Autodesk FeatureCAM 2019.3.4 Update
February 2019
Version: 2019.3.4
Build: 0012
Release Notes - FeatureCAM 2019.3.4 Update
Autodesk, Inc.
In a continuing effort to provide high-quality products, this update introduces new fixes or addresses issues relating to the release. This document contains information about the fixes contained in this update.
Tool Database
- Fixed a bug when using a network database in which users were unable to update cut direction changes in some tool types (Form tools, thread mills).
Addins and API
- Fixed a bug in which images did not show up for Excel setup sheets created by the SetupSheet addin.
- Fixed a bug in the API when writing post variables to 3D operations (a problem only in the most recent update).
Simulation
- Fixed a crash that could occur in 3D or machine simulation when attempting to display certain tools.
Feature Recognition
- Fixed a bug in which multiple face selection with IFR faces would machine only a single face from the selection.
- Fixed a bug in which similar pockets were not combined into single feature during recognition.
- Fixed a bug in which a pattern of holes could not be created about the index axis in IFR.
File Import
- The Autodesk Translation Framework (ATF) has been updated to version 7.12. This version supports import of SolidWorks 2019 files.
Milling
- Fix a bug in which pre-drill settings were ignored when using multiple roughing diameters in NT toolpath types with Pocket and Side features.
- Fix issues when using NT toolpaths with both a stock curve and a user-defined stock. In some cases, the stock curve was ignored in roughing and simulation could fail.
Wire EDM
- Fix a bug where the wire only extended to the middle of stock in 3D wire simulation when using a round stock.
- Fix a bug in which a Die feature was simulated in 3D mode at the corner instead of the center.
User Interface
- Clarify the user interface for overrides of the choice for '5-axis position'. Previously, the 'Reset all' action did not affect this override and there was no visual indication that the choice had been overridden. The presence of an override is now indicated by an asterisk (*) in front of the current value, and an item in the dropdown menu is available for 'Use default value'. These changes have been made at both the operation and the setup levels.
- Remove the '5-axis position' label in some feature properties pages where the action is not applicable.
- Correct the display of some images in the application that showed with a black background.
- Fix a bug where a change to the Setup position was not available for Undo.
- Fix a bug which could occur when editing a machine design file: an STL object with the tool location was not selected in the dropdown menu.
Simulation
- Fix a bug where simulation results for some MillTurn configurations were not consistent between the Centerline, 3D, and Machine simulation modes.
- Fix a bug in which 'flashing' the B-axis tool was not working for some vertical turn/mill machine configurations.
- Fix a bug that did not allow tool locations above 100 (for simulation of Tornos swiss machines).
Feature Recognition
- When using Directed AFR, you can now specify recognition of patterns of pockets around the indexing axis. Use the "Automatic" setting on the alignment page, and then select "Merge same parameter holes/pockets into pattern" before completing the recognition.
- Fix an issue in which holes were not formed into patterns when indexing was set to 5-axis positioning during IFR.
Setup Sheets
- Fix a bug in which model and setup images were not displayed in Excel setup sheets.
Simulation
- Correct an issue with 3D simulation that caused the application to hang or compute very slowly, depending on whether successive simulations were launched in a certain order.
API
- Add the ability to control the STL export tolerance from the API (Application.ImportExportOptions.ExportToSTLTolerance).
- Fix an issue in which some milling attributes could not be edited in the user interface if their values had been changed via the API.
Localization
- Correct a problem in which strings in the Directed AFR dialog were truncated in some languages.
File Import
- Update to Autodesk Translation Framework 7.11 for file imports.
Setups
- Fix a bug which could lead to an incorrect error message when selecting a cylinder as the location for a setup.
Feature Recognition
- Fix an issue in which the automatic mode of interactive feature recognition (IFR) created holes in the wrong position.
Turning Toolpaths
- Fix a bug in the curve offset algorithm which produced incorrect toolpaths for certain values of the depth of cut when using a constant depth of cut.
- Fix an issue in which the profile curve was sometimes violated when using the backturn strategy.
Simulation
- Fix a bug in which Part Compare was displaying the model incorrectly and in the wrong location.
User Interface
- Fix strings in the Snap Modes dialog which were not localized.
- Report the current version of the Autodesk Translation Framework (used for file import) on the Import/Export page of the Options dialog.
