NC Verify 2003 Release Notes – July 2003

NC Verify 2003 represents a real advance in TrueSolid CNC machining simulation

technology. Built on the latest version of the leading MachineWorks, v6.0, this latest release
of NC Verify provides the user with new TrueSolid functionality and improved stability and
performance in a number of key areas.

The following notes relate primarily to TrueSolid functionality, though some improvements
have also been made to the NC Verify standard product, and outline the developments made
to NC Verify 2003.

Summary of new functionality

• Simultaneous 5 axis machining operations are now supported in simulation mode.

• Cutter compensation is supported via the CUTCOM command in APT format (NC
Verify Standard AND TrueSolid).

• Seamless switching between SuperTurbo mode and simulation mode – The user can
‘Fast Forward’ half way through a job using SuperTurbo, then switch to simulation
mode and continue at the point they left off, but this time animating cuts.

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• The Control Panel functionality of NC Verify Standard product is now available in
TrueSolid.

• Greater Control over simulation – TrueSolid can be made to automatically pause at a

given block number, or when the feed rate exceeds a given value. The GUI now
allows multiple selections of ‘Stop At End’, ‘Stop At Tool Change’, ‘Stop At Error’,
‘Stop At Block Number’ and ‘Stop At Feed Rate’.

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• Solid Section – In addition to graphical section the solid model can be sectioned, and
subsequent machining performed on the sectioned model.

• Toggle simulation of holders – TrueSolid can ignore holders to optimize performance.

• Network licenses – A list of users of the current network licenses currently in use and
by whom can now be displayed.

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• Software render switch – The use of graphics hardware acceleration can now be
switched from the GUI.

• Tool ID is now displayed in status bar and for each toolpath error in the error
display.

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Accessing Features new to NC Verify TrueSolid 2003
The following section details how to access the new features detailed above.

Simultaneous 5-axis simulation

To simulate simultaneous 5 axis operations in TrueSolid, it is necessary to obtain a TrueSolid

5 Axis license from MachineWorks Ltd. It is then possible to simulate 5 axis motions with any
appropriate APT/CL format file. Please contact support@machineworks.com for more
information about licensing issues.

Cutter compensation

Cutter compensation can be invoked from APT/CL files in both the standard product and
TrueSolid. The following commands are supported:

• CUTCOM / LEFT <D>

Compensate for the cutter diameter / wear to the LEFT of the programmed path
(equivalent to G41)

• CUTCOM / RIGHT <D>

Compensate for the cutter diameter / wear to the RIGHT of the programmed path
(equivalent to G41)

• CUTCOM / ON
Begin cutter compensation using the last type set.

• CUTCOM / OFF
Cancel cutter compensation (equivalent to G40)

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<D> is a code indicating the value to use for compensation, and is equivalent the D-code in
NC programming. These values may be entered in the D code property page of the Job
dialog box.

In TrueSolid, the Job dialog box may be displayed by selecting ‘Edit Job’ from the ‘File’ menu
item. In the standard product, the Job dialog box is displayed when a Job file is first loaded.
Alternatively, it can be displayed by restarting a job by selecting the current Job from last
open files section of the File Menu item (type ‘f1’ while holding down the <Alt> key).

Control Panel in TrueSolid

By default the control panel will be automatically displayed in TrueSolid 2003. If the control
panel is not visible, it may be viewed by selecting the ‘View control panel’ option from the
‘Inspect’ menu item. The same operation will hide the control panel if it is already visible.

Seamless switching between SuperTurbo mode and simulation mode

By default a simulation will be automatically restarted if the ‘Super Turbo’ option is selected
from the ‘File’ menu half way through a machining simulation. This behaviour may now be
changed by first displaying the Simulation Settings dialog box (select ‘Settings’ from
‘Simulate’ menu item) and then deselecting the check box labeled ‘Restart When Toggling
SuperTurbo Mode’.

