ICAM V24.2 Release Notes

Welcome

These release notes describe the most significant V24.2 enhancements and problem corrections, organized by sections, as listed below.

Some of the enhancements and many of the problem corrections are also available in updated releases of V23. If so, the release build number is listed at the end of the enhancement or problem description in [Vvv–yyww] format, where vv is the version, yy is the year and ww is the week (1-52).

We hope you enjoy your new release of the ICAM products and we sincerely welcome your feedback.

The ICAM R&D Team
August 30, 2023

Systems and Packaging

Product Availability

System Manufacturer O/S Minimum Requirement
Microsoft Windows 32-bit** 10, 11
Microsoft Windows 64-bit 10, 11, 2016, 2019, 2022

ICAM software is not available for UNIX systems. An ICAM database created with V20 or earlier on a UNIX system is fully compatible with ICAM software running on Windows systems.

ICAM V24.2 can run under Microsoft Windows 7, 8 and 8.1, and Microsoft Windows Server 2008R2, 2012 and 2012R2, but these operating systems are no longer supported by Microsoft.

** V24.x are the final versions supporting 32-bit architectures. The 32-bit installers are available with V24.x on demand only. Contact support@icam.com should you require a 32-bit installation. Note that there is no performance benefit to using 32-bit, but there is a disadvantage with 32-bit of having less available memory for a running process.

Quest Developer’s

  • Mill-Turn support exchangeable heads. Add support of heads in questionnaire and in GENER. The turret questionnaire section now allow to define head attachment (Starting at question #200.00)
  • A new Tools»Consistency menu selection (CTRL+SHIFT+G shortcut) is available to check the post-processor and control emulator for inconsistencies before Generating. Inconsistencies are listed in a new Consistency This includes any question whose response differs from the selected basic machine or basic control, as defined in General Description / General Information questions #4 “Machine defaults” and #5 “Control defaults”. It also includes all inconsistencies that would appear during a Generate. The F4 and SHIFT+F4 keyboard shortcuts can be used to iterate through the inconsistencies listed in the Consistency tab.
  • During consistency checking, QUEST now checks RMD actions to see if the macro text of selected actions is out-of-date and should be updated. Note that the Siemens and Heidenhain cycle RMD actions have been updated for V24.2 and any post using an older version of these RMD actions will now indicate an inconsistency when running the new Consistency function or when Generating.
  • The Gener Description / General Information question #4 “Machine defaults” dialog now includes an option to browse to a folder where XML definition files have been exported from CGTech VERICUT VMCs. The machine definitions exported from VERICUT will then be listed and can be selected. The New Post wizard also can select the VERICUT definition file. This makes it possible to check for inconsistencies between the kinematics of a VMC and that of the post-processor.
  • The Automated Canned Cycles / Drill Cycles section has been enhanced and reorganized to improve floating tap, and to support new rigid tap and back-bore cycles:
    • New question #31 “Reverse TAP-FLOAT cycle available” supports the case where the same G code is used for both left and right hand tapping, with the spindle direction controlling the tap direction.
    • Rigid tapping (TAP-RIGID cycle) is now available and can be defined in various ways. This includes the definition of a rigid tap enable mode code (e.g. M29) before the normal tap cycle G code, and/or the inclusion of a tap cycle type register with the normal tap cycle G code. Alternately, rigid tapping can be defined with a cycle G code that is different from that of the float tap cycle.
    • Reverse rigid tapping has the option to use the same cycle G code as normal rigid tapping, but with the left vs. right hand direction controlled either by the spindle direction or the sign of the cycle pitch (feed) register.
    • New deep (TAP-DEEP) and chip-break (TAP-BRKCHP) rigid tapping cycles can be defined. The inverse variation of these cycles can be defined with their own cycle G codes, or by the spindle direction, or by the sign of the cycle pitch register. Stepped tapping cycles share the same step increment, step decrement and back-step information as the stepped drilling cycles.
    • A “TAP information” tab includes additional float and rigid tap questions.
      • #200 “Default TAP format” defines the tap format to use, either FLOAT or RIGID, if it is not specified on the CYCLE command.
      • #201.1 and #201.2 define the default speed multiplier to be used when positioning during float and rigid tap cycles. This also can be specified on the CYCLE command using a new RATIO,value parameter, or in macros using a new $CYRATIO variable. The ratio is used for simulation and timing purposes only.
      • #202 “Rigid tap orient angle control” defines the ability of the CNC to orient the spindle at the start of a rigid tap cycle.
      • #206.1 and #206.2 determine if the spindle RPM must be output before normal and stepped rigid tap cycles.
    • Back-boring (BORE-BACK cycle) is now available. Back boring shares the same spindle orientation and jog clearance information as the BORE with ORIENT cycle. Generally the R plane defines the lower clearance plane of a back-boring cycle, but it is also possible to define a separate register for this cycle plane.
  • The Cycle Startup macro Siemens and Heidenhain RMD actions have been enhanced as follows:
    • The Siemens cycle RMD action no longer prompts for the TAP cycle to use, because the macro now supports both CYCLE840 float and CYCLE84 rigid tap cycles. The CYCLE84 rigid cycle has been enhanced to support deep and chip-break tapping.
    • The RMD action also no longer prompts for the REAM cycle to use, because the macro now uses CYCLE85 if a RATIO greater than 1 is specified on the CYCLE command, otherwise it uses CYCLE89.
    • Siemens does not support back boring. If this cycle is not set to “Simulate” in QUEST, then the macro will output a diagnostic if a back-bore cycle is requested.
    • The Heidenhain ISO and Conversational RMD actions no longer prompt for the TAP cycle to use, because the macros now support G206 TAPPING, G207 RIGID TAPPING and G209 TAPPING W/ CHIP BRKG cycles.
    • The RMD action also now supports the G204 BACK BORING cycle.

