With EdgeCAM Strategy Manager Pathtrace has developed a knowledge-based feature oriented method of programming CNC machines that streamlines and automates the programming process for more efficient and more effective manufacturing.

EdgeCAM Strategy Manager is an interactice, graphical tool used to define and capture the way in which parts are cut. EdgeCAM Strategy Manager allows the user to capture best practice manufacturing methods and apply them to subsequent jobs, dramatically reducing programming time.

Key benefits of EdgeCAM Strategy Manager:

• Reduced programming time - shorter time to market and lower cost
• Eliminate programming errors
• Increased repeatability and traceability
• Consistent approach to machining techniques
• Mundane programming of parts is reduced
• Allows manufacturing intent to be captured - not just what, but why!
• Easy to use, programming skills are not required

Intelligent manufacturing
EdgeCAM Strategy Manager encompasses the best from the principles of rules, knowledge and feature based machining and utilizes these to produce a fast, reliable and highly automated solution for solids machining.

EdgeCAM Strategy Manager builds on the intelligence of EdgeCAM Solid Machinist to offer true knowledge-based machining. It extends the feature based approach of EdgeCAM Solid Machinist and combines this with the knowledge and experience of the skilled engineers on the shopfloor. It effectively drives the CAM process and as a result, machining methods are kept consistent, best practices maximized within the organization.

Reduce programming time to seconds
EdgeCAM Strategy Manager builds up a library of machining strategies incorporating best practice to allow standardization of methods and, in effect, to reduce programming time to a push of a button. It provides a consistent application of proven technology for machining that improves productivity and quality, eliminates process variables, optimizes tooling and minimizes much of the mundane work involved in CNC program generation.

As well as dramatically cutting CAM programmers' time needed for repetitive tasks, EdgeCAM Strategy Manager allows you to incorporate many time-saving variables into your own strategies.

Capture machining logic in a simple flow chart
In addition to simply capturing how a component is machined or recording the rules that are used to machine it, EdgeCAM Strategy Manager also captures the logic behind the decision.

At the core of EdgeCAM Strategy Manager is an easy to use, graphical flow chart that represents the logic of the machining strategies, a diagram of operational sequences taken from preferred methods and the machining capability to produce a part. For example, to drill a hole, a series of rules is laid down such as when center drilling, spotting or peck cycles are required. Feature attributes such as hole diameter may be used to determine if a tapping or thread milling cycle should be used.

These options are linked to the tooling database and to the feature attributes of the part. When a component is required to be programmed, the solid model is seamlessly imported into EdgeCAM and EdgeCAM Strategy Manager initiated. The built-in feature recognition within EdgeCAM interrogates the model from which EdgeCAM Strategy Manager automatically applies the most appropriate machining technique to each feature based on the flow chart. Tools are then automatically selected from the EdgeCAM ToolStore, together with predetermined material and cutting data.

Profit from the expertise of your workforce
EdgeCAM Strategy Manager does not impose rules or working methods, instead it allows companies to utilize the expertise and experience of the workforce with every part that needs to be machined. Because the interactive process is designed around a simple flow chart, no knowledge of high level programming languages is required and the programmer can easily create and modify strategies.

EdgeCAM Strategy Manager is part of the EdgeCAM Solid Machining product suite that also includes EdgeCAM Solid Machinist, a seamlessly integrated CAM system for generating machining strategies and NC code from solid models.