Addins
- Correct the metric diameters in the thread feature recognition addin ("tapped hole recognition by tap drill diameter.bas").
What's New
Importing files
- Default importing methods: In the FeatureCAM Options dialog, you can now choose the default method for importing certain file types that support multiple methods. As a result, the File > Import Using Exchange menu option has been removed from the Backstage view.
- Importing options: To make it easier to find the options for importing files, there is now a File > Import Options page in the FeatureCAM Options dialog.
Posts in the cloud
- Improved delivery of post-processor files: If Autodesk provides you with new or updated post-processor files, the files are now stored in the cloud. With the files in the cloud, you can manage who has access to them and download the files.
Feature recognition
- Creating patterns of holes around the index axis: When extracting holes using Directed Automatic Feature Recognition or Interactive Feature Recognition, you can now choose to merge holes with identical dimensions into a pattern around the index axis. This applies in 4-axis Mill and Turn/Mill documents.
Fixes
Wire EDM
- Correct a problem in which entering a negative number in a Wire EDM setup incorrectly signaled an error.
- Fix a bug in which the 3d simulation in a Wire EDM document was shifted relative to the stock and cut in the wrong location.
Machine Simulation
- Fix an issue that occurred when using the option to index the turret to an empty tool slot during part transfer; the turret did not index back for the next cutting move.
Miscellaneous
- Fix a bug in managing the graphical display data that was responsible for some crashes.
- Correct localization issues in a number of user interface components and dialogs.
- Update to Autodesk Translation Framework 7.9 for file imports.
- Provide an addin (resaveAllFiles.bas) in the Addins Library to convert all the files on a folder to 64-bit.
Setups
- Fix a bug in which 'Stock Face' options were missing when trying to create a Setup for Wire EDM.
- Fix an issue in which it was not possible to select a surface seam as the setup direction when creating or editing a setup.
Toolpaths
- Fix a bug in which the 'Normal to Surface' option for setting the tool axis did not work in a 4-axis indexed part.
Simulation
- Fix an issue with the 3D simulation option 'Save Results as Starting Point'. If you saved the simulation results from one setup, the wrong orientation was displayed if you launched the simulation from a different setup.
- Fix a bug in 3D simulation in which tool holders were still displayed after the operation using them had completed. This only occurred after toolpath edit operations.
Time Estimation
- Restore the legacy controls for applying acceleration when computing the estimated machining time. The acceleration calculation typically provides estimates that are much too slow for newer machines and more recent toolpath strategies (like Vortex), but may be appropriate for older machines. The default setting is unchanged, but the acceleration computation can be enabled using the 'Use acceleration' checkbox in 'Machining Attributes'.
User Interface
- Fix a crash that could occur when changing the feed or speed on multiple operations via the Operations list without hitting 'Apply' in the Feeds and Speeds dialog.
API
- Fix a bug in which the turn finish withdraw distance could not be set for an operation (eAID_TurnFinishWithdrawDist).
What's New
Creating features
- Improved surface selection: Select a single surface of a boss, pocket, or side, and let FeatureCAM automatically select all the other surfaces needed to create the feature. This makes it easier to create milling features from surfaces because the top and bottom Z locations, and the dimensions, of the feature become pre-defined in the New Feature wizard.
- Inferring angles from surfaces: The Index Angle and B Angle of a pocket feature are automatically calculated when you select all surfaces of a pocket and click Features/Manufacturing tab > Features panel > Mill from Surfaces > Pocket. This lets you skip the Feature Alignment page of the New Feature wizard.
Swiss machining
- Parametric guide bushing: When working on a Swiss Turn document, you can now choose to use a parametric guide bushing, instead of the pre-defined solid in the Machine Design file, for machine simulation.
Usability improvements
- Simulation: During a centreline or 3D simulation, you can choose to hide or display the tool holder and to pause the simulation if a gouge is detected. To make these features easier to find and use, the following buttons have been added to the ribbon:
- Home tab > Simulation panel > Show > Show Holder
- Home tab > Simulation panel > Show > Pause on Gouge
- Feature appearance: When creating a milling feature from surfaces, the feature is now displayed in the Graphics window in wireframe by default. Previously, these features were shaded, which could make it difficult to select individual surfaces.
