In other words, in the 2D machining market there is not only no clear leader when it comes to CAM, there are many companies who program these parts manually on the CNC control in G-Code or conversationally, or offline on a PC using software as basic as a text editor like Microsoft’s Notepad or Wordpad. Many of these same associations report that use of a formal CAD/CAM solution by those who do this type of work varies widely, as does the use of 3D solid modeling tools. Industry associations estimate that anywhere between 50% and 70% of the machining done on 3-Axis vertical machines is 2D and 2½-Axis machining 2D Milling and Drilling. The only functionality that we have disabled is Tool Orientation, the primary stock simulation (MachineWorks based), and the multiaxis backplotting in HSMWorks Edit. HSMXpress includes generic post processors and like HSMWorks, the post processors are editable by the user provided they can learn JavaScript. That means it is 100% HSMWorks same 64-bit/multi-core HSMWorks CAM Kernel, 2D Milling and Drilling, HSMWorks Simulation, HSMWorks Post Processor, and HSMWorks Edit. An entirely new segment of SolidWorks users can now take advantage of the benefits of integrated CAD/CAM. HSMXpress will redefine the CAM business.
HSMWorks has announced the release of HSMXpress: the world’s first free CAM solution for SolidWorks. Both Part and Assembly mode are supported and everything is stored in the SLDPRT or SLDASM. It is all the same Kernel which means native 64-bit and true multi-processor, multi-core and hyper-threading support.
Everything else is there and there are no limits: Face, Contour, Pocket (even High Speed 2D Adaptive Clearing) Slot, Thread, Bore, 3D Trace (3D Curve), all of the drill cycles, Patterns, Setup Sheets, common post processors, an open Post language, editor, G-code backplotter, and RS-232 communications.