CAM Assist comes with SolidCAM for SOLIDWORKS: it's part of the regular SolidCAM installer, from SolidCAM 2025 SP4, so there's no separate CloudNC installer. Install SolidCAM, open a CAM part, click CAM Assist and sign in.
Supported versions
| SolidCAM version | Supported |
|---|---|
| 2025 SP4 and later 2025 service packs | Yes |
| 2026 | Yes |
| 2025 before SP4, and earlier versions | No |
CAM Assist works in SolidCAM for SOLIDWORKS only. It isn't available when SolidCAM runs in another CAD system, such as InventorCAM, or in the SolidCAM Maker edition.
Install
SolidCAM installs CAM Assist, not CloudNC.
- Close SolidCAM and SOLIDWORKS.
- Download and run the latest SolidCAM installer from your SolidCAM provider.
If SolidCAM or SOLIDWORKS is still running, the installer lists it and waits until you close it:
The Setup detects that the following application is running on your computer.
Please close it before continuing.
To update CAM Assist, install the latest SolidCAM. To remove it, uninstall SolidCAM: CAM Assist has no uninstaller of its own.
License modules you need
Your SolidCAM license must include all of these modules, as SolidCAM names them:
- CAM Assist for SolidCAM
- Milling 2.5D
- Pocket recognition
- Edge Deburring Recognition
- iMachining 3D
- HSS
- Pro3D HSM
If any are missing, SolidCAM lists them when you start CAM Assist. See "To run CAM Assist you are missing: … modules." in SolidCAM.
Start CAM Assist
- Open the CAM part in SolidCAM. It needs at least one setup and a target.
- Do either of these:
- Click CAM Assist on the SolidCAM Operations, SolidCAM 2.5D or SolidCAM AFRM tab.
- In the CAM Manager, right-click Operations and choose Run CAM Assist.
CAM Assist is greyed out until a CAM part is open.
SolidCAM shows "Uploading data to CAM Assist. Please wait..." while it sends the part, stock, fixtures and tools. Then the CAM Assist window opens.
If the part's tool table has no tools CAM Assist can use, this box appears first:
SolidCAM Toolkit is empty. You can use a suitable tool library from CAM Assist cloud.
Click OK. CAM Assist opens, and you can pick one of your tool libraries in CAM Assist. See Import a tool library or machine into CAM Assist.
While the CAM Assist window is open, you can't work in SolidCAM. Send the program or close CAM Assist to carry on.
GovCloud
There's no separate GovCloud version for SolidCAM. Your SolidCAM license decides which one you use: if it has CAM Assist for Gov Cloud and not the standard CAM Assist module, every time you start CAM Assist, SolidCAM asks you to confirm:
You are about to send data to CAM Assist on Gov Cloud.
Click OK to continue, or Cancel to stop. See CAM Assist for GovCloud (US).
Sign in the first time
The first time you start CAM Assist, a sign-in page opens in your web browser.
- If you already have a CloudNC account, sign in.
- If you don't, sign up on the same page: create a password, then enter the one-time verification code CloudNC emails you.
If you have an active CAM Assist subscription, you'll see a page confirming that you're signed in, and you can use CAM Assist in SolidCAM. See Check your CAM Assist subscription.
If the sign-in doesn't finish, see I can't sign in to CAM Assist.
What's different in SolidCAM
| Area | In SolidCAM |
|---|---|
| Machining mode | 3 Axis only. 3+1 and 3+2 aren't available. See What are 3 Axis, 3+1 and 3+2 machining modes? |
| Tools | The tools in the part's tool table come into CAM Assist as session tools. You can import SolidCAM tool tables (.tlm and .tls). See Import a tool library or machine into CAM Assist. |
| Tool library export | Not available. You can't export a CAM Assist tool library to SolidCAM. |
| Machine | CAM Assist uses the machine set on the CAM part. See Machine details CAM Assist needs. |
| Material | CAM Assist uses an aluminum (non-ferrous) stock material for every part. SolidCAM doesn't send the part's material. |
| Stock | Every setup after the first uses the stock left by the setup before it. See CAM Assist says my setups have different parts or stock. |
| Units | CAM Assist starts in the CAM part's units. |
| Language | CAM Assist starts in SolidCAM's language when CAM Assist supports it. |
| Operations | Created from the templates in SolidCAM's CamAssist folder, at the end of each setup, not in folders. See No toolpaths appear in SolidCAM after running CAM Assist. |
| Not available | Demo parts, Soft Jaw Designer, opening Cutting Parameters Explorer from a SolidCAM operation, automatic face splitting, reaming and thread milling operations |
If it doesn't appear
- No CAM Assist button or Run CAM Assist: check that you're on SolidCAM 2025 SP4 or later, in SolidCAM for SOLIDWORKS, and not the Maker edition. If you are, contact your SolidCAM provider.
- CAM Assist is greyed out: open a CAM part first.
- A SolidCAM message appears: see "To run CAM Assist you are missing: … modules." or "No Setup exists. Please create a setup for your part.".
- Nothing happens, or "Uploading data to CAM Assist" appears and closes with no CAM Assist window:
- Check that your license has every module listed above.
- Check that the CAM part has at least one setup.
- Check that the CAM part has a target.
- If CAM Assist still doesn't open, contact support (below).
Still not working?
Contact CloudNC support. Include the CAM part and your SolidCAM version.
Logging is off by default. CloudNC or SolidCAM support will tell you how to turn it on. The log is written to C:\Users\Public\Documents\SolidCAM\CamAssist_log.txt.