- Keyboard shortcuts: Use the keyboard to move between the tabs on the ribbon and access commands on the Quick Access Toolbar. Press the Alt key, and then press the letter on the keyboard corresponding to the letter displayed over the tab, or command, you want to use.
- Saving NC code: To make it easier to save NC code, the following button has been added to the ribbon:
- Home tab > NC Code panel > Save NC
Fixes
Toolpaths
- Fix a bug when user-defined stock was being used. The indexing distance was not calculated correctly and could result in much larger retract moves than necessary.
- Fix a problem in which no toolpath was generated when "Boundaries" ordering was manual and the climb milling strategy was off.
- Fix a bug that could occur when mirroring a surface feature. A boundary error warning was displayed and the toolpath was incorrect.
Setup Sheets
- Fix a bug in which the images saved by "Capture Document Image" and "Capture Setup Image" were failing to display in the setup sheet.
Simulation
- Fix an issue in which the thread form did not simulate correctly in the 3D simulation mode.
User Interface
- Fix an issue in which a new feature name overlapped the subsequent setup name in Part View.
- Fix a problem in which "F1" help for threading, facing, and other tabs connected to incorrect online help pages.
- Fix a problem with dropdown menus that had been added to custom tabs on the ribbon; the icon did not update to reflect the most recently used selection.
- Fix a problem in which garbled text was displayed after entering Japanese characters in a text label.
File Save and Load
- Provide more information in error messages when attempting to load 32-bit files.
- Fix a bug in which FeatureCAM changed the sharing option of files when saving.
Fusion Production
- Standardize the user authentication for Fusion Production to be fully consistent with other Autodesk products (adwebservices).
- Provide an error message when the user has no tenant when connectiong to Fusion Production.
- Fix an issue in which no dialog was shown if the part had no tools assigned.
Crashes
- Fix a problem that could result in FeatureCAM hanging during a cutoff transfer when performing 3D simulation.
- Fix a number of crashes reported through the automated Customer Error Report system. Crashes could occur in these situations:
- when choosing the Machining Side tab or the Surface Control tab in the properties dialog for a surface milling feature
- when specific items were on the undo stack
- when using a Space-ball mouse
- when attempting to re-order curves within a feature
Localization
- Correct the out-of-date localization libraries that were shipped with 2019.1.1. In all languages other than English, this will fix problems with setting 2D and 3D simulation parameters in the Options dialog, accessing two new simulation options on the ribbon, and accessing three new selection options on the ribbon.
User Interface
- Fix a bug in which customization of pull-down menu items to a new tab was not preserved when the FeatureCAM session was closed.
- Remove an error message that incorrectly displayed if a negative value was entered in some fields of the Setup Properties dialog.
- Allow keyboard shortcuts to be defined to move between ribbon tabs. Note: This enhancement includes all the main ribbon tabs such as View and Construct, but not the File tab used to access the backstage view.
Turning and Swiss
- Fix a crash that could occur in specific cases when posting using the "managed files" option for a turn/mill machine with sub-spindle.
- Fix a bug in cutoff operations in which the feed and speed assigned to the tool were being taken from the groove settings rather than the cutoff.
Addins and API
- Fix a bug in which the Setup Sheet reported cutter compensation as "On" for drilling and some other operations for which cutter compensation does not apply.
- Related to the previous bug, an issue was corrected in the API in which the eAID_CutterComp attribute returned the wrong value.
Posting with a PartMaker Post
- Fix a bug in which certain reserved words were not being output correctly due to an error in unit conversion.
- Rewrite a set of error messages with confusing references to PartMaker terminology that occurred when using .pst files in FeatureCAM.
User Interface
- Fix several bugs that occurred when customizing the Quick Access Toolbar. The icons sometimes displayed incorrectly, some types of items did not work when added to the QAT, and the customizations were not always saved correctly. In some cases, a crash could occur when attempting to use commands that had been customized to the Quick Access Toolbar.
- Fix a problem in which using a mouse double-click in the Part View to edit the properties of a feature could fail after a previous edit.
- Added the Show Holder command (applies during simulation) to the ribbon. This also allows it to be customized to the Quick Access Toolbar or other ribbon locations.
- Change the default display of surface-milling features from shaded to wireframe. The shaded display could often make it difficult to select the original surfaces. The display behavior for surface-milling features is now the same as the display behavior for all other feature types.
