Integrated CAD CAM Software for SOLIDWORKS, Inventor & Solid Edge
SolidCAM for SOLIDWORKS
As a certified Gold-Product partner for SOLIDWORKS, SolidCAM is fully integrated into the CAD environment. SolidCAM operates strictly within a single window, populating CAM operations as an additional tab inside the familiar FeatureManager Design Tree. You already know the interface; we just add the machining engine with these features:
- Single-Window Programming: SolidCAM enables predefined toolpaths, full kinematics simulations, and G-code generation, all without leaving the CAD environment.
- Native PDM Vault Compatibility: SolidCAM embeds all toolpath calculations and setup data directly within the native CAD part or assembly file, which can be managed by the same PDM workflows used for engineering drawing version control.
- Complete CNC Spectrum: SolidCAM generates accurate G-code for all major classes of industrial CNC machine tools, from standard 2.5D Milling and 3D High-Speed Machining (HSM) to Simultaneous 5-Axis, Multi-Channel Mill-Turn, and Swiss-Type machining.
SolidCAM for Autodesk Inventor
SolidCAM is Autodesk-certified and integrates its complete manufacturing engine directly into the Autodesk CAD system. CNC Programmers define setups, calculate toolpaths, and run full machine kinematics simulation directly from Autodesk Inventor and the browser pane with the following features:
- Single-Window Operation: You never leave the Autodesk Inventor environment, and all data used for machining links directly back to the native design model, which guarantees your toolpaths always reflect the current engineering intent.
- Full Toolpath Associativity: When a part is modified in Inventor, any affected CAM operations are instantly flagged as out of date, and the programmer is prompted to recalculate the updated toolpaths with a single click.
- iMachining Inside Inventor: With SolidCAM, you get native access to iMachining, a Technology Wizard that dynamically adjusts feed rates and cutting angles based on material and machine rigidity, reducing cycle times.
SolidCAM for Solid Edge
SolidCAM’s machining engine operates completely inside of Solid Edge’s native CAD interface, eliminating the need for file export. When a designer modifies a part geometry, SolidCAM instantly detects the updated model and visually flags the affected machining operations with a warning icon. The integration of SolidCAM with Solid Edge brings single-window operation into your workspace with the following features:
- Synchronous Technology Advantage: CNC programmers can design custom workholding fixtures directly in Solid Edge's synchronous modeling tools to prevent physical machine tool collisions.
- Full Toolpath Associativity: When the engineering team makes a geometric revision, SolidCAM automatically detects the change and prompts for a toolpath recalculation.
- Native iMachining: With SolidCAM’s iMachining, designers can access high-efficiency cutting strategies tailored to the material being cut, safely accelerating removal rates.
Advanced CNC Capabilities in Integrated CAD CAM Software
SolidCAM’s integrated CAM solution is the CNC engine that machine shops need for efficient manufacturing. SolidCAM drives the same complex, multi-channel CNC machines from within the CAD interface that were previously only available with dedicated standalone software.
| Module | Core Capability | Typical Applications |
|---|---|---|
| Milling | 2.5D prismatic to simultaneous 5-axis surface machining | Brackets, aerospace structures, molds & dies |
| Turning | 2-axis lathes to multi-turret sub-spindle centers | Shafts, flanges, rotational components |
| Swiss Machining | Unlimited axes/channels with superimposition | Medical devices, micro-mechanics, aerospace pins |
| iMachining | Morphed-spiral toolpaths with dynamic feed/speed control | Hard metals, deep pocketing, high-MRR roughing |
SolidCAM is a complete manufacturing engine that operates entirely within your existing SolidWorks, Autodesk Inventor, or Solid Edge CAD environment. Using patented technology, SolidCAM replaces your traditional workflows with a more productive process, saving you time and money:
- Zero File Translation: SolidCAM maintains the parametric links to your design so you won’t need to export static files and reduce your smart parametric models into “dumb” solids that can’t react to design changes.
- Live Parametric Links: Every machining operation that SolidCAM generates connects directly to your CAD system’s design, so your operations will anchor mathematically to the specific elements in the 3D model instead of a blind coordinate.
- Automatic Updates: When the engineering team pushes a design revision, any toolpaths tied to the modified geometry are flagged as out of date so they can be reviewed and regenerated with a single click, preventing manufacturing errors.
- Native Collision Detection: SolidCAM recognizes your entire physical workspace inside the assembly, including machine tables, vises, and custom clamps for gouge-free toolpaths generated against the actual engineering bill of materials.
SolidCAM eliminates broken coordinate systems, disconnected part revisions, and the loss of parametric design intent that results from exporting files from your native CAD system. Instead, SolidCAM’s integration enables the execution of complex CNC programming and full kinematics simulation directly within your CAD design system.
Which CAD Platform Do You Use?
Whether you are upgrading your integrated CAD CAM software, migrating to popular ECAD applications, or looking to scale your production capabilities, true native integration is the most effective way to eliminate manufacturing bottlenecks. The integration is the same across all three platforms; the question is which CAD platform you’re working in?