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Why you need the new CIM3D 2014 simulation software

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Tool simulation quality

A large number of improvements have been made to the CIM3D 2014 (Version 8) simulation engine. This has improved simulated tool quality at all levels. Below is the 3-step process used to deliver the high quality images.

  1. The situations where gaps and holes occur between surfaces have been significantly reduced. In previous versions of CIM3D the gaps were more obvious at coarser detail levels, but still noticeable in the finer details. In CIM3D 2014 at all details levels the gaps are reduced providing an improved experience while performing tool measurement and analysis.
     
  2. The second step was the reduction of jagged edges which made the cutting edges and other tool features at surface intersections much sharper and clearer at all detail levels. This provides further improvements when performing tool measurements.

 

          Version 7                              Gap removal                  Jagged edge removal 

       

 

 Version 7                                                               Version 8

   

 

3. The third step in the process was the reduction of artifacts at the intersection of surfaces. This is particularly apparent in the example below where the thread surfaces have unclipped and missing surfaces which have been neatly trimmed in CIM3D 2014. There has also been improvements made in overlapping surfaces (e.g. cylindrical grinding) where surfaces previously disappeared.

 

 

 

Anti – aliasing (smooth edges)

Support for graphics card based anti-aliasing has been added and is turned on by default. This can also be controlled from file>options>graphics.

 

Version 7                                                                                 Version 8

       

 

Modernised user interface

   


User selectable application styles - with updated icons, toolbars layouts and controls, have been added to improve the look and feel of CIM3D. These styles can also be customised by file> options> display> style. The user interface has also been redesigned and includes new icons, toolbars, layouts and controls. 'Analyse related functionality' has been moved and a separate menu has been created for easy use of this functionality.
 

          


Dial controls in measurement view can now be used with mouse scroll wheels. New numerical controls in measurement view allow individual number scrolling with either the mouse wheel or the provided up/down buttons. The tool cross section control in measurement view now shows the actual 3D model of the tool instead of a slider.            

 

CIM3D file format

CIM3D version 8 now uses a new file format with file extension .cim3d instead of .tpd. The new version can still save .tpd files if required. The main benefits of this new file format are:

  • The .cim3d format is faster to load and save, and produces files that are smaller in size than .tpd.
     
  • CIM3D 2014 is fully backwards compatible with the .tpd format. It has the provision for forward compatibility, for example, V9 file can be loaded into V8. This provides better interoperability between versions starting with CIM3D 2014 onwards.
     

Minimum protrusion

A new function called ‘minimum protrusion’ has been added which calculates the minimum protrusion length of the tool so the wheel packs will not make contact with the collet or clamp steady. Accessories such as the collet adaptor, collets and top clamp are considered during this calculation. Distances for both collet and clamp (if enabled) are shown. It is also possible to show the tool at the calculated minimum protrusion distance.
 

 


Machine components

Machine components such as the MX7 MicroPlus workholding and tool support system, MX7 and TX7 wheel probe in up and down position, and 1-4.5mm aroboteck pads have been added for improved simulations to prevent collisions. Flute colour mapping has been added which colour codes each flute in the tool. This can be used for checking interferences between flutes as flute numbers are also shown in the animation dialogue.

 

Other enhancements

  • 'Show wheel here' added to tool menu option which appears in the pop-up menu when double clicking on the tool
     
  • The protractor button on the tool bar is now a drop down menu from which other grid modes can be selected. The grid can now be hidden in the measurement view
     
  • The User interface will now scale correctly when windows DPI settings are modified
     
  • Departure time in animate and collision has been replaced with real time. Also flute numbers and feed rate are now displayed in the animation dialogue. The collision dialogue now also displays operation list
     
  • Reliability of the probe cursor has been improved to reduce the occurrence of it ‘falling through’ to the surface being interrogated
     

 

 

20 November 2014