CAM Assist takes a long time to calculate or create operations

A CAM Assist run can take a long time on large or complex parts, and creating the operations in your CAM package can take longer still. The usual causes are Automatic 3+2 directions, very large tool libraries, and asking for more than you need in the first pass. This article helps you find which stage is slow and how to speed it up.

Which stage is slow?

The progress bar shows what CAM Assist is working on. See Progress messages while CAM Assist runs. You can stop a run at any time with Cancel. See Cancel a CAM Assist calculation.

Is CAM Assist slow to calculate?

Are you using Automatic directions on a complex 3+2 part?

This is one of the two biggest causes. With Automatic, CAM Assist chooses the 3+2 directions itself. On a complicated part it can choose more directions than the part needs. Every extra direction adds calculation time and more operations to create in your CAM package.

1. In the Setups stage, open the 3+2 setup's card.
2. Under Roughing directions and Finishing directions, choose X, Y, Z aligned, or Select and pick only the directions you'd use if you set the part up yourself.
3. Click Run CAM Assist.

See Choose machining directions for a 3+2 setup. If the part only needs indexing around one axis, 3+1 may also be enough. See What are 3 Axis, 3+1 and 3+2 machining modes?

Are you using a very large tool library?

This is the other big cause. CAM Assist checks the tools you give it against the features on the part, so more tools means more to check. Libraries range from a few session tools to thousands of tools, so there's no fixed limit.

1. In the Tools stage, keep only the libraries this part needs: remove the others with the button next to each one ("Remove library from this part"). See Add or remove tool libraries for a part.
2. Or make a smaller library with the tools suited to this part. See Copy tools to another tool library.
3. Click Run CAM Assist.

Fewer tools can also mean more faces left unfinished. Keep the tools the part needs.

Are you generating more than you need for a first pass?

In the Setups stage, limit what CAM Assist generates:

• Under Toolpath Types, clear toolpath types you don't need yet, such as Deburring or Undercuts.
• Under Finishing Geometry, clear Finish full part and select only the faces you care about first.
• Turn off the setups you don't want to check yet, using the switch on each setup card.

See Set up your setups.

Once the first pass looks right, turn the rest back on and run again.

Is the part very large or very detailed?

There's no fixed part size limit, but the time grows with the part's size, number of faces and number of small features. A very dense model takes longer to convert and analyze.

• Remove detail that doesn't need machining, such as cosmetic text or features you'll machine another way.
• Split a big job into separate runs, for example one setup or group of setups at a time.

Is your internet connection slow or filtered?

CAM Assist sends the part to CloudNC and downloads the result, so a slow or unstable connection makes every run longer. Check that your network allows CAM Assist's traffic without slowing it down. See Firewall and network requirements for CAM Assist.

Are you on the latest version?

Update CAM Assist and your CAM package. See Update CAM Assist ("Your current version of CAM Assist is no longer supported").

Is your CAM package slow to create operations?

After you click Send to CAM package, your CAM package creates every operation and usually calculates its toolpaths. That runs on your computer, so it depends on your CAM package and your workstation, not on CloudNC.

• Send fewer operations. In the Program stage, turn off the switch on operations, folders or setups you don't need yet. See Which operations get sent to my CAM package?
• Fewer directions means fewer operations. Choosing 3+2 directions yourself (above) also speeds this stage up.
• Mastercam and Siemens NX: create the operations without toolpaths. In the configuration's General tab, set Toolpath Generation to Never generate toolpaths or Ask each time, then generate the toolpaths in your CAM package when you need them. See The "CloudNC CAM Assist Completed" message in Mastercam and What does CAM Assist add to my Siemens NX part?
• GibbsCAM: use Standard Roughing. Standard Roughing is faster to generate in GibbsCAM than Volumill. See GibbsCAM process preference settings.
• Check your workstation. Make sure it meets the requirements and isn't short of memory. See What are the system requirements for CAM Assist?

Still slow?

If you've tried the above and runs are still slow, contact CloudNC support. Include:

• The part file, or a simplified version you can share.
• The tool library you used.
• Your CAM package version and your CAM Assist version. See About CAM Assist: find your version and session ID.
• Which stage is slow and roughly how long it takes, for example "the program is ready in minutes, but operations take an hour to appear in Mastercam".
• Your CAM Assist log files. See Find your CAM Assist log files.