CAM Assist releases from July 2026, newest first, including the launch of the Tool Availability Report. These notes record what each release changed at the time. For other months, and for which parts of CAM Assist update automatically, see CAM Assist release notes.
CAM Assist for Siemens NX 2.2.2, 6 July 2026
Download a new installer. See Install CAM Assist for Siemens NX.
New and improved:
- Improved lead-ins and lead-outs.
- Flat finishing can use Planar Profile 2D contour toolpaths.
- More efficient stepdowns on freeform operations.
- The NX part material, taken from the first Workpiece, is used as the session material in CAM Assist.
- Tool libraries exported from CAM Assist are saved as a ZIP file containing all the relevant .dat files. This was later replaced by separate NX .prt and .dat exports; see Export a tool library to your CAM package.
- Improved importing of .dat tool libraries.
- Added GovCloud information to the add-in. See CAM Assist for GovCloud (US).
Fixes:
- Tool shank heights imported incorrectly.
- Tool holder importing.
- Chamfer mill importing.
- Usable length imported incorrectly.
- Parts with no material defined in the Workpiece.
- An issue with the inner and outer tolerances (intol and outtol).
- Empty deburring toolpaths on Demo part 5. See Open a demo part in Siemens NX.
- The CAM Assist ribbon missing for GovCloud.
CAM Assist User Interface 2.2.9, 1 July 2026
Installs automatically.
This release added the Tool Availability Report, which helps you find tooling problems before a run. See Add or remove tool libraries for a part.
Tool Availability Report:
- A new report in the Prepare phase shows what's blocking a run, instead of just disabling the run button.
- When something blocks a run, Run CAM Assist turns red with a "!" badge and stays clickable. Clicking it opens the report, and the tooltip says "Click to view and fix blocking issues before running". The button stays disabled while CAM Assist is running or regenerating. See also Why can't I click Run CAM Assist?
- Each blocking issue that isn't about tools (missing setups, no machining directions, no faces selected, invalid parameters) gets its own card with a one-line fix and a button that takes you to the right Prepare tab.
- Availability is shown per toolpath type, matched one-to-one to tool usages. A tool that can only do flat finishing isn't shown as available for other finishing.
- When a session material is selected but has no name, the report shows Session Material.
Tools and presets:
- Imported presets keep their source material. CAM Assist matches it to one of its materials, or creates a custom material (ISO category N if nothing else fits), instead of applying the material you selected to every preset. Presets with no material are treated as All. At this release, only Mastercam sent a material with its presets; the other add-ins defaulted to All. See What is a cutting parameter preset?
- Freeform presets accept the maximum stepdown and maximum stepover from your CAM package. CAM Assist calculates the maximum step along from these and the approach angle.
- Added descriptions to each allowed usage in the tool properties editor. See Set a tool's allowed usages and stock materials.
- The minimum tip offset on chamfering and deburring presets can be empty or 0.
Fixes:
- Editing a session tool's stick-out or overall length and sending to your CAM package no longer crashes CAM Assist when cutting parameters fail.
- Editing one flute count field clears the conflicting one, instead of showing "peripheral effective cutting edge count must equal face effective cutting edge count". This applies to end mills, ball mills, chamfer mills, indexable face mill bodies, and twist and spot drills.