- Three new selection modes have been added to make it easier to use the "Mill from Surfaces" commands in the "Features and Manufacturing" ribbon tab. The new modes are "Select Boss", "Select Pocket", and "Select Sides". They are accessible from the Select menu in the Home tab, or from the right-mouse popup menu in the graphics window when you select a surface. If you select a single surface of the pocket, boss, or side while in this mode, the software will try to automatically select all the surfaces for the pocket or boss. In complex geometry, the algorithm can't always identify the surfaces perfectly, but you can often add or remove just a couple of surfaces from the result, saving many clicks to select the larger set.
- Fixed a bug that allowed an indexing axis to be set up in such a way that it did not align with the stock axis. This is not supported in the application and could result in incorrect NC code. A warning is now issued when the unsupported configuration is attempted.
- Removed the time estimation acceleration fields from Machining Attributes. These are no longer used with recent improvements to the time estimation algorithm.
- Fix a bug in which the wrong setup type could be selected when creating setups in languages other than English (reported specifically in German).
Turning and Swiss
- Fix several bugs in specific geometry cases in which the tool could violate the profile curve during roughing, causing a gouge.
- Fix two bugs in which a boring toolpath on the sub-spindle could gouge the part on a retract.
- Improved support for the guide bushing when running machine simulation on a Swiss machine. If the sliding stock loses contact with the guide bushing (i.e. is retracted too far in Z), a simulation error is generated and the user is notified.
Feature Recognition
- When Mill from Surfaces > Pocket to create a pocket, FeatureCAM will now infer the index angle from the selected surfaces.
- Fix a problem in which the new DAFR command was visible in Turning documents, where it is not applicable.
Simulation
- Fix a bug in which 3D simulation indicated a gouge during drilling with a particular sequence of turn and mill-indexed features.
- Fix a bug in which 3D simulation showed a chamfer that was off by a few degrees in the C angle.
- Fix a bug in which a groove was simulated at the wrong C angle after a threading operation.
Posting with a PartMaker Post
- Fix a problem with chamfer threading in which the chamfer reserved words are zero when using a PartMaker post.
- Fix an issue in which FeatureCAM could sometimes hang while posting with a PartMaker post.
Import
- Remove the ability to import old "GEO" files. These were a very early FeatureCAM format which has not been generated in many years. There are several newer file formats with the same suffix (not related to FeatureCAM) and we have seen a few crashes when customers tried to import these. This fix eliminates the confusion.
- Fix a problem with NX PMI import with mixed units (e.g. importing a file in inches into a metric part).
- Fix a problem where isolated surfaces imported via IGES were created as solid sheets rather than simple surfaces. These surfaces would not have been accessible in the FeatureCAM Standard.
Addins and API
- Correct the Vise addin so that it does not reset the workpiece in a Multiple Fixture or Tombstone document.
- Fix a crash that occurred in some cases when trying to determine hole types.
Feature recognition
- Extracting features: Simplify recognizing features, such as holes and slots, using the new Features & Manufacturing tab > Features panel > Mill from Surfaces button. This is equivalent to choosing a feature in the New Feature wizard and selecting Extract with feature recognition.
Usability improvements
- User views: We have improved the usability of creating and editing user views. There is no longer a fixed limit of user views, and they are now stored as items in the Part View.
Legacy Part Files
- 32-bit file compatibility: This update removes the ability to load legacy 32-bit FeatureCAM part files (.fm, .mf, .tsf, .md) saved from a 32-bit version of FeatureCAM. This does not affect part files saved from FeatureCAM 2016, 2017, or 2018 versions, but may affect files from earlier versions. Note that the initial 2019.0 release maintained support for these legacy files, so users who have files that need conversion may use that release to re-save them.
User Interface
- As part of a continuing project to make feature recognition more easily accessible, the "Surface Milling" command on the Features & Manufacturing ribbon tab has been replaced with a dropdown menu called "Mill from Surfaces" that provides direct access to the surface-based IFR (Interactive Feature Recognition) commands. These are also still available in the Feature Wizard, by selecting a feature type and clicking the "Extract with feature recognition" checkbox.
- Saved user views are now displayed in the Part View tree (below Layers) instead of on the View ribbon tab. Save View can still be accessed from the View ribbon tab, or from the right-mouse popup menu on the new "User Views" entry in the Part View. Double-click a user view in the Part View list to activate it. The number of views you can save is no longer limited to 4, and you can rename or delete them like other items in the Part View.
