Lesson 1: Introduction

Objectives
The aim of this lesson is to teach you the basics ways of manipulating the EdgeCAM Environment.
Section Topic Exercise

1.1 1.2 1.3

What is EdgeCAM? Starting EdgeCAM Understanding the EdgeCAM Screen Layout

Pre-requisites
This lesson assumes that you are familiar with a PC and the Windows operating system. Knowledge of other Windows based CAD/CAM applications would be beneficial. You may discover that you are unable to work with some of the exercise due to license restrictions. In order to remove any license restrictions, you can set EdgeCAM to run in Student Edition. To activate Student Edition, right hand mouse key click over the EdgeCAM CLS and select the option from the menu.

Student Edition mode allows you to experience all available licenses in EdgeCAM. This feature runs for 999 days and will allow you to save files. The file extension is not a standard .PPF extension but is .EPF. You will not be able to re-load an .EPF file into a licensed version of EdgeCAM.

You cannot generate CNC data from an .EPF File.

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Lesson 1.1 - What is EdgeCAM?

EdgeCAM is a CAD/CAM system that enables you to design and plan the manufacture of components. EdgeCAM allows you to:

create Design models and/or import 3rd party format files. select the machine and tools required to produce the component. simulate the production process. generate the CNC code required to operate the selected machine. communicate with machine tool controllers. manage a tooling database.

The CAD/CAM Life-Cycle

This is the typical EdgeCAM process cycle. It demonstrates the sequential chain of events that must occur in order to produce CNC code from EdgeCAM.

The EdgeCAM Program Group

EdgeCAM consists of various applications that interact with each other. This is the EdgeCAM program group (Start -> Programs -> EdgeCAM).

Lesson 1.1 - What is EdgeCAM?

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EdgeCAM
The main EdgeCAM module that is used to design and manufacture components.

EdgeCAM help
A shortcut to the on-line help files.

EdgeCAM tutorials
A shortcut to the on-line tutorials that contain step by step instructions on how to use EdgeCAM.

Lesson 1.1 - What is EdgeCAM?

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Lesson 1.2 - Starting EdgeCAM

To start EdgeCAM you can do one of the following:

Double-click on the EdgeCAM icon on your desktop:

Double clicking an existing EdgeCAM part file (*.ppf).

Select the EdgeCAM option from the Windows Start menu.

You see the EdgeCAM main screen, which automatically opens in design mode:

Lesson 1.2 - Starting EdgeCAM

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Lesson 1.3 - Understanding the Screen Layout

The EdgeCAM main screen is your main workspace, in which you design and plan the manufacture of components. The EdgeCAM main screen consists of the following main features:
Title bar Menu bar

Toolbars

Windows Graphics area CPL (Datum) marker

Status bar View Selection menu

The above example shows a typical screen layout. Your screen will not contain all these features when you first enter EdgeCAM, until you have configured your workspace.

Lesson 1.2 - Starting EdgeCAM the Screen Layout

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