v2025.2

Additional Program Updates

• Added preservation of connections and stations - allows user to disconnect & reconnect without losing input data
• Ability to copy upstream conditions from the imported meanline component to the upstream station
• Table UI improvements: Sticky header row and fixed first column, table filters
• Ability to rename stations and components
• Updated splash screen, scrolling indicators, & many other additional UI/ UX improvements

MAX-PAC

Simulation and analysis

Analysis plots

A new plotting tool has been added to the simulator to help with analyzing key process parameters including linear and rotary axes motion, drill/drag angle, surface contact angle and feedrate. The plots are synchronized with the simulation playback and offer a new way to identify and asses areas of interest. Click anywhere in the plot to jump to that point in the simulator. Visualization settings such as colors and point display can be customized. To access these plots, click the Analyze button in the Simulation window and select the parameter you would like to analyze.

 

Updated point filters

A new dialog has been added to make point filters such as axis reversals more accessible and flexible in the toolpath simulator. You can now filter for multiple parameters at once and customize colors individually for each filter. To access these filters, click the Display button in the simulation dialog and select Filter points.

Roughing

3+2 axis roughing​

3+2 roughing operations now have more options for the input stock. You can now use the rest stock from the stock chain as your input stock. The Limit-to-pocket option allows you to combine the functionality of the pocket stock with any other stock model to contain the roughing operation to the pocket between the blades. Rest stock will automatically be calculated as needed. These new options can be found in the Stock group Geometry tab.

Exit feed distance allows you to easily define separate feed distances for the retract and approach moves. This can be found in the Distances group on the Parameters tab.

5-axis roughing

A new Always start on same side option has been added to 5-axis roughing operations. Previously, when using an odd number of width passes combined with the In at trail roughing methods and Reduce air cuts between depths, the path would eventually end up entering the depth on the leading edge side for every other depth. This new option prevents this from happening to allow for more consistency in your toolpath and process.

MAX-SI

MAX-SI Box perimeter toolpaths now support partial box passes instead of always cutting the full perimeter. This allows for reducing the cycle time by applying a more direct transition move between the start and stop points. To access this, select the Box perimeter method on the Method tab and then click Advanced on the Passes tab.

A new blending option has been added to MAX-SI Box perimeter toolpaths that allows for blending in/out along passes when moving across the pocket. This pairs nicely with the new partial box passes for blending between toolpaths such as for fillet reduction strategies.

 

Barrel tools

A new Reduce edge motion option has been added to the Barrel tool orientation dialog box to reduce vector motion around blade edges. By default the barrel tool swings in a plane perpendicular to dU and near the hub that plane has to re-orient suddenly while going around the edge. With this option enabled, the plane is based on dW and it is more consistent going around the edge.

Surface milling

A new interface for collision checking is now available on the Surface mill Orientation tab when a configuration is not selected. This allows for more flexibility by allowing you to select a part, fixture, and CAD layers to use for collision checking independently instead of always including all geometry defined in the machining setup.

In addition, the efficiency of the collision checking algorithm has been improved to reduce calculation time.

APT and NC Output

MAX-PAC now supports the customization and generation of main program​s. A new Main program configuration dialog allows you to select which operations to include in your main program and to add loops to iterate over them. To get to this dialog, expand the Properties node in the Machining setup tree and double-click on Main program. To customize the format of the main program output, click on the Format… button on this dialog. This allows you to define how to format each block including the header, footer, and subroutine syntax. Macro variables allow you to build a flexible main program that includes parameters such as tool number, tool offset, and file names.

Tool library

Nose endmills now support a corner radius between the main arc and the flank of the tool.

CAD and geometry configuration

The Loft – Create surface​ tool has been updated to include new functions such as adding/removing curves, reversing curves, and previewing the surface.

The Guided patch curves tool has been updated to make it more robust and less sensitive to the order of curve selection or their direction.

Defining a fillet using curves at the base of the fillet has been updated to include auto-sorting so that the curves no longer need to be selected in order.

Miscellaneous UI/UX

New arguments have been added for running MAX-PAC from the command line. LOADDATA will force the reload of tabular data files like when you check the “Force to re-load all definition files” option on the Import external files… dialog. WRITEMODEL will write out the working model in IGES, STEP, and BREP formats, like if you copied all the trimmed CAD surfaces from the working model and saved them to a CAD layer prior to exporting. EXPORTFILES is the same as right-clicking a configuration and selecting 'Export files'.

A new Properties node has been added to the Machining setup tree in the CAM window to bring more visibility to key settings. This node contains things such as Part, Fixture, APT settings, and others which are typically defined at the start of a project. Double-click on any of the items in this node to open a dialog and edit the selected settings.

