VisualMill
Overview
VisualMILL
VisualMILL 2017 MecSoft's flag-ship CAM software package, is ideal for mold, die & tooling, wood working, rapid-prototyping and general machining.
This product includes 2-1/2, 3, 4 & 5 axis machining functionality. It comes with hundreds of free post-processors and a post-processor generator to create your own. Priced right for the cost conscious buyer, VisualMILL CAM software delivers outstanding value for your investment
VisualMILL 2017 CAM software comes in 5 different configurations to suit the varied machining needs of customers. These configurations are as follows:
VisualMILL 2017 Xpress (XPR)
VisualMill 2017 Xpress is a welcome addition to the current VisualCAD/CAM software product line and is aimed at the growing community of hobbyists, makers and DIY enthusiasts who are looking for an inexpensive, easy use yet powerful CAM solution.
Features of this new configuration include:
- 2½ Axis methods such as Facing, Pocketing, Profiling, and Drilling
- 3 Axis methods such as Z-level roughing and Parallel Finishing
- Standard tools such as Ball, Flat, Corner Radius, V and Drill tools
- Free post processors
- Ability to step up to more advanced configurations as the need arises
VisualMILL 2017 Standard (STD)
This is a general purpose machining program targeted at the general machinist. This product is ideal for the rapid-prototyping, hobby and educational markets where ease of use is a paramount requirement. Packed with sufficiently powerful manufacturing methods this easy to use package is not only effective but also attractively priced for the budget conscious or entry level buyer.
VisualMILL 2017 Expert (EXP)
This configuration allows 4th Axis Indexed and continuous roughing and finishing operations in VisualMILL 2016.
Curve based continuous machining such as 4 Axis Facing, Pocketing, Profiling & Engraving as well as surface/solid/mesh based machining such as Roughing, Finishing and Curve Projection machining are available. This configuration includes all of the functionality included in the STD configuration.
Visual Mill 2017 Professional (PRO)
This powerful package is ideal for mold, die and tooling, wood working rapid-prototyping and general machining markets. This product boasts of powerful toolpath generation strategies coupled with tools for efficiently controlling the cutting tool for detailed machining capabilities, while not sacrificing ease of use.
Suitable for demanding users with sophisticated manufacturing requirements. This product configuration includes all of the functionality included in the EXP configuration described above.
VisualMILL 2017 Premium (PRE)
This package includes our new 5 Axis continous machining functionality. Suitable for highly sophisticated machining requirements such as aerospace, advanced mold making and woodworking industry, this package includes such machining methods such as surface normal machining, swarf machining and surface flow machining. The package in addition includes all the functionality found in the PRO configuration described above.
To find out more about VisualMILL visit www.mecsoft.com
If you're looking for a Rhino Plug-In CAM product then see RhinoCAM MILL 2017
Key Features
VisualMILL Key Features
The table below outlines the feature comparison of the five versions of VisualMILL 2017
|
Miscellaneous |
XPR |
STD
|
EXP
|
PRO
|
PRE
|
|
32 and 64 bit
|
√ |
√
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
| HTML Shop Documentation | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
| Avoid Regions | - | √ | √ | √ | √ |
| Predefined Regions | - | √ | √ | √ | √ |
|
Default Knowledge Base
|
- |
√
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
Machine Control Operations
|
- |
√
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
Cabinet Design Decomposition
|
- |
√
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
| Rotate Table Setups | - | - |
√
|
√
|
√
|
| Multiple Setups | - | - | - | √ | √ |
| Fixture Offset Programming | - | - | - | √ | √ |
| Check Surface Boundary Creation | - | - | - | √ | √ |
| Tool Silhouette Boundary Creation | - | - | - | √ | √ |
| Tool Double Contact Boundary Creation | - | - | - |
√
|
√
|
| Tool Holder Collision Boundary Creation | - | - | - |
√
|
√
|
|
2 1/2 Axis Milling |
XPR |
STD
|
EXP
|
PRO
|
PRE
|
|
Pocketing
|
√ |
√
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
High Speed Pocketing
|
- |
√
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
Profiling
|
√ |
√
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
Facing
|
√ |
√
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
Engraving
|
√ |
√
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
| 2-1/2 Axis Feature Detection | - | √ | √ | √ | √ |
| 2-1/2 Axis Feature Machining | - | √ | √ | √ | √ |
| 2-1/2 Axis Roughing | - | √ | √ | √ | √ |
|
V-Carving
|
- |
√
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
V-Carve Roughing
|
- |
√
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
Chamfering
|
- |
√
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
Hole Profiling
|
- |
√
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
T-Slot Milling
|
- | √ |
√
|
√
|
√
|
| Slot Milling | - | √ | √ | √ | √ |
|
Thread Milling
|
- |
√
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
Re-Machining
|
- |
-
|
-
|
√
|
√
|
|
3 Axis Milling |
XPR |
STD
|
EXP
|
PRO
|
PRE
|
|
Horizontal Roughing
|
√ |
√
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
Parallel Finishing
|
√ |
√
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
| 3 Axis Feature Detection | - | √ | √ | √ | √ |
| 3 Axis Feature Machining | - | √ | √ | √ | √ |
|
Horizontal Finishing
|
- |
