Homepage / Software / Fusion 360 with PowerMill / PowerMill Ultimate functions

PowerMill Ultimate is advanced tool assisting machining of electrodes, port, manifold, blisk and blades.

PowerMill Ultimate® is available in a subscription to the special package Fusion 360 with PowerMill Ultimate, thanks to which you gain access to the PowerMill Ultimate, Fusion 360, Fusion 360 – Machinign Extension, Fusion 360 – Team, HSMWorks and Fusion 360 – Additive Build Extension packages.

Fusion 360 with PowerMill Ultimate extensions:

PowerMill Ultimate

Autodesk PowerMill software is a specialized solution for programming multi-axis and high-performance CNC machining.

Manufacturing Extension

Manufacturing Extension allows you to increase the speed of work thanks to automation, while improving control over machines and processes.

Fusion 360 – Team

Fusion 360 – Team allows you to remove the limitations of traditional design and production processes by using a modern collaborative environment.

HSMWorks

HSMWorks enables the use of 2.5- to 5-axis milling, turning, and lathe / milling functions in CAD software to reduce uptime and rework.

Fusion 360

Fusion 360 accelerates the formation of ideas, eliminates the hassle of communicating with engineering teams, and turns concepts into profitable products.

Fusion 360 with PowerMill Ultimate functions:

3-axis milling in the PowerMill is the solution leading on the market for programming machining of complicated 3D surfaces. Wide range of 3D machining strategies allows to obtain better surface finish, in the shortest possible computation time.

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Unique technologies, such as multithreading and background processing in the PowerMill, allow to fully use the possessed computer equipment. Background processing allows to organize actions without waiting for calculation of a toolpath. Multithreading reduces programming time. So, we receive more time for cutting and less for waiting for calculation of a toolpath.

3-axis milling in PowerMill first of all means:

  • Speed: minimization of computation times, thanks to the 64-bit support, multithreading and background processing.
  • Reliability: detection and avoiding collisions.
  • Operating comfort: quick programming of even the most complicated 3-axis parts, in the shortest possible time.
  • Optimization: modification of tool paths with advance technology of the tool track edition in order to achieve the assumptions.
  • Automation: automating of everyday work by using macros and templates.

3 + 2 milling in the PowerMill enables to turn a tool from vertical position to an angled position, which not only improves cutting conditions, but also allows to reach hardly-accessible areas of a workpiece.

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Intuitive user interface makes it easy to create paths, allowing the machine to work parts more aggressively, shorten a cycle time and improve the surface finish.

3+2 milling means the 5-axis machining in the PowerMill. Allows the user to set one or more tool axis directions through indexing of rotation axes.

Advantages of 3+2 milling in the PowerMill:

  • more safe dynamic machining of parts,
  • reduced cycle time,
  • improved surface finish,
  • creation of 3+2 toolpaths.

Operation of 3+2 module consists in using two rotary axes in order to tilt a tool. PowerMill enables to low down the head together with the tilted tool, thus facilitating access to the machined surface. Good surface finish and accurate dimensions can be achieved by using shorter tools and higher speeds, with smaller deflections of a tool. 3+2 milling in the PowerMill means: shorter tool movements and cycle time, less NC program code bars and less configurations, and also a possibility to use more rigid cutting tools than it would have been allowable in the conventional 3-axis machining.

Milling with turning on a PowerMill is the function that enables to perform turning operation for 5-axis mill-turn machines. It allows to automatically create rotary profiles from and imported CAD, in order to obtain the proper blank model.

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Milling with turning module allows profile machining, grooving, boring and machining of face surfaces. Gather special precise lathes together and use them to create toolpaths for roughing and finishing tools and NC programs.

Advantages of the Milling with turning module:

  • option of the tool path editing, e.g., changing the sequence of paths and limitations without the need of recalculation,
  • option of the tool path start and end points editing,in order to monitor its correct run,
  • detection of collisions which includes the blank workpiece material, tools, machined model and the machine,
  • possibility to create turning operations for 5-axis mill-turn machines in order to utilize them more effectively.

Simulation and detection of collisions in PowerMill are the functions which assist the user to quickly detect potential errors. Read-in 3D model of your machine into PowerMill and use it to carry out high-performance and multi-axis toolpaths.

PowerMill Standard offers wide range of functionalities for protection of machine tools:

  • Toolpath simulation.
  • Machine simulation.
  • Detection of a tool collision.
  • Material loss simulator.

Advantages of the simulation module and detection of collisions:

  • Protection of a machine tool against damage.
  • More safe machining of complicated parts.
  • Less standstills and lower production delay.
  • Reduction of scrap and decreasing storage costs.
  • Elimination of unexpected machine movements.

5-axis milling in PowerMill offers wide scope of machining strategies for efficient 5-axis programming Combination of power, flexibility and operating comfort allows to use PowerMill in many different fields, e.g., finish cutting of composites or engraving of bottle moulds.