With this option, Seamless switching between SuperTurbo and simulation mode is enabled.
For example, you may ‘Fast Forward’ through the first 10000 cuts in SuperTurbo mode,
switch to Simulation mode and continue animating from the 10000th cut.

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Control over simulation ‘break’ points.

The simulation may be stopped automatically at a given block number in the input file, or
when the feed rate exceeds a given value. These options may be set in the Simulation
Settings dialog box (select the ‘Settings…’ from the ‘Simulate’ option). To stop at a block
number, ensure that the ‘Block Number’ check box is selected, and enter the required block
number in the text box. To stop when the feed rate exceeds a given value, ensure that the
‘Feed Rate’ check box is selected, and enter the required feed rate in the neighbouring text
box.

Multiple selection of stop points may now be made in the simulation settings dialog box, so
that, for example, the simulation may automatically be stopped at every error AND a given
block number.

Solid Section

The stock model may be sectioned during the machining process. Selecting the ‘Solid
Section’ option from the ‘Inspect’ menu item will cause the Solid Section dialog box to be
displayed.

Solid sectioning works in much the same way as graphical sectioning, although the
intersection of the solid with the section plane is displayed as a shaded polygon. Enter the
section plane’s normal and a point lying on the section plane in the text boxes and hit the
‘Apply’ button to perform the section. Move the slider control to repeatedly section the model
with a plane whose normal remains the same, but whose reference point moves along a
vector normal to the plane. The ‘OK’ button will dismiss the dialog and leave the stock model
sectioned with the last selected section plane. Subsequent machining will be simulated on
this sectioned stock until the simulation is restarted. The ‘Cancel’ button will dismiss the
dialog box and reinstate the un-sectioned stock.

Switching simulation of holders

By default, holders specified in the job file will automatically be attached to tools during the
simulation. Clashes between the holder and the stock and any fixtures will be present, and
the holder will be displayed during animation in simulation mode. To disable tool holders,
invoke the simulation settings dialog box (select the ‘Settings…’ option from the ‘Simulation’
menu item), and ensure that the ‘Simulate Tool Holders’ box is un-checked.

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Displaying Network Licenses

If the current license is a network license, then other users of the same license may be
viewed by displaying the ‘Other Users’ dialog box. The other users dialog box can be
displayed by first invoking the license dialog box. In NC Verify standard, select the
‘Upgrade…’ option from the ‘File’ menu item to invoke the license dialog box. The other users
dialog box can now displayed by hitting the ‘Other Users…’ button on the license dialog box.

Alternatively, the license dialog box will be displayed in both TrueSolid and NC Verify if the
application is started with an illegal license, or if the network license has the maximum
number of users.

Software Render Switch

Hardware graphics acceleration can now be switched off by selecting the ‘Software Render’
option from the ‘Options’ menu item. This option is useful if you have a buggy graphics card
or driver.

TrueSolid must be restarted for this change to take effect:

Selecting ‘Software Render’ repeatedly will toggle between using the generic OpenGL driver
and the hardware graphics driver.

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Documentation
To enable the user to take full advantage of the developments, the NC Verify user manual
has been comprehensively updated to cover all new functionality.

Contact Information

All Support Enquiries: support@machineworks.com

MachineWorks Ltd Japan Representative Office

Rutledge House Yokohama Business Park
78 Clarkehouse Road West Tower 11F
Sheffield 134 Godo-cho
S10 2LJ Hodogaya-ku
United Kingdom Yokohama
240-0005
Telephone: +44 114 223 1370 Japan
Fax: +44 114 223 1371
Website: www.machineworks.com Telephone: +81 45 333 9935
Email: info@machineworks.com Fax: +81 45 333 9945

MachineWorks and NC Verify are trademarks of MachineWorks Ltd. All other brand or
product names are trademarks of their respective owners.

© MachineWorks Ltd 1990-2002, 2003. All Rights Reserved.