used at "arious
le"els and de#rees in different CAM systems.
)$erations*!ased CAM systems re%uire the user to #o throu#h multi$le ste$s to machine
each $art. The user must select which ty$e of o$eration to use select the machinin# !oundary
and the ty$e of tool$ath then manually select tools feeds and s$eeds and multi$le machinin#
o$tions such as ste$o"er distance and the incremental ste$ in ;. These multi$le ste$s must !e
re$eated one at a time for e"ery o$eration on a $art ma,in# it a time*consumin# $rocess that
is $rone to error. These systems offer little to no :5M.
0rocess*!ased CAM systems attem$t to reduce these ste$s !y #rou$in# o$erations in standard
$rocesses. :5M is used as the $ro#ram remem!ers the used $rocesses and re$eats them for
future o$erations. 1owe"er this method only wor,s when a sho$ uses the same $rocesses
o"er and o"er for the same ty$es of $arts.
&hen a $rocess is a$$lied to different ty$es of $arts or $arts made of different materials the
C<C $ro#rammer must still "erify that the correct o$erations were used and that the correct
tools ste$o"ers and s$eeds and feeds were selected !ecause a static machinin# $rocess does
not automatically ada$t to e"ery $art.
Feature*!ased CAM systems use a set of interrelated machina!le features to descri!e a
com$lete $art. The !eauty of features is that they not only descri!e sha$e !ut these also are
made u$ of one or more associati"e o$erations that descri!e the $referred method for cuttin#
that sha$e at the <C machine. A $redefined set of machinin# rules and user $references are
a$$lied to a $art. :5M in these systems streamlines the manufacturin# $rocess !y !uildin#
the hi#hest le"el of machinin# intelli#ence ri#ht into the CAM system. Machina!le features
contain information and rules descri!in# how and where material remo"al should occur
cuttin# de$ths whether to use clim! cuttin# whether to s$ot drill or center drill and $referred
machinin# strate#ies for rou#hin# and finishin#. The CAM system e"aluates the $art
#eometry and $art material selects the most a$$ro$riate tools and o$erations recommends
machinin# strate#ies calculates feeds and s$eeds then automatically #enerates the <C code.
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FeatureMILL2.5D Introduction to FeatureCAM
5elow is a chart showin# a com$arison of the three different CAM strate#ies6
Feature Based CAM Operations-Based CAM Process-Based CAM
1. Draw or Import Your Part
2. Identify Features
3. Click Simulation
You Are Done!
FeatureCAM Automatically:
Determines Rou! and
Finis! "perations
= Selects #$$ %ools Si&es
= Calculates Feeds '
Speeds
= Determines Stepo(er '
) Increments
= *enerates %oolpat!
= Creates +C Code
1. Import or draw part.
2. Select a rou! operation.
3. Select rou! ,oundary.
-. Select type of toolpat!.
.. Select rou!in tool.
/. Select feeds and speeds.
0. Select stepo(er and )
steps.
1. Select a finis! operation.
2. Select finis! ,oundary.
13. Select type of toolpat!.
11. Select a finis!in tool.
12. Select stepo(er and )
steps.
13. Select feeds and speeds.
1-. Click simulation.
1.. Create +C code.
1. Import or draw part.
2. Identify features.
3. Select mac!inin processes.
-. Click simulation.
.. Create +C code.
???Are You Done? No.
You must analyze and veriy!
Does t!e process !a(e t!e
correct operations4
Does t!e process use t!e
correct si&e tools4
#re t!e correct feeds and
speeds used4
Does t!e process !a(e t!e
correct stepo(er and )
increments4
Feature*!ased machinin# has many ad"anta#es such as6
Dramatically shorter $art $ro#rammin# time.
0art re"isions do not re%uire re$ro#rammin#.
<C code is consistent and $redicta!le re#ardless of the C<C $ro#rammer.
Tools are o$timized and tool chan#es reduced.
Tool$ath is automatically o$timized for faster machinin#.
FeatureCAM is a Feature 5ased $ro#rammin# system with ad"anta#es listed a!o"e.
Additionally FeatureCAM is "ery easy to use. A $ro#rammer new to FeatureCAM or new to
$ro#rammin# can %uic,ly learn the $roduct and create >*code with the a$$ro$riate tools
feeds and s$eeds.
5elow is a list of ,ey $oints that ma,es FC "ery easy to use.
5 ?ser Friendly Interface @+te$s 7 &izardsA
5 Automatic Tool +election @2D 7 BDA
5 Automatic Feature8(C)><ITI)<
5 +tandard Data!ases @Tools Materials Feeds 7 +$eedsA
5 Customiza!le 0ost 0rocessors
5 )utstandin# Technical +u$$ort

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FeatureMILL2.5D Introduction to FeatureCAM
Built in intelligence
A ma'or ad"anta#e of FeatureCAM is usersC a!ility to define their own set of machinin#
$references. FeatureCAM comes with $redefined machinin# rules $ro#rammed into the
CAM system which are !ased on a standard set of material $ro$erties and standard toolcri!s.
4ou can then customize these settin#s for s$ecific materials that you use and the toolin# that
you actually ha"e a"aila!le in your sho$. )nce you ha"e these defined you sim$ly select a
material for your wor,$iece and the toolcri! you want to wor, with and FeatureCAM will
then ma,e selections of toolin# for a feature automatically. If you chan#e the toolcri! or the
material then FeatureCAM automatically u$dates all of the tool$aths in the $art. This means
that a $art may !e $ro#rammed for one machine with the tools a"aila!le there and then
shifted to another machine sim$ly !y chan#in# the toolcri!. +imilarly if you wish to cut a test
$art in Aluminum and then cut the final $art in +tainless +teel you $ro#ram the $art with
Aluminum set as the material. )nce you ha"e cut the test $iece you chan#e the material to !e
+tainless +teel and FeatureCAM will u$date the tool$aths !y chan#in# feeds s$eeds de$th
of cut ste$o"ers etc. without any further inter"ention from the o$erator.
5y $ro"idin# a set of standard machinin# rules already in $lace itCs easier for you to
customize the software to reflect the machinin# $references of your sho$.
+ettin# u$ your own machinin# $references and rules in FeatureCAM not only reduces the
time it ta,es to #enerate $ro#rams !ut it also streamlines $roduction !ecause the a$$roach to
machinin# e"ery $art is $redicta!le and consistent. Machine o$erators can rely on the fact
that each 'o! will !e machined in a $redicta!le manner re#ardless of who did the
$ro#rammin#.
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