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Major advantage of 5-axis machining is the possibility of time saving through machining of complex shapes in one chucking. 5-axis milling in the Power Mill has a number of machining strategies, making it possible to use shorter milling cutter for faster, more accurate machining, undisturbed by vibrations.

Improvement of machine tool movements, duration of a cycle time and surface finishing – control of a machine tool head and of a tool contact point is necessary for successful 5-axis machining. Poor control of a tool axis will cause wrong machine movements, uneven surface finish, premature wearing of a tool and, what is the worst – collisions. Unparalleled control of tool axis in the “5-axis Milling” module ensures unrivalled results in 5-axis machining.

Automatic avoiding of collisions – this function ensures automatic inclination of a mill and moving it away from obstacles by a specified clearance. Having passed the obstacles, the tool returns to its original cutting angle.

Full control with editing of a tool axis – possibility to set the tool axis in a way as to adapt it to the individual areas of a toolpath.

Benefits from 5-axis machining in the PowerMill:

  • Strategies adapted to machining along the profile.
  • Strategies adapted to machining of deep cores and cavities.
  • Possibility to use of shorter milling cutters, ensuring higher accuracy and higher quality of surface finish.
  • Possibility to machine with a side or a bottom of a tool.
  • Possibility to take advantage of full range of the tools.
  • Full protection against undercuts.
  • Possibility to use it for models in STL format.

Electrodes Machining of in PowerMill is the function assisting efficient production of EDM electrodes. Irrespective of the material subjected to machining, PowerMill supports the user in the process of creation and production of electrodes in the shortest possible time.

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Electrode Machining in PowerMill first of all means:

1. Automation

PowerMill enables application of templates and macros, simple to create and edit, for automatic production of electrodes. The task of the macros is to chose the template sequence to the machining, which are responsible for automatical:

  • selection of appropriate strategy,
  • selection of appropriate tool,
  • readjustment of speeds and feeds,
  • application of a magnetoelectric generator to EDM machines,
  • computation of allowances necessary for roughing, semi-finishing and finishing,
  • creation of easy to reed sheets,
  • optimization of strategies for thin-walled electrodes, in order to avoid material losses,
  • computation of a perfect NC code.

 2. Flexibility

For complex electrodes the PowerMill offers wide scope of proven machining strategies, including:

  • roughing – for fastest possible removal of significant volume of material,
  • remaining machining – detection of spots in which not machined allowance remained, and re-machining them for both roughing and finishing strategies,
  • automatic machining of the areas with large and small inclination.

PowerMill enables importing of .TRODE files from PowerShape, while retaining:

  • color identification of individual parts of electrode,
  • size of the electrode geometry,
  • spark gaps, applied automatically to the toolpaths.

Robot interface is a quick and precise programming of industrial robots. This module is integrated with the PowerMill and offers wide range of advantages to its users.

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Programming

  • Designing trajectories of robots equipped with a spindle, is an ideal solution for machining large and heavy elements, in a prototype production or in starting low-volume production.
  • Programming robots used as manipulators in processes of grinding and polishing as well as those taking part in mass production.
  • Increasing working area of a robot by using additional axes, such as linear guides or turntables, in order to increase flexibility within the range of overall dimensions of produced metals.
  • Quick positioning of robots using a remote control panel to the required location thanks manual mode options.

Simulation

  • 3D simulation tools built-in the Robot Interface module in the PowerMill, present accurate robot behaviours.
  • Algorithm of strategy allows to achieve limiting planes, and also desired movements of a robot based on such variables as the axis limitations and priorities.
  • Output data are recorded directly in the robot’s native language, eliminating the need for translation.
  • Configurator of features serves for storage of most frequently used settings, such as axes limits, tool limitations and base positions, enabling quick opening of appropriate configuration for simulations.

Analysis

  • Robot Interface provides developed tools for analysis, giving a user full control over programming of a robot.
  • Displaying the outline of a working robot, in order to optimize settings of a machined workpiece and to achieve maximum accessibility in its machining.
  • Preview of a maximum range of movements for each of a robot’s axes, to analyze the robot’s behaviours and movements.
  • Informing about all problems which may make the machining not possible.
  • Better understanding of robot’s work and movements on the basis of a graph displaying limitations of axes and their turns.
  • Preview enabling analysis of accelerations and decelerations of robot’s axes on the basis of a time functions graph.
  • Time saving, thanks to the tool and spindle accurate calibration functions.
  • Taking advantage of advices concerning tools and coordinate systems, on the basis of a current project settings.

Robot Interface is used among the others for: laser and plasma cutting, laser beam build-up welding or grinding.

Advances detection of collisions in PowerMill enables simulation of NC code and toolpaths on a virtual machine.

