Key features of Fusion 360 with PowerMill

PowerMill 2024 includes multiple improvements and new functionality that directly address customer feedback, improving overall usability and reliability. (video: 3:11 min.)

Flowline finishing includes a new option to control the shape and extents of machining for simpler and faster CAM programming without relying on embedded patterns. (video: 1:24 min.)

Flat machining now includes a user-defined filter that can automatically exclude small planar regions, resulting in more efficient toolpaths and reducing the need for manual editing.

Area clearance toolpaths that use the “Vortex” style of cutting now allow a minimum axial engagement to be defined, which removes unnecessary step cuts for improved efficiency.

Numerous improvements have been made to deep drilling cycles to enhance control of retract moves, resulting in safer cutting action and faster cycle times.

Machining setups now allow point distribution parameters to be defined and applied to all toolpaths for simpler CAM programming and more consistent surface finish.

Rest finishing now includes an overlap distance that increases machining coverage and reduces the risk of stock being left unmachined near the edges of rest areas.

• New Flowline finishing: Flowline finishing includes a new option to control the shape and extents of machining for simpler and faster CAM programming.
• Rest finishing overlap distance: Rest finishing now uses an overlap distance to increase machining coverage and remove more stock near the edges of rest areas.
• More efficient flat machining: Flat machining now includes a user-defined filter that can find and exclude small planar regions, removing the need for manual editing.
• Area clearance improvements: Area clearance toolpaths that use the “Vortex” style of cutting now include a minimum axial engagement to remove unnecessary step cuts.
• Safer deep drilling: Additional options provide greater control over retract moves when drilling deep holes, resulting in safer cutting action.
• Setups with point distribution: Machining setups now allow point distribution parameters to be applied to all toolpaths within the setup for consistent levels of surface finish.

• PowerMill 2023

  • New inclined flat finishing: A new strategy that automatically finds all flat regions within a CAD model, then machines them with a single, 5-axis toolpath.

  • New rest finishing: A new toolpath that combines the strengths of pencil finishing, corner finishing, and rest-boundaries, to remove un-machined stock more accurately.

  • Enhanced Steep and Shallow finishing: Improved quality of toolpaths when machining models with open pockets, including the option to add staggered links.

  • Enhanced projection finishing: The ability to control minimum and maximum project ranges for Line, Plane, and Point projection toolpaths.

  • Leads and links: Automatically extend lead moves to avoid collisions when machining undercuts and shorten the ends of toolpath segments to accommodate gouge-free lead in/out moves.

  • Faster calculation: Multiple speed improvements affect Curve Projection Finishing, spun profile for turning, machining undercuts with Constant-Z, and open and save projects.

  • Additive toolpaths: Combine additive toolpaths so that segments with the same layer index are grouped together.
    

• PowerMill 2022

  • Background verification: The ability to carry out toolpath and NC program verification using a background processor for faster CAM programming times.

  • Enhanced projection finishing: The ability to control minimum and maximum projection ranges for Line, Plane, and Point Projection toolpaths.

  • Trusted macros and HTML: Improved security to prevent macros or HTML documents from being used to access or corrupt the data on your PC or extended network.

  • Finishing toolpaths exclude flat areas: Certain finishing toolpaths can now exclude flat regions—knowing these will be machined separately.

  • Flat finishing: Improvements to the accuracy of flat area detection resulting in more areas being found and machined as desired.

  • 4-axis collision avoidance: Collision avoidance can now correctly generate toolpaths containing 4-axis motion only.

  • Staggered start points: Start points on closed toolpath passes can be staggered to maintain forward machine motion for improved quality and faster cycle times.

  • Constant Z with undercuts: Improvements to Constant-Z finishing when machining parts with undercuts by using automatic collision avoidance.

  • Faster model preparation: Work with toolpath calculation and toolpath editing and see how it has been sped up substantially.

• PowerMill 2021

  • Improved arc-fitting: Enhanced quality and reliability when choosing to fit arcs into toolpaths.

  • Faster collision identification: The time taken to analyze toolpaths and draw collisions is significantly faster.

  • Safer collision avoidance: Enhanced ability to edit the tool-axis of a toolpath within a region.

