A Focus on Speed and Ease of Use
Mastercam X3 features let you do more faster, minimize programming and cycle times, and make current processes more efficient and automated.
Feature Based Machining (FBM) 
A highlight of Mastercam X3 is Feature Based Machining (FBM). FBM, available with Mastercam Mill Level 1 or Mastercam Router and higher, eliminates manual feature identification for programming milling and drilling operations on solid parts. The FBM Mill and FBM Drill operations automatically create the toolpaths needed to machine features that are identified using your specific criteria. FBM's interface is simple and intuitive, so you'll become comfortable with it quickly.
New 2D High Speed Toolpaths
Mastercam X3 introduces new 2D High Speed Toolpaths for Level 1 and Router and higher, all optimized for high speed machining and hard milling.
- Peel Mill efficiently machines open slots and channels using the full depth of the cutting tool. Proprietary microlifts raise the cutting tool a very small amount to avoid dragging the tool across the part floor on the back passes.
- Core Mill automatically machines standing bosses and cores in one easy step that requires less CAD knowledge and model preparation from the programmer.
- Area Mill produces smooth, clean motion when machining pockets. Controls for helical entries, tangent stepovers, and smoothing parameters let you fine tune the motion.
- Rest Mill targets material that previous toolpaths left behind. Mastercam uses all previous toolpaths as the source for the rest mill toolpath, calculates the remaining material, and applies high speed motion between cuts.
- Blend Mill morphs smoothly between two curves, generating motion previously unavailable in 2D toolpaths with fewer retracts and toolpath operations on difficult-to-machine features. Blend Mill also uses the tool's full depth and more of the flute length, resulting in less cycle time and even tool wear.
Energized 3D Toolpaths for Level 3
- Mastercam X3 improves multiaxis toolpath speed and introduces new High Speed Toolpath (HST) controls that make programming efficient.
- HST can now be controlled by an XML-based file containing formulas used to derive the values in the HST toolpaths. This gives you the ability to set intelligent values for different cutting conditions (for example, material hardness).
- Options for controlling climb or conventional cutting have been added to all constant-Z HST toolpaths, including Core Roughing, Area Clearance, Waterline, Rest Roughing, and Horizontal Area.
- The Port5ax and Flow5ax toolpaths both include a new feature
that allows an overlap/blend to be added at the beginning and end of a toolpath.
This feature is very useful in creating better finishes where toolpaths
may need to meet from opposite directions.