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Functions enabling advaned detection of collisions in PowerMill mean the wide range of functionalities intended ro protect CNC machine tools. These include:

  • verification of a project,
  • dynamic machine tool monitoring,
  • checking collisions on a machine tool,
  • analysis of simulations.

Advantages of the module “advanced detection of collisions”:

  • protection of a machine tool against damage,
  • more safe machining of complicated parts,
  • less standstills and lower production delay,
  • reduction of scrap and decreasing storage costs,
  • elimination of unexpected machine movements.

Verification of a project – this function allows to check corractness of a toolpath with one click.

Control of safety includes, but is not limited to:

  • detection of holder collisions,
  • detection of machine tool collisions,
  • identification of exceeding machine tool axis,
  • analysis of toolpaths and their connection points.

Dynamic control of machines – allows simulations and quick matching of tool axis configuration to the 3+2 machine tool. Ability for dynamic change of the tool and/or machine tool axis orientation for:

  • easy and fast updating of existing tool paths with new orientation of the tool and/or machine tool axis,
  • creation of new working plane, adapted to new orientations of the tool and machine tool axis.

This function includes automatic warnings, which appear at the collision of machine tools and violating the limiting axis.

Checking collisions on a machine tool – function which allows for precise determination of a tool safe distance. If a collision occurs the tool changes its colour to yellow, which allows to assess correctness of the toolpath.

Detecting collisions on a machine tool – enables quick identification of a collision occurrence and indication of a place where collision occurs. If a collision occurs the part changes its colour, which allows to analyze the full operation of the machine.

Machining of port and manifold in the PowerMill is the ideal solution for machining of cylinder head and other tubular shapes. This allows for quick and effective programming of toolpaths. Even though the module is first of all intended for machining port and manifold of engines, it is also the ideal solution in the production of shields or other tubular shapes.

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Uncompromising design

Machining of channels in the PowerMill enables machining of channels with any cross-section, while retaining the design assumptions. The software protects the user from the loss of several surfaces, due to the fact there is no need to repeated creation into one surface.

Intelligent roughing

PowerMill commences machining of inlet channels with the 3-axis and 3+2-axis strategy. It enables faster machining, with better finish of surfaces, with the minimum tool length. Technology of automatic avoidance of collisions in PowerMill can also be used for changing the toolpath into the 5-axis path in order to reach all areas of a channel. After completion of the machining of one side, the workpiece is automatically machined on the other side, using the same machining strategy. Stiffness of chucking of the machined object and the machine is retained, thanks to the maximum utilization of 3+2 machining.

Innovative finishing

Machining of channels in the PowerMill utilizes the “deepening” and “spirally” strategies for after-machining. Both strategies utilize the option of intelligent addition of allowances, which automatically adjusts the paths, preventing nonconformities of surfaces which occur when in result of sudden changes the tool is “pushed away”.

Controlling the addition of allowances

At the moment when two machining operations meet inside of the machined inlet channel, the tool is exposed to deflection. In PowerMill, along with machining of inlet channels, positioning, length and tool pass value control is carried out. Thanks to the above, manual finishing is unnecessary.

Automatic collision avoidance

Channel Machining module contains verification of the cutting tool selection correctness for the inlet Channel model. Intelligent functions also allow to adapt the tool to safe position, which gives the confidence that the program will be collision-free.

Advantages:

  • quick and safe removal of the material (HSM machining),
  • automatic algorithm of the inlet channel machining,
  • safe toolpath assurance,
  • tool load reduction,
  • improved surface finish,
  • cost saving.

Machining of blades, blisk and impeller in the PowerMill enables to produce complicated operations in a simple way. Automated approach in the PowerMill allows for effective programming of machining of complicated parts with minimum effort of a worker. Intelligent avoidance of collisions ensures safe program operation, with no collision of a tool and holder, and also fastenings and clamps.

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Simplification of a process 

Dedicated strategies, in “Blades, blisk and impeller” module, guide the user through the entire machining process of a component. PowerMill has algorithms allowing to calculate the remaining allowance, which guarantees that, most of the material is safely removed before commencing the after-machining.

Adaptive production

Adaptive production in PowerMill substitutes traditional linear approach to the control, that is from CAD to CAM, and then to the CNC machine.  PowerMill software uses control in the cycle in order to provide continuous adaptation of the process. The solution of adaptive production is applied to satisfy specific requirements of a particular application, assuring production of parts in compliance with the requirements.

Using of the unique adaptive Autodesk machining to repair destroyed or damaged turbine blades, is economical alternative to machining of new parts.

Blades, blisk and impeller milling means:

  • more smooth 5-axis roughing and finishing paths,
  • special strategies for faster and efficient finishing of individual blades,
  • simple way of performing complicated operations,
  • simplification of a process,
  • adaptive production,
  • safe programs, through intelligent avoiding collisions.
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