Welcome to the NC Machine Tool Simulation User's Guide!
This guide is intended for users who need to become quickly familiar with the
product.
This overview provides the following information:
NC Machine Tool Simulation easily validates machining setup for selected machine tools and tool paths upfront during machining operation definition. Through an intuitive user interface, it enables the NC programmer to assign a complete machine to a part operation and to simulate selected tool paths with this machine. The simulation can be either tool path-based or ISO-based. In addition, material removal can be simulated.
NC Machine Tool Simulation dynamically detects collisions, if any, during simulation. It enables the NC programmer to re-visit these collisions at the end of a simulation run, and to modify tool path(s) to avoid collisions. It also detects axis limit errors, which can be interactively corrected by modifying the machining setup, thereby enabling the NC programmer to validate and finalize the setup.
Optionally, NC Machine Tool Simulation provides ISO-based simulation, including both machine and material removal simulation based on NC code. NC programmers can request an interactive ISO panel display during simulation and for analysis. The ISO life cycle is integrated to Process Lifecycle Management (PLM); it is sensitive to design and operator changes. NC Machine Tool Simulation also simulates NC code generated outside of V5.
Before reading this guide, you should be familiar with basic Version 5 concepts such as document windows, standard and view toolbars. Therefore, we recommend that you read the Infrastructure User's Guide that describes generic capabilities common to all Version 5 products. It also describes the general layout of V5 and the interoperability between workbenches.
We also recommend that you read the NC Manufacturing Infrastructure User's Guide which describes how to define and manage NC programs dedicated to machining parts designed in 3D wireframe or solids geometry using 2.5 to 5-axis machining techniques.
You may also like to read the 3D Simulation for Manufacturing User's Guide, for which the appropriate license is required.
To get the most out of this guide, we suggest that you start reading and performing the step-by-step Getting Started tutorial. This tutorial will show you how to access the Machine Tool Path Simulation workbench and describes the prerequisites for simulation.
Once you have finished, you should move on to the User Tasks section of the book that provides procedures for using the features of NC Machine Tool Simulation.
The Workbench Description section describes each functional icon or command in the workbenches.
The Glossary provides definitions of terms specific to NC Machine Tool Simulation and related products.
Navigating in the Split View mode is recommended. This mode offers a framed layout allowing direct access from the table of contents to the information.
To perform the scenarios, sample documents are provided. For more information about this, refer to "Accessing Sample Documents" in the Infrastructure User's Guide.