The third axis remains at a fixed depth, only changing the depth once the X and Y axes have stopped moving. Whilst most CNCs are at least 3 axis, ie they are able to be controlled in an X direction, Y direction, and a Z direction, the method used to cut parts typically involves only moving 2 of these axes at one time, usually XY. It simply refers to the way the machine motion cuts the material. “What’s this 2.5 axis you talk of?” I hear you ask.

So what are we looking at here? Well, SOLIDWORKS CAM Standard is a 2.5 Axis CAM package that’ll generate toolpath on SOLIDWORKS part files and produce CNC code (G-code) for a CNC mill, waterjet, plasma or router. What is the Difference Between SOLIDWORKS CAM Standard and Professional? So fire up your SOLIDWORKS and check on the SOLIDWORKS CAM add-in from the Tools>Add-Ins menu. Well lucky for you, the kind folks at SOLIDWORKS give you a CAM system with every seat of SOLIDWORKS on subscription. You want to get some of that alpha-numeric gibberish created without so much as straining a pinkie. And let’s not forget, it means tying up the machine and being stood in the cold shop. And you’ve quickly realized that conversational programming is about as fun as explaining to your wife why she must park on the street and why your kid needs to get a job because their college fund is ‘invested’ in a big box in the garage. You’ve jogged it around, loaded up the hand-written g-code that you spent all of Sunday night writing, double checking, and testing… without crashing…much. You’ve taken the garage door off, cut a hole in the roof, broke your back in 5 places and dropped a thousand bucks into a curse jar but you’ve got your machine in its final resting place. So you’ve done it…you’ve sunk your life’s savings (or should that be wife’s savings) into a CNC.

Camworks pdf