Gibbs and Associates Unveils GibbsCAM 2000 at Westec 2000
Innovation, Power, and Ease-of-Use Drive Company's Latest Release
Gibbs & Associates, developer of CAM software for CNC machinery and controls, will preview its new GibbsCAM 2000 release at WESTEC 2000 in Los Angeles, California on March 20-23. Showing at Booth 3167, this latest GibbsCAM version contains new and innovative feature enhancements, which increase system functionality and tool path versatility for 2D, 3D, and high-speed machining users.
"GibbsCAM 2000 continues the tradition of innovation, power, and ease-of-use that has made Gibbs and Associates the preferred choice of more machine tool manufacturers, and control builders," states Bill Gibbs, company president. The new Hole Wizard™ and Stock Wizard functionality guides users quickly and simply through commonly performed tasks, such as hole machining and stock creation. Programmers will now be able to further define complex hole shapes and locations with step-by-step guidance. This includes assistance in tool definition and error checking — capabilities which will significantly improve user productivity."
GibbsCAM 2000 also features several incremental improvements for production users of milling and turning functions. Its selective post processing capability will benefit 2D users by allowing several machining tasks or "operations" to be generated from the same file. This eliminates the need for redundant file data, thereby making tool-paths more efficient. Continued improvements to the interface allow access to specialized third party applications such as Excel. This allows users to export specific reporting data—including tooling, time studies, and other useful process documentation —into a spreadsheet application for customized set-up sheets. D-Hole improvements allow immediate creation of both D-hole and Double D-hole geometry. With tapered thread milling users can now parametrically define tapered helical milling operations with the same ease of use as they can other Gibbs CAD shape functions. Open wall pocket definition and material-only capabilities further extend a programmer's options.
In addition, GibbsCAM 2000 provides many incremental improvements for 3D users, including mold makers, tool and die makers, and those users who incorporate high-speed machining strategies. The second Generation tool-path engine provides faster, smoother, and more accurate output to meet the demands of these higher-end 3D users.
The new engine also provides new constraint shapes for pocketing and contouring. Exploiting the power and rigidity of a machine's Z-axis to quickly remove large volumes of material, GibbsCAM 2000 has added a new 3D surface-solid plunge roughing capability for efficient mold roughing. Trochoidal pocketing, Zig-Zag pocketing, and large step-over options combine with GibbsCAM's unsurpassed versatility in addressing multiple pockets and multi-height islands. NURBS output is now standard for high-speed machining. For customers who do not have a CNC control that supports NURBS, GibbsCAM 2000 includes arc fitting of NURB spline geometry. This unique capability is the result of incorporating NURBS at the time of tool path creation, versus the more common approach of filtering the polyline tool path during post processing. The ability to post process for specialized NURBS CNC controls from both GE Fanuc and Siemens formats is available.
GibbsCAM 2000 extends the system's interoperability with the addition of a CATIA direct read option that allows files to be read without requiring a seat of that program. File cleanup—another improvement for working with CAD files from various systems —automatically eliminates duplicate points, lines, and circles, found on top of
each other, either when imported from a CAD system or when geometry is created within GibbsCAM. This makes the part much easier to machine.
Gibbs and Associates has been a leading developer of CAM software for CNC machining since 1984. The current GibbsCAM product line, including the Virtual Gibbs integrated off-line CAM system and Gibbs SFP shop floor programming, is widely acclaimed for its high productivity and ease of use. GibbsCAM also offers fully integrated manufacturing modeling capabilities that include entry-level 2D, 2.5D, 3D wireframe, surface modeling, solid-modeling creation, and importing various data formats. For more information about Gibbs and Associates and its CAM software packages, call 1-800-654-9399, or visit on-line at www.gibbsCAM.com.