√
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
Radial Machining
|
- |
√
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
Spiral Machining
|
- |
√
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
Clear Flats Machining
|
- |
-
|
-
|
√
|
√
|
|
Plunge Roughing
|
- |
-
|
-
|
√
|
√
|
|
Horizontal Re-Roughing
|
- |
-
|
-
|
√
|
√
|
|
Plunge Re-Roughing
|
- |
-
|
-
|
√
|
√
|
|
Projection Pocketing
|
- |
-
|
-
|
√
|
√
|
|
3D Offset Profiling
|
- |
-
|
-
|
√
|
√
|
|
3D Offset Pocketing
|
- |
-
|
-
|
√
|
√
|
|
Pencil Tracing
|
- |
-
|
-
|
√
|
√
|
|
Valley Re-Machining
|
- |
-
|
-
|
√
|
√
|
|
Plateau Machining
|
- |
-
|
-
|
√
|
√
|
|
Steep Area Parallel Machining
|
- |
-
|
-
|
√
|
√
|
|
Horizontal Hill Machining
|
- |
-
|
-
|
√
|
√
|
|
Curve Machining
|
- |
-
|
-
|
√
|
√
|
|
Between 2 Curves Machining
|
- |
-
|
-
|
√
|
√
|
|
Reverse Post Machining
|
- |
-
|
-
|
√
|
√
|
|
4 Axis Milling |
XPR |
STD
|
EXP
|
PRO
|
PRE
|
|
4 Axis Indexed Machining
|
- |
-
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
4 Axis Auto Multiple Indexing
|
- |
-
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
4 Axis Continuous Facing
|
- |
-
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
4 Axis Continuous Pocketing
|
- |
-
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
4 Axis Continuous Profiling
|
- |
-
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
4 Axis Continuous Engraving
|
- |
-
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
4 Axis Parallel Roughing
|
- |
-
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
4 Axis Parallel Finishing
|
- |
-
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
4 Axis Radial Finishing
|
- |
-
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
4 Axis Projn. Pocketing
|
- |
-
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
| 4 Axis Drive Surface Machining (True 4 Axis) | - | - | √ | √ | √ |
|
5 Axis Milling (New in 2012) |
XPR |
STD
|
EXP
|
PRO
|
PRE
|
|
5 Axis Indexed Machining
|
- |
-
|
-
|
√
|
√
|
|
5 Axis Cont Curve Projn. Machining
|
- |
-
|
-
|
-
|
√
|
|
5 Axis Continuous Flow Crv Machining
|
- |
-
|
-
|
-
|
√
|
|
5 Axis Between 2 Curves Machining
|
- |
-
|
-
|
-
|
√
|
|
5 Axis Drive Curve Machining
|
- |
-
|
-
|
-
|
√
|
|
5 Axis Surface Normal Machining
|
- |
-
|
-
|
-
|
√
|
|
5 Axis Swarf Machining
|
- |
-
|
-
|
-
|
√
|
|
Hole Making |
XPR |
STD
|
EXP
|
PRO
|
PRE
|
|
Automatic Hole Selection, Sorting
|
√ |
√
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
Drilling
|
√ |
√
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
Tapping
|
- |
√
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
Boring
|
- |
√
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
Reverse Boring
|
- |
√
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
User Defined Cycles
|
- |
√
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
4 Axis Drilling
|
- |
-
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
4 Axis Tapping
|
- |
-
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
4 Axis Boring
|
- |
-
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
4 Axis Reverse Boring
|
- |
-
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
Simulation |
XPR |
STD
|
EXP
|
PRO
|
PRE
|
|
Toolpath Animation
|
√ |
√
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
Cut Material Simulation
|
√ |
√
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
Advanced Cut Material Simulation
|
- | √ |
√
|
√
|
√
|
| Visual Holder Collision Detection | - | √ | √ | √ | √ |
| Analytical Holder Collision Detection | - | - | √ | √ | √ |
|
Machine Tool Simulation
|
- |
-
|
√ |
√
|
√
|
|
Tools |
XPR |
STD
|
EXP
|
PRO
|
PRE
|
|
Std Mills (Ball, Flat, C, Rad, V, Taper)
|
√ |
√
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
Std Drills (Drill, Tap, Bore, Rev Bore)
|
- |
√
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
| Form Tools | - | √ |
√ |
√
|
√
|
|
Stepped Tools
|
- | √ |
√
|
√
|
√
|
| Holder Collision Detection | - | √ | √ | √ | √ |
|
Toolpath Editing |
XPR |
STD
|
EXP
|
PRO
|
PRE
|
|
Graphical Viewing
|
√ |
√
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
Toolpath Graphical Editing
|
- |
-
|
-
|
√
|
√
|
|
Toolpath Instancing
|
- |
-
|
-
|
√
|
√
|
|
Toolpath Arc Fitting
|
- |
-
|
-
|
√
|
√
|
|
Post Processor Generator |
XPR |
STD
|
EXP
|
PRO
|
PRE
|
|
Customisable Post Generator
|
√ |
√
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
Simulate Cycles
|
√ |
√
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
Arc Output
|
√ |
√
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
Helix Output
|
- |
√
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
Spiral Output
|
- |
√
|
√
|
√
|
√
|
|
5 Axis Output
|
- |
-
|
-
|
√
|
√
|
Technical Details
Technical Details / System Requirements:
Details below apply to VisualMill Standard, Expert & PRO
VisualCADCAM Minimum System Requirements
Note - Make sure you run the installer with Administrator privileges
Minimum hardware requirements for running 64 bit product are:
- 64 Bit Operating System (Windows 8, 7, Vista, XP )
- 145 Meg RAM
- 285 Meg hard disk space
- 256 Meg Page file
- OpenGL compatible display card
Minimum hardware requirements for running 32 bit product are:
- 32 Bit Operating System (Windows 8, 7, Vista, XP )
- 145 Meg RAM
- 285 Meg hard disk space
- 256 Meg Page file
- OpenGL compatible display card
Note: VisualCAD/CAM 32 bit cannot be installed on a 64 bit version of Windows.
Please keep in mind that if you are working with large models these minimum requirements might not be sufficient for adequate performance. You will have to upgrade either your computer’s memory (RAM) capacity and/or your computer’s main processor speed.