  • Combined profile and raster in-fill: A new option combines profile and raster toolpath segments into a single, more efficient strategy, resulting in better printed parts.

  • Dynamic Machine Control for roughing: Dynamic drag handles can change the tool-axis for roughing and rest-roughing toolpaths that use hemispherical tools.

  • Steep and Shallow ordering: A new “top-first” ordering option improves toolpath safety and helps prevent collisions between tool assembly and unmachined stock.

  • Automatic collision avoidance for roughing: The ability to automatically avoid collisions by tilting the tool-axis on a 5-axis machine now works with roughing and rest-roughing toolpaths.

  • Speed and quality improvements: Multiple improvements to toolpath calculation times and the robustness of PowerMill.

• PowerMill 2020

  • Speed improvements: Affecting calculation times for multiple toolpath types (Steep and Shallow, Constant Z, Raster, Corner) as well as toolpath verification and ViewMill simulation.

  • Quality improvements: Affecting the quality of multiple toolpath types, resulting in better machined parts.

  • Model filleting: Automatically add fillets to internal corners when calculating Optimized Constant Z and Steep and Shallow finishing toolpaths.

  • Uphill corner finishing: Additional user controls allow steep areas of corner finishing to be machined in the upwards direction to improve cutter conditions.

  • Multi-threading improvements: Use the multi-threading of leads and link processing for faster calculation times.

• PowerMill 2019

  • PowerMill Additive: A suite of specialized toolpaths and controls helps program high-rate deposition for additive manufacturing.

  • Probing: Create probing toolpaths to use spindle mounted probes to measure parts, simplify part setup, and monitor part quality.

  • 3+2 arc-output: Output arcs when post-processing 3+2 toolpaths that contain orientation vectors.

  • Enhanced high-efficient roughing: Multiple improvements to the ordering and quality of Vortex roughing toolpaths.

  • Improved collision avoidance: PowerMill now finds and avoids more collisions with smoother machine motion.

  • Interactive collision avoidance: Colliding toolpath sections are highlighted in red and automatically update as toolpath editing is used to resolve problems.

  • Pattern Turning: Create user-defined turning toolpaths using sketched wireframe for increased programming flexibility.

  • ViewMill thickness shading: Use colors to instantly highlight different amounts of unmachined stock, as well as identify any gouges.

  • 2D machining improvements: The ability to quickly create 2D machining features from selected geometry and better support side faces, open pockets, and channels.

  • Online help: Get easy access to common questions, essential skills, and more.

• PowerMill 2018

  • PowerMill viewer: A feature-restricted version of PowerMill can be installed on multiple machines at no additional cost.

  • Ribbon interface: A new, easy-to-use interface shortens the learning curve for new users, while offering increased UI customization for experienced users.

  • Improved ViewMill simulation: Improved quality and speed of the ViewMill display.

  • Editable turning toolpaths: Turning toolpaths can now be edited using commands such as trim, reverse, delete, and more.

  • Turning stock models: Stock models can now be created for turning operations, simplifying the machining of rest material across operations.

  • Dynamic Machine Control in a region: Dynamic drag handles and a 3D model of your machine tool can update regions of a toolpath to use an alternative tool-axis.

  • Surface-based feed rate edits: Edit regions of your toolpath to use different feedrates for greater control of surface finish.

  • 2D machining improvements: Use the new option to machine the sidewalls and base of 2D features with a single toolpath.

  • 3D offset center line: Automatically add a center-line pass to 3D offset finishing toolpaths to remove material previously left unmachined.

  • Shared views: Quickly create views of your PowerMill project that can be securely shared with project stakeholders for review purposes.

• Technical support

  • Autodesk support specialists: Schedule a call,† chat online (limited availability), or email us.

  • Remote desktop assistance: Get secure, hands-on troubleshooting.†

  • Online resources: Access our knowledge base for help documentation, tutorials, training videos, and community support forums. 

• Access to the latest software: Instantly access the newest releases and updates.

• Access previous versions: Download and use previous releases.

• Flexible term lengths: Subscribe monthly, annually, or for 3 years.*

• Administrative tools: Easily manage software licenses, seats, and usage from your Autodesk Account. 

*Not available to maintenance plan customers. 
†Available to maintenance plan customers with Advanced Support.