178 articles across all CAM packages
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What are the system requirements for CAM Assist?
CAM Assist needs a supported version of your CAM package, a Windows PC (or a Mac for Autodesk Fusion) with a dedicated graphics card and plenty of memory, and a stable internet connection. This article lists each…
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Firewall and network requirements for CAM Assist
For IT teams: CAM Assist needs outbound HTTPS on port 443, with HTTP/2, to a short list of CloudNC addresses. No inbound ports are needed. This article lists the addresses for the standard and GovCloud versions, the…
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Install CAM Assist for GibbsCAM
CAM Assist runs inside GibbsCAM 2025, 2026 and 2027 on Windows. This covers which installer to use, installing it, and finding the CAM Assist buttons.
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Install CAM Assist for Mastercam
How to install CAM Assist in Mastercam 2025, 2026 or 2027, find it on the ribbon, open a demo part, and what to do if it doesn't load.
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Install CAM Assist for Siemens NX
How to install CAM Assist in Siemens NX 2306 to 2512, and where to find it afterward.
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Check your CAM Assist subscription
CAM Assist needs an active subscription for the email address you sign in with. Here's how to check it and what each status means.
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Add a user, reassign a license, or share CAM Assist
CAM Assist is licensed per user (per seat): each person who uses it needs their own license, linked to the email they sign in with. The account owner adds users and moves licenses between people in the CloudNC Portal.
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I can't sign in to CAM Assist
CAM Assist signs you in through your web browser the first time you open it. If the CAM Assist window is stuck on the sign-in screen or shows a sign-in message, find the message below.
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The My Account window
My Account shows the email you're signed in with and your subscription status, and lets you log out.
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Log out of CAM Assist or sign in with a different email
Log out when you've signed in with the wrong email, or to let someone else use CAM Assist on this computer. Your subscription belongs to the email you sign in with, so use the email it was bought for.
Configure
All 35 in ConfigureMy Shop: machines, materials, tool libraries, presets, configurations and preferences.
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Import a tool library or machine into CAM Assist
Bring the tools and machines you already use in your CAM package into CAM Assist, so it programs with them.
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The Machines page in My Shop
The Machines page in My Shop lists the machines CAM Assist can calculate cutting parameters and cycle times for. Use it to mark favorites, add your own machines, and fix machines with missing details. You choose the…
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The import window
The import window brings tools, presets and machines from your CAM package's files into CAM Assist. This article explains each step. For the task, see Import a tool library or machine into CAM Assist.
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Add or edit a machine in CAM Assist
Add a machine to CAM Assist, or change one you've added, so cutting parameters and cycle times match your shop. Machines you add are shared with your organization.
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My tool library won't import into CAM Assist
Use this when a file you add in My Shop > Import from file shows Issue(s), Partial or No item(s) found instead of Complete. Files with issues are left out of the import. For the import steps, see Import a tool library…
Overview
All 14 in OverviewOpen a part in CAM Assist and choose its machine, material and configuration.
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"Please define a part body before starting CAM Assist" in GibbsCAM
GibbsCAM shows this message when you click CAM Assist with no part open.
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The CAM Assist stages
CAM Assist takes you through a part in six stages, shown across the top of the window: Overview, Assessment, Setups, Feature planning, Tools and Program. This article explains what each stage is for and what its status…
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How do I work through a part in CAM Assist?
When you open a part, CAM Assist takes you through it in stages across the top of the window: Overview, Assessment, Setups, Feature planning, Tools and Program. You check each stage, run CAM Assist, then review the…
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"Global machining preferences are NOT being applied to this part" in GibbsCAM
GibbsCAM shows this when you start CAM Assist on a part that isn't using your global machining preferences for solids.
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CAM Assist won't start in Mastercam: machine group, stock or Master Model errors
When you click CloudNC CAM Assist in Mastercam, CAM Assist checks your machine groups before its window opens. If a check fails, you see one of the messages below and CAM Assist stops. The same checks run when you open…
Assessment
Check the part and stock for machinability issues.
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"Couldn't finish assessing machinability" in CAM Assist
The machinability assessment stopped before it finished, so CAM Assist can't list the part's issues. The message shows in the Assessment stage, under Machinability issues and in the status banner.
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"Non water-tight model" or "Geometry assessment error" in CAM Assist
The part model has gaps between its faces, or a completely enclosed hollow inside it. The Assessment stage lists this under Machinability issues as Non water-tight model. On the part body it's a severe issue: the Setups…
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"The part is not fully enclosed in the stock" in CAM Assist
Some of the part sticks out of the stock. The Assessment stage shows this as the severe issue Part not fully contained by stock under Machinability issues. If you dismiss it and click Run CAM Assist, the run stops with…
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CAM Assist says my setups have different parts or stock
CAM Assist programs all the setups you run it on as one part. Every setup must use the same part model, and each setup after the first must carry on from the stock in the setup before it. If they don't, the Assessment…
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"Face requires splitting" in CAM Assist: is it safe to continue?
