Post Development - MP vs ICAM vs Camplete

[JCDFCM]

   Working for a big company with many CNC machine tool types (5-axis trunnion, 5-axis gantry,Y-axis Lathes, multi-tasking Lathes, etc.), many machine tool vendors, a variety of controls, and 3 different CAM systems, is Mastercam's MP the post processor development platform of choice for the long haul? The question is geared toward post-processing, simulation, and code optimization. I hear of 3rd party products like ICAM and Camplete and wonder which direction to go. Though we are transitioning into Mastercam and this is a Mastercam forum, is there benefits to 3rd party post processing development platforms? Like many large companies, a high percentage of CNC programs were generated from legacy CAM systems along with other CAM systems and the constant "move this part to this machine" will always exist. With that said, would it make sense to invest in a company like ICAM where they offer interface kits for a variety of CAM systems or just start the migration of re-programming everything in Mastercam and investing in MP? Camplete has their niche but its only for certain machine tool vendors. Any feedback is greatly appreciated. 

 

Thanks, JCDFCM

[crazy^millman]

CAMplete is a limited machine product be it a good prodcut, but as you have found out limited. ICAM is capable of what you are asking, but I think also is NCSIMUL. They offer Post Processing capabilities, but not sure about their support for Mastercam.

 

Vericut would work, but you would need to use a 3rd party Post builder for the Mastercam post and it would also be for the Mastercam. Any other CAM then you are back to the above choices unless one of the Vericut guys will chime in and tell me other wise.

[Watcher]

+1 to Ron´s comments.

 

Considering you have 3 CAM systems and a myriad of machine tools and controllers, I´d suggest you to bet your dollar in an universal post-processor solution.

 

Some names comes to my mind, in the respective order:

 

• ICAM
• NC-Simul (Spring)
• G-Post
• IMS Intellipost

All them have post-solutions that can translate neutral files. Not sure if NC-Simul can handle Mastercam NCI, but I´m sure 1 & 3 can.

 

The 4 solutions are based on parsing APT data and translating to G-Code. However, Mastercam does not have a native APT post-processor, so these applications have interfaces that can parse NCI and convert it to APT, and then from the APT file, they build G-Code.

 

From the 4 above, I believe ICAM is the company that has more customers using Mastercam with their PP suite. I can be wrong about that, but in case I´m right, that means they´re more likely to be up-to-date with latest versions of MC software, advances or changes in the NCI format, etc... AFAIK, Mastercam support by ICAM is a serious part of their business strategy.

 

CAMplete AFAIK also process APT, and I think they have an interface that translates NCI2APT... This is how they process Gibbscam and files from other CAM systems... The system has either a direct interface with CAMplete or they have a CLData2APT post-processor (CLData = NCI in other systems) that enables the CAM system to output APT when APT is not their native CL format. Higher-end systems (Read older systems) like NX, Creo/CAM, CATIA, NCL, CADRA, etc already use their own APT flavors, so they don´t need special interfaces to interpret their native formats into PP systems that are APT based.

 

They need however a PP table to expand the set of PP Words they can interpret, allowing the PP to understand some extra APT dialects (Your own customized words) that are not present in the core APT language.

 

AFAIK, these companies are top notch in customer service, but honestly I don´t know much about IMS. If I was in your shoes I´d try to understand a bit more their post-processor language, that is, the language they use to manipulate APT statements. It´s their equivalent to MP.

 

• ICAM uses what they call "Macro language"
• G-Post uses what they call FIL (Factory Interface Language) - It´s similar to ICAM´s
• IMS also has a language. I don´t know its name.

I don´t know how Spring handles it. There´s a chance they offer only custom posts written in C++. If that´s the case, I think your tweaking abilities are limited. It won´t be a generalized PP builder like ICAM, G-Post and IMS. But please check because chances are high I might be wrong about it.

 

There´s IMS Intellipost as well. If memory serves me correctly, they can also provide interfaces with Mastercam and most CAM systems out there. Their solution is very similar to ICAM and G-Post, whereas G-Post does not offer anything beyond PP, and ICAM and IMS can go as far as providing you the simulation integrated with the PP.

 

HTH

[Watcher]

CAM Systems supported by IMS: (Anything that outputs APT + Non-APT systems through interfaces CLData2APT)

 

https://www.ims-software.com/sites/default/files/datasheets/Datasheet_IMSpost_EN.pdf

[mkd]

• IMS also has a language. I don´t know its name.

 

 

There´s IMS Intellipost as well. If memory serves me correctly, they can also provide interfaces with Mastercam and most CAM systems out there. Their solution is very similar to ICAM and G-Post, where as G-Post does not offer anything beyond PP, and ICAM and IMS can go as far as providing you the simulation integrated with the PP.

 

HTH

yep. Great post, Watcher^^

 

FWIW; IMS uses an intermediate APT format while translating NCI files

[Watcher]

Just a note:

 

ICAM, NC-Simul can offer: PP + Simulation + Optimization

 

IMS: PP + Simulation

 

G-Post: Only PP

 

 

a high percentage of CNC programs were generated from legacy CAM systems along with other CAM systems and the constant "move this part to this machine" will always exist.

 

Only NC-Simul CAM and ICAM can solve this to the best of my knowledge.

[mkd]

Just a note:

 

ICAM, NC-Simul can offer: PP + Simulation + Optimization

 

IMS: PP + Simulation

 

G-Post: Only PP

 

 

Only NC-Simul CAM and ICAM can solve this to the best of my knowledge.

Not exactly sure what criteria you're using to say "best", but IMS will post from all popular systems. I assume it uses the same APT based number-crunching as the rest of the third party post solutions.

just sayin

[Watcher]

Not exactly sure what criteria you're using to say "best", but IMS will post from all popular systems. I assume it uses the same APT based number-crunching as the rest of the third party post solutions.

just sayin

Oh sorry if I passed the impression something was better than something else. I swear that it was not my intent in this post. These system are very similar when it comes to crunching APT.

 

Also, when I said only ICAM and NCSimul can solve this, I meant in the entire scope of the original post:

 

post-processing, simulation and optimization.

 

By the way: Where did I say "best" in regards which system is better?

[mkd]

haha. reading comprehension.... my bad.

you never said that.

[JCDFCM]

Thanks to all for the feedback. Though all products are solid, ICAM looks to be a safe bet. Has anyone used ICAM's interface kit for Mastercam? If so, your thoughts, pros and cons.

 

Thanks, JCDFCM

[crazy^millman]

Thanks to all for the feedback. Though all products are solid, ICAM looks to be a safe bet. Has anyone used ICAM's interface kit for Mastercam? If so, your thoughts, pros and cons.

 

Thanks, JCDFCM

 

Yes and it does a good job.

 

NCSIMUL would be a safe bet also. The interface is good for Mastercam also.