FANUC and CNC Software Introduce Five-Axis Postprocessor

FANUC America and CNC Software, developer of the Mastercam CAM software, have released a new postprocessor designed to optimize five-axis capabilities in FANUC CNC machines. The new postprocessor allows advanced machine tool operators to reduce their cycle times while boosting part accuracy, particularly for CAD/CAM-generated five-axis simultaneous contouring part processes.

A growing number of manufacturing industries, such as aerospace, medical and mold and die job shops, are incorporating five-axis simultaneous processing in their operations. By optimizing FANUC CNCs with this new Mastercam postprocessor, the companies say machine tools will be able to produce parts modeled in the CAD system more precisely.

“For five-axis simultaneous contouring, a quality CAD/CAM system is critical,” says Rick Schultz, Aerospace program manager for FANUC America. “FANUC has worked closely with CNC Software to make it easy for programmers to create optimal tool paths using the advanced algorithms available in the five-axis Milling Standard Package for FANUC’s 30i-B and 30i-B Plus Series controls.”

Key functions in the Milling Standard Package for FANUC controls include Tool Center Point (TCP), Workpiece Setting, Error Compensation (WSEC), advanced lookahead algorithms AICC II with Smooth Tolerance Control+ and an Easy Setting Function to support multiple acceleration and process profiles. The companies designed this package to power the future of advanced five-axis machining in conjunction with the latest FANUC-controlled machine tools and the new Mastercam postprocessor.

“This new Mastercam postprocessor unlocks the full potential of machine tools that come with the five-axis Milling Standard Package,” says Schultz. “Shorter cycle times with better path accuracy and mirror surface finishes will set a new standard for machining with Mastercam-generated code.”