Gener Post-processing

  • A new CYCLE/BORE,BACK command is available to output a back-bore cycle. The RAPTO parameter is required for this cycle type, and defines the lower clearance plane, measured from the control point.

  • The CYCLE/REAM command now supports an optional RATIO, value parameter to define the feed multiplier to use when pulling out of the hole. The ratio is available via a new $CYRATIO variable, which can be changed in macro processing, and which affects timing and Virtual Machine simulation.

  • The CYCLE/TAP command now supports an optional FLOAT or RIGID keyword, immediately following TAP, to explicitly define a floating or rigid tap cycle. I neither FLOAT or RIGID is specified, then the cycle type is defined by the response to Automated Canned Cycles / Drill Cycles question #200 “Default TAP format”.

  • The TAP cycle now supports an optional RATIO,value parameter to define the spindle and feed multiplier to use when pulling out of the hole. The tap feed can also now be defined using TPI,f. The TAP-RIGID cycle supports optional ORIENT,angle and MULTRD,starts parameters to define the initial spindle orient at the start of the cycle, and the number of thread starts required. If a spindle orient is not available with rigid tapping, then multiple starts are implemented by adjusting the R plane downwards for each successive start.
  • New CYCLE/TAP,DEEP and CYCLE/TAP,BRKCHP commands are available to output deep-hole and chip-breaking rigid tap cycles. The syntax is similar to the drilling deep-hole and chip-breaking cycles, except that only a single feed parameter is allowed, and they support the same TPI, RATIO, ORIENT and MULTRD parameters as the TAP-RIGID cycle.