Part, stock, and fixture models can now be shown or hidden using the show/hide toolbar options instead of the right-click menu. Click on the node in the Properties group and then click the show/hide buttons in the toolbar. An Eye icon indicates if the model is currently shown/hidden.

The Simulation settings dialog has been renamed Machining setup settings to clarify that these settings can be used in other parts of the program such as 3+2 input models, or collision checking during toolpath calculation.

Help documentation has been updated to HTML5 format. This allows for improved search functionality, viewing multiple pages at once, and allows for support of online help in future versions which can be updated more easily to ensure the highest quality help content. All help content can still be accessed via the Help menu or F1 for context help, but the content will now open in the default web browser.

 

PUMPAL

Pressure/ head separation

The user selections for pressure rise and head rise are now separated. Users select entry types during units selection, and that parameter selection is carried through the program. This allows for more accurate calculation, decreases the potential for error, and enables further flexibility for mixing and matching flow rate units.

Python API

This release contains a new Python API for PUMPAL’s design mode. Dedicated documentation and example scripts included. This work will form the basis for a Python API that more broadly covers our product offerings, allowing users additional customization and flexibility. 

 

See further updates shared by our radial meanline programs.

Radial Meanline

(COMPAL, PUMPAL, and RITAL updates)

Refreshed Help (F1)

This release introduces updates for F1 help in our radial meanline programs. The content and links from dialogs will be preserved with an updated form factor. Help pages will launch in a browser window and enable the display of multiple help windows simultaneously, and improved search functionality. 

Updates to Software User Experience

Software icons, splash screens, toolbar icons, and default plotting style

As part of refreshing the UI of our software programs, there are new individual software splash screens when launching the software as well as the software icons themselves.

There are also new updated toolbar icons within the radial meanline programs and TurboOpt II. Primarily a UI change, the functionality remains the same as previous. Hover over the icons to view their tooltip.

Finally, there are updates to the plotting style in COMPAL, PUMPAL, and RITAL. Subtle grid lines, standardized font choice, and line plot colors chosen for accessibility and for better differentiation are among the improvements.

All feedback is welcome!

Laby detailed seal model accommodation for reverse flow and multiple seals

Additions to the 2025.1 introduced the “laby detailed” seal model to accommodate instances of reverse flow and multiple seals in COMPAL/ PUMPAL.

 

RITAL

Corrected Performance Maps

To enable the design and analysis of turbines experiencing a range of operating conditions, the Always Use Corrected option lets users view performance maps corrected to standard conditions. When selected, this persistent setting will plot mass flow and rpm corrected to a standard day for all applicable performance maps. This setting can be turned on and off at any time using the right click menu. This functionality is replicated from COMPAL 2025.1 release updates.

Dialog refactoring (UI updates & functional updates)

2025.2 rolls out updates to dialogs within RITAL that condense properties and options tabs to better dynamically indicate dependent fields based on selections.

RTP-C Windage

Continuing updates to our RTP-C solver, 2025.2 incorporates windage calculations to better account for the effects of secondary flows.

See further updates shared by our radial meanline programs.

TurboOPT II

Integration of Ansys CFX CFD solver with TurboOPT

Ansys CFX is now available as a CFD Solver to be used in an optimization.

Please look forward to a future webinar utilizing the CFX CFD solver. 

Integration of ADS Code Leo CFD solver with TurboOPT

ADS Code Leo is now available as a CFD Solver to be used in an optimization.

Please see the webinar for GPU powered intelligent aero optimization. 

New folder structure for project and run(s)

Updates allow the same project to be run under different approaches without losing previous solution results.

 

 

New Logging and folder options in preferences

Controls added for adjusting the levels of reporting during the run.

Updates to utility scripts and file formats for integration with third-party solutions

Consolidated and updated utility scripts for increased versatility with file formats used externally. Published supporting documentation for users with in-house or third-party solutions.

Misc

1. A colorful splash screen greets you during application launch.

2. Revised buttons on the main toolbar are larger and color-consistent. A new button toggles opens/closes the Python console window and a second addition will Refresh Results. There is no longer a separate Advanced toolbar. 

3. Two FEA-based file types can now be exported during AxCent tasks: IGES and STEP. 

4. The NDF file format for CFX TurboGrid can now be exported during AxCent tasks.

5. Streamline the multi-task setup process. The simplified process for typical or advanced setup extends from the wizard to the layout and mode options in the main application. Sub-blocks are no longer used.

6. New project files will be saved during the wizard in the project directory of the user’s choice. The design input file for each task is copied to this location automatically.