- The setting for the perspective window view is now preserved between sessions (saved in the INI file).
- The checkbox (under Options > Manufacturing > Toolpaths) which was previously called "Skip toolpath on error" has been renamed to "Skip setups with operations containing errors". This more accurately describes the functionality.
- Fixed a crash which could occur in a particular sequence when using the Tab key to navigate through the entries in the Geometry create and edit dialog bar at the bottom of the application window.
Shared Views
- When displaying the tool name in a shared view, additional information for the tool slot and tool post is now included if the Show Tool Slot or Show Tool Post options are enabled in the Operation List display in the application.
- Fixed a problem where the context help for Shared Views was not correctly linked to the online help.
Turning and Swiss
- Fixed a bug in a finish turning toolpath that could cause a gouge when the "Toward face" option was used.
- Fixed a problem in which start and end clearances were incorrectly being applied at the end and beginning respectively of a threading path when "Toward face" and "Do chamfer on exit" were enabled.
- Fixed a bug in which copied turning tools did not retain the feed and speed settings from the original tool.
- Fixed a bug that could occur in Swiss documents; a bad move in Y was generated when linking between two operations in a specific case.
- Fixed a bug which could occur when using milling features on the OD; a bad move was generated when linking between two operations in a specific case.
- Fixed a bug in the Multi-Channel Editor which could result in the scroll bars moving unpredictably when realigning wait codes after edits.
Features
- Fixed a crash which could occur when creating a radial pattern about the index axis from the Features & Manufacturing ribbon tab. The crash did not occur when creating the pattern from the Feature Wizard.
- Restrict the new "Rotate C for each instance" option of a radial pattern (introduced in 2018.3.4) so that it can't be applied to side and boss features. (Pocket toolpaths are closed and limited, so the indexing option works well in that case.)
- Fixed a crash which could occur when saving feed and speed overrides on milling tools in some cases.
Simulation
- The "Show turn chuck" option found in Options > Simulation > Round Stock has been removed. This was an obsolete option and did not work.
- Fixed a bug in which the shank from a cutoff saw was displayed incorrectly during machine simulation, generating false collision reports.
- Fixed a bug in which the view controls did not work after a 3D simulation when a perspective view was used.
- Fixed a bug in which a collision was incorrectly reported during RapidCut simulation when using a tool holder defined as a solid model.
- Fixed a bug which boring and turning grooves on the sub-spindle were cut during simulation as if the spindle was not spinning.
NC Code
- A change to the time estimation calculations has been made to improve the accuracy. In previous versions, the estimated time was often much longer than the actual machining time.
- Fixed a bug in which the reported B angle was wrong if the Segment End format was used in the post-processor.
- Fixed a bug in which the operation comment reserved word in the post-processor was not updated in part handling operations.
- Fixed a crash that could occur when selecting a post-processor while certain geometry dialogs were active.
- Fixed a crash that could occur when selecting a PartMaker post and then generating NC code.
- Fixed a bug when using a PartMaker post in which moving from one operation to another could fail to generate a proper retract move.
Import
- Fix a bug in which GDT symbols in imported dimensions were not properly displayed when running in Japanese.
Addins and API
- Import Vise addin: Fixed a bug in handling comma-separated decimal numbers.
- Import Vise addin: Fixed a bug in which the amount of stock held was sometimes wrong in a metric document.
- Import Vise addin: Fixed a bug in which stored offset values for the vise placement were sometimes wrong in a metric document.
- Added support for setting the chamfer LeadIn and LeadOut angles (eAID_LeadInAngle, eAID_LeadOutAngle).
- Fixed a bug in which assigning a profile to a holder was no longer working if FMToolCrib.SaveCrib was called.
Other issues
- Fixed a crash that could occur when creating a surface that contained degenerate trimming loops.
For further information about Autodesk FeatureCAM and its system requirements please visit
FeatureCAM Overview.
We thank all our customers who identified these issues and reported them
to Autodesk. These reports give us the opportunity to improve the product and
provide you with the best solutions for modeling for manufacture. Autodesk also thanks
you for your continued support and feedback regarding the content of this update release.
Respectfully,
Autodesk FeatureCAM Product Team
Copyright © 2019 Autodesk, Inc.