  • The drilling deep-hole and chip-break cycles now support an optional DRILL keyword before the DEEP or BRKCHP keywords. This is done to be consistent with the new TAP-DEEP and TAP-BRKCHP cycles.
  • Drilling and tapping DEEP and BRKCHP secondary clearance values are now used for timing and simulation purposes only. Previously, if the CYCLE/DEEP or CYCLE/BRKCHP command defined a secondary clearance that did not match the QUEST defined value, then the cycle was output point-to-point. Note that a post-processor must be upgraded to V24.2 using QUEST for this enhancement to take effect.
  • If the CNC has a known fixed value for secondary clearance, then $CYCLRS macro variable can be set to that value in a Cycle Startup macro to obtain more accurate timing and simulation.
  • LIMIT/POLAR Path Planning travel optimization for CYCLE.
  • A new MPGOTO “Multi-point GOTO” DEF file variable has been added to the Config Utility “CAM Interface” panel. This variable controls whether or not 5000-class motion records can contain multiple points. This should have no effect on CAM-POST processing, but it will affect user-defined macro matching of 5000 class records
  • LIMIT/POLAR Path Planning – RTA -SmartPATH combination.
  • G29 is now supported in incremental positioning mode.
  • High Speed Machining (HSM) license can now be used to report motion time corrected by various factors like machine acceleration/deceleration capabilities, High feed, RAPID positioning and interpolation mode. The output NC program is not affected but reported motion time is closer to the real machining time.
  • Setting the post processor requires setting parameters listed in HSM section, and selecting MCHTOL command parameters by comparing CAM-POST results to a couple of real machining examples for which the customer should measure the real machining time.
  • HSM analysis for cutting (Feed motions), High Feed positioning (HF motions) and RAPID positioning motion is possible. Typical command is:
  • MCHTOL/CONOUR, toler, RAPID:
    • The CONTUR, toler couplet defines the request for cutting motions analysis.
    • The RAPID keyword is asking for HF and RAPID motions to be analyzed.
  • The following commands and macro have been created to select the coordinate type to display in the listing file columns:
    • LPRINT / COORD, cs [,ABSOL|INCR]
    • LPRINT / COORD,OFF
  • where cs = 0: Joint frame, 1: Machine frame, 2: WCS
  • $COLCRD : 0: Joint frame, 1: Machine frame, 2: WCS
  • $COLINCR : 0: Absolute, 1: Incremental

Virtual Machine

  • The Timeline now has a vertical scrollbar when the height is too small

  • A new simulation statistic dialog is available and provides information about objects used in the simulation. This can be used to find simulation speed bottleneck caused by complex object or to validate macro runtime behaviour by allowing the user to compare internal object type and ID to see if they match the one requested by macro.The statistics dialog can be accessed by the simulation top menu.

CeRun Run-Time

  • The Control Emulator Output trace window and trace of actions in the listing have been enhanced to include changes in spindle, diameter compensation and fixture compensation. Delay information also now includes the count of revolutions if that was how the delay was specified.

Integration Tools

  • Manufacturing Extractors and the CAM Integration utility have been updated to support the following CAM systems and releases:
  • 3DEXPERIENCE 2015x–2023x
  • CATIA V5R21, V5-6R2012–2023
  • Creo1–9
  • FeatureCAM 2017–2022
  • Fusion 360
  • Mastercam 2017–2024, and for SolidWorks 2014–2019
  • NX12, NX1847–2306
  • PowerMill 2017–2023
  • A new 3DEXPERIENCE extractor has been developed to support 2022x and later version. The new extractor is easier to use and do not require to pre-select the PPR in 3DEXPERIENCE. It also output more detailed information about the extraction process.

Macro Functions and System Variables

  • GENER Post-Processor:
  • A new $FEDRAP() function is available to get or set High Feed positioning threshold.
  • The Cycle Startup macro has a new $P21 variable that indicates the BORE-BACK bottom clearance plane value.
  • The following cycle variables have been added to support the new cycles:
  • $CYDIR (R/O) Cycle infeed rotation direction [0:?,1:CLW,2:CCLW]
  • $CYMULTRD (R/W) Rigid TAP cycle MULTRD value
  • $CYRATIO (R/W) TAP and REAM cycle RATIO value
  • $CYRIGID (R/W) Rigid tapping activation state [-1:?,0:off,1:on]
  • The $HSMODE system variable allow to set High Speed Machining mode to cutting (1), positioning (2) or all motion (3).
  • CERUN:
  • Added a multi-kernel synchronization method. The CERUN processing kernels can now synchronize their speed of processing based on the Virtual Machine channel cycle time. This feature is OFF by default and can be turned ON only in the super kernel “Machine Startup” macro by calling $FCETIMESYNC(). This is only available for merging lathe and composite CE.
  • The Cycle Event macro has a new $P6 variable that indicates the BORE-BACK bottom clearance plane value.
  • Added support for the following cycle variables: $CRMODE, $CYCLR{XYZ}, $CYCLRO, $CYDECR, $CYDIR, $CYDPTH, $CYFEDT, $CYFEDV, $CYINCR, $CYMCH, $CYORNT, $CYRATIO, $CYRETN, $CYRIGID and $CYTYPE.
  • Virtual Machine:
  • $FMSTOOL() can now be used to copy a tool. It will create a new tool as a copy of an existing one.
  • $FMSTOOL() now support generic mill tool.

