CAM Assist User Interface

About the CAM Assist User Interface

CAM Assist provides a visually rich user interface (UI) independent of the CAM package being used. It is specifically designed to guide users through a successful run of CAM Assist with intuitive controls and tailored visualisations.

Contents

Resize and repositioning the CAM Assist window

Navigation components

Visualization components

The user interface is automatically displayed as CAM Assist is started and closes as the generated CAM program is sent back to the CAM package. It reinforces the core CAM Assist workflow providing early assessment of the part; preparation of the machining scenario; and analysis of the generated program.

CAM Assist Workflow

Central to the user interface is the workflow designed to guide users through a successful run of CAM Assist. This is illustrated below and explained in the following pages.

Assess		Prepare		Analyze
Validation of the part and stock bodies to identify early where CAM Assist will not run. This occurs before the CAM strategy is generated. More on the Assess stage		Define the scenario for the CAM Assist run including the setups, tools and advanced configuration functions. More on the Prepare stage		Review and edit the CAM strategy before sending to the CAM program for toolpath generation  More on the Analyze stage

Resize and reposition

Resize

CAM Assist can be resized to whatever is most convenient.

To resize CAM Assist, click and drag any edge of its interface to the required size (the resize icon will be displayed when the action is available).

As with other windows, CAM Assist can be maximised by clicking the square icon in the top right corner.

Reposition

CAM Assist can be positioned anywhere within the desktop.

To reposition CAM Assist, drag the top banner to the desired position.

3D View Navigation

Navigation action	Mouse interaction
Orbit	Left mouse button + Move or Center mouse button + Move
Pan	Right mouse button + Move or Ctrl + Left mouse button + Move
Zoom	Mouse wheel or  Shift + Left mouse button + Move

UI Components

The CAM Assist user interface includes a range of components that are consistent across all pages. These include controls over scenario visualisation, access to the Configuration pages and identification of the active CAM Assist stage.

Navigation component

Description

Active stage indication

A stepper control at the top-right corner of the screen shows the active CAM Assist workflow stage.

	The active CAM Assist stage is shown as the blue circle with a number in it.
	Completed stages are shown as solid blue circles with ticks.
	Future stages as outlined circles with numbers.

Active units

The first component in the left-hand menu bar indicates the currently selected units.

CAM Assist is equally comfortable working in metric or imperial units, click on the current units to change,
 

Light / dark mode

Control over the color pallet used across the user interface.

My Shop

Displays a sub-menu with links to the machines, materials and tool library configuration pages.

The final menu item launches the Onboarding process to configure machines, materials and tools from existing CAM programs.

Help and documentation

Displays a submenu with links to the About dialog box; this online documentation; and details about your subscription.

Back to top

Visualization component	Description
	View orientation gnomon  Representation of the current view orientation. Click on any face to orientate to that face. Click again to rotate the orientation by 90 degrees. Click on any facet to orientate to the two adjoining faces, Click again to rotate the orientation by 90 degrees. Click on any corner to orientate to the three adjoining faces. Click again to rotate the orientation by 90 degrees.
	Co-ordinate system Represents the co-ordinate system orientation. Click on an arrow to orientate the view along that axis.
	Body visibility control Select the display and translucency state of each classification of body. Includes manual specification and an automatic recommendation mode.
	Setup visibility control Select which machining setup (Machine Group in Mastercam) is visible. Selecting a setup automatically displays the associated bodies and resets the view orientation.

Back to top