High-speed precision machining solution

PTC, the Product Development Company, has announced Pro/TOOLMAKER 8.1. Since its acquisition of NC Graphics in May 2007, PTC has focused on delivering a complete solution for optimized tool making and high-speed, precision machining processes. Pro/TOOLMAKER is a stand-alone software application that provides multi-CAD support to enable fully associative, reliable NC toolpath programming for Pro/ENGINEER and other CAD systems.

Toolmakers require best-in-class solutions to meet the challenging demands of their discrete manufacturing customers and to compete in a global marketplace. Additionally, the ability to create molds and dies quickly and accurately is important to the manufacturing process and overall product development process. Historically these tools have been created in 2D CAD environments, but are increasingly being designed in 3D CAD/CAM systems. With its optimized high-speed machining capabilities, Pro/TOOLMAKER will offer manufacturing engineers and machinists a powerful package of NC programming capabilities that include NC post-processing and tooling libraries in a single product. Pro/TOOLMAKER enables companies to reduce scrap costs, increase product quality, decrease production time, and deliver products to market faster.

Pro/TOOLMAKER is part of the PTC Product Development System (PDS), and as a result is able to provide a unique connection between product design and manufacturing. Pro/TOOLMAKER and Pro/ENGINEER NC and tooling solutions will enable designers to work side-by-side with manufacturing engineers which allows for real-time changes to designs that lead to optimal product designs created for manufacturability. Additionally, toolpath data created using Pro/TOOLMAKER can be managed in Windchill, PTC's content and process management software, allowing manufacturers to manage all 3D CAD/CAM/CAE information in a centrally located system. This provides the security and flexibility that designers, tool makers and manufacturers require in order to optimize its product development processes.

Pro/TOOLMAKER 8.1 advanced machining capabilities include:

· Support for 5-axis positioning (3+2 machining)
· Automatic 3D roughing and rest-roughing for smooth and efficient toolpaths
· Specialized core and cavity machining strategies with area clearance, core and rest-roughing to maximize material removal
· Slope-based machining to allow for steep and shallow angle control
· Flat-surface machining to easily detect all flat surfaces
· Spiral and radial toolpaths to maintain toolpath efficiency with constant contact
· Morph and boundary machining to provide excellent surface finish
· Pencil single-pass and multiple-pass milling
· Rest-milling for all finishing toolpaths and tool shapes
· New integration provides associativity with Pro/ENGINEER data
· Multi-CAD support
· Immediate support for six languages including English, German, French, Japanese, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese. Support for Italian, Spanish, and Korean languages expected later in 2007
· Includes PTC's GPOST for creating and updating post-processors for any type of CNC machine

Pro/TOOLMAKER will be available in August 2007 in six languages, including English, German, French, Japanese, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese. Italian, Spanish, and Korean versions are expected later in 2007.

PTC