A face can't be finished from one machining direction. If it's split into sections, CAM Assist may be able to finish each section from a different direction. It's safe to continue.
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What are 3 Axis, 3+1 and 3+2 machining modes?
The machining mode sets which directions CAM Assist machines a setup from. You choose it per setup in the Setups stage using Mode on the setup card. Every setup offers all three modes, whatever machine you've selected…
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Set up your setups for CAM Assist
In the Setups stage, each setup from your CAM package has its own card. Here you choose which setups CAM Assist programs and how it machines each one.
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Choose machining directions for a 3+2 setup
For a 3+2 setup, you choose how CAM Assist picks the directions it roughs and finishes from. By default it picks them itself. Use this when you need to limit or fix the tool approach directions, for example because of…
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Set the rotation axis for 3+1 machining
For a 3+1 setup, tell CAM Assist which axis the part rotates around on your 4th axis. CAM Assist indexes the part to fixed positions around that axis and machines each position in 3 axis.
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Select avoidance geometry and workholding
Workholding is the vise, clamps or fixture that hold the part. Avoidance geometry is any other body the tools must stay clear of. CAM Assist keeps toolpaths away from both. You set them per setup in the Setups stage.
Feature planning
Holes and threads: review hole groups and their settings.
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CAM Assist didn't drill, tap or ream a hole
After a run, Machinability feedback in the Program stage lists holes CAM Assist couldn't make with a hole-making operation, and why. Usually the cause is a missing tool or a setup that can't reach the hole. This article…
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Review and edit hole groups in Feature planning
The Feature planning stage lists the holes CAM Assist found on the part, grouped by shape. Use it to check each group, choose which setups machine it, split or leave out groups, and set hole details such as threads and…
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Hole element settings: bottom, bore, chamfer, thread and spot drilling
These settings control how CAM Assist machines a hole group and each feature in it. Open them from a hole group card in the Feature planning stage. See Review and edit hole groups in Feature planning.
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Choose a thread for a hole
If CAM Assist read a threaded hole wrongly, or couldn't identify the thread (Unknown thread), pick the correct one from the thread catalog. CAM Assist uses it to plan tapping or thread milling.
Tools
Tool libraries and AI tool suggestions for a part.
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Add or remove tool libraries for a part
The Tools stage lists the tool libraries CAM Assist can use for this part. Add the libraries you want CAM Assist to pick tools from, and remove the ones you don't.
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CAM Assist has no usable tools
CAM Assist only uses tools that are valid, turned on, allowed for the stock material and, when cutting parameters come from presets only, have a preset. When none qualify, Run CAM Assist is disabled, or the run fails…
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Get AI tool suggestions for a part
In the Tools stage, CAM Assist can suggest tools that would suit your part, from CloudNC's tool library or from up to three of your own libraries. You add the ones you want to the part.
Program
All 44 in ProgramRun CAM Assist, review operations, cutting parameters and cycle time, and send the program to your CAM package.
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"CAM Assist error. Please see log files for details." in GibbsCAM
GibbsCAM shows this when CAM Assist stops before it can create your program, or when it can't set up the tools for it. It's a general message: the cause is in the log file.
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"operation(s) failed to generate correctly" in GibbsCAM: is my program complete?
GibbsCAM shows this when CAM Assist has written your program but couldn't create some of its operations. The rest of the program is in GibbsCAM. You can keep it, but you must program the missing operations yourself.
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Progress messages while CAM Assist runs
While CAM Assist calculates a program, or recalculates one after you edit it, a progress card at the top of the Program stage shows what it's working on. Program shows a Generating chip, and Overview shows Generating…
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"The Mastercam part has changed while CAM Assist was running"
Mastercam shows this when you send a program from CAM Assist after changing machine groups or tools in Mastercam while the CAM Assist window was open. You can continue, but the program was planned for the part as it was…
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"Usage limit reached" or "We're experiencing high demand" in CAM Assist
One of these dialogs appears when you click Run CAM Assist and CloudNC can't start the request. CAM Assist retries on its own when the countdown ends.
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"An error occurred" in CAM Assist
CAM Assist shows this dialog when something fails and there's no more specific screen for it. The line under the title says what failed.
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"Are you still there?" in CAM Assist
CAM Assist shows this when the CAM Assist window has been open for 2 hours without you using it.
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How does CAM Assist decide what to machine?
CAM Assist works from your part, stock and fixtures, plus the setups, machine, material, configuration and tools you give it. You set these up in stages, run CAM Assist, then review the program it builds.
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What parts can CAM Assist program?
CAM Assist programs milled parts: prismatic parts with pockets, holes, slots, chamfers and 3D surfaces, machined in 3 Axis, 3+1 or 3+2. It doesn't program turning or simultaneous 4- or 5-axis toolpaths. In SolidCAM, CAM…
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The CAM Assist window
The CAM Assist window opens inside your CAM package when you start CAM Assist. A header bar runs across the top. Below it, the pane for the current stage is on the left and the 3D viewer is on the right.