PQRs

The following is a partial list of corrections made to V24.2.

CAM-POST

PQR Description
006433 Deferred fixture compensation was not output before a canned cycle unless there was a positioning move prior to the cycle. [V24‑2328]
006432 Added missing DWELL parameter for TAP, DEEP and BRKCHP cycles in the Mastercam interface. [V24‑2327]
006419 Gener $XJ, $YJ, $ZJ position are different from VMHUD XYZ. Fixture compensation calculations were incorrect when Q360.00 was set to RTCP and RTCP was active. [V23‑2324, V24‑2324]
006417 The cycle depth register incremental output was always being computed from the R plane, even if “Normal” was requested (which computes the incremental value from the current position when the cycle is called). Post-processors that are updated to V24.2 automatically change the response from “Normal” to “R” so that cycle output is not changed. [V23‑2323, V24‑2323]
006416 Fixed issue with variable window truncating variable names instead of calculating new column width.  [V23‑2322, V24-2322]
006404 Using sequence system variables in the parameter list of a $FLOOK function call could result in a fatal error.  [V23‑2319, V24-2319]
006394 The length value given with the LOADT/LENGTH command was not showing the offset value when the cursor is inside the “Tool” component in the kinematics window. [V23‑2316, V24-2316]
006348 When IJK and R circular data definition methods are allowed and C2P mode is active the C2P preference for Center or Radius method was not being applied.  [V23‑2308, V24-2308]
006304 SmartCUT and SmartPATH outputs G3 motion instead of G2. G2 motion was split by SmartCUT into High Feed (HF) segment followed by cutting feed segment. SmartPATH replaced HF G2 segment to G1 linear motion. under some conditions the following G2 segment may be output as G3. [V23‑2251, V24-2251]
006311 The Cycle Startup Macro “SIEMENS drilling cycles” RMD action now uses the “DP” absolute cycle depth instead of “DPR” incremental depth when the DPR value is zero. A zero DPR would cause an alarm at the machine. [V23‑2250, V24-2250]
006295 Z-axis over-travels while LIMT/POLAR, BAXIS is active. Under some conditions LIMIT/POLAR optimization may fail to adjust singular rotary axis position, to avoid over-travel motion of a linear axis. [V23‑2248, V24-2248]

Control Emulator

PQR Description
006397 LCS deactivation using $LCS was not working as expected. $LCS was staying true. [V23‑2317, V24-2317]
006379 $FUNWIND() macro function used to unwind rotary axes was not working with 3DEXPERIENCE simulation. [V23‑2313, V24-2313]
006271 The question 6.70 “Update WCS position from VM simulation” from General Information in Quest was not working with the 3DEXPERIENCE simulation. [V23.0‑2244, V24-2244]

Virtual Machine

PQR Description
006412 Fixe an issue where VM VSW and M3D configuration file would not load or save properly if the file name or path contains non-ASCII character. [V23‑2322, V24-2322]
006365 Timeline was not showing material removal rate graphic properly. [V23‑2311, V24-2311]
006274 Fix very slow timeline manipulation across tool change on tool having complex holder.     [V23‑2244, V24-2244]

Macro Processor

PQR Description
006373 Fixed an issue with $FMRU_GETPARAM not returning the provided default value if the key does not exist in the MRU file.  [V23‑2311, V24-2311]

 

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