SolidCAM HSS

SolidCAM HSS is a high-speed surface machining module for finishing selected, localised areas on prismatic and 3D components, including difficult undercuts.

Select the surfaces you want to machine directly, apply a strategy that follows their natural shape and control the complete tool assembly around neighbouring geometry.

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Machine Only the Areas You Choose

  • Select one surface or a group of surfaces without first creating constraint boundaries.
  • Focus the toolpath on fillets, blends, chamfers, inclined faces and other local details.
  • Use adjoining check surfaces to protect nearby geometry.

Create Smooth, Flowing Toolpaths

  • Choose from parallel, perpendicular, morph and projection-based surface strategies.
  • Generate toolpaths that follow selected surfaces and complex groups of connected faces.
  • Use smooth and tangential lead-ins, lead-outs and controlled linking between passes.

Reach Difficult Geometry Safely

  • Apply gouge control to the holder, arbor and tool.
  • Use standard and shaped tools, including tapered, lollipop and T-slot tools for suitable undercut geometry.
  • Control retracts, gaps, holes, extensions and trimmed toolpath regions.

SolidCAM HSS Machining Strategies

SolidCAM HSS Parallel to surface

Use a selected surface to influence the direction of the machining passes.

SolidCam HSS High-speed surface

Machining for Localised Geometry 

SolidCAM HSS extends machining beyond profiles, pockets and faces by driving the cutter directly along selected surfaces. It is designed for local features where a whole-part 3D finishing strategy would be unnecessarily broad or where the surface shape should determine the toolpath flow.

Fillets and Blended Surfaces

Create flowing passes across internal and external fillets and groups of adjoining surfaces. HSS is particularly useful where the toolpath must follow continuous curvature while protecting nearby walls and floors.

Undercut Geometry

Use appropriate shaped tools together with check surfaces and gouge control to reach difficult undercut regions while considering the complete tool assembly.

Inclined Faces and Chamfers

Finish sloping faces and internal chamfers using strategies that distribute passes between selected boundaries or surfaces.

Localised Surface Areas

Target only the surfaces that need a dedicated finishing, avoiding the need to machine unaffected regions in the same operation.

SolidCAM HSS_main

Where SolidCAM HSS fits in the machining process?

HSS is best positioned as a focused surface-finishing module. Roughing and broader 3D machining can prepare the component, while HSS applies a dedicated strategy to the local surfaces whose form, accessibility or finish requirement needs more targeted control. 

  • Internal and external fillets 
  • Blended and transitional surfaces 
  • Inclined faces and local chamfers 
  • Local surfaces on moulds, dies and tooling 
  • Selected surfaces on prismatic and 3D parts 
  • Difficult-to-reach or undercut regions 

SolidCam HSS High-speed surface

Control Every Movement Around the Surface

Direct Surface Selection

Choose the machining surfaces directly. The selected faces define the area to be machined, reducing the need for additional construction geometry or boundary creation.

Drive and Check Surfaces

Use machining surfaces to define where toolpaths are generated and adjoining check surfaces to identify geometry that must be avoided.

Advanced Linking

Control entry, exit and links between passes. Toolpaths can be extended or trimmed, gaps and holes can be jumped, and several lead-in and lead-out choices are available.

Advanced Gouge Control

Apply collision control to the holder, arbor and tool, with selectable check surfaces and controlled retract strategies.

Standard and Shaped Tools

Use standard cutters and shaped tools selected to suit the surface form, access conditions and any undercut requirement.

Surface-Quality Control

Use strategy-dependent controls such as stepover, scallop and depth cuts to manage how the selected surface is finished.

Retract Control

Choose suitable retract behaviour, including retracts to a major plane where required.

Smooth Lead-Ins and Outs

Use smooth and tangential motion to connect the cutter with the surface more progressively.

The versatility in the finished parts from the impressive Siemens 828D control to the Y axis and driven tooling, all without which we could not have produced this part. Going from simple turning to complex multi axis milling to create an amazing bat out of some tough material.

Will Kearse

Manufacturing Application Engineer

Frequently Asked Questions

What is SolidCAM HSS?

HSS is SolidCAM’s High-Speed Surface Machining module for smooth machining of selected, localised surface areas, including undercuts. 

How is HSS different from general 3D finishing?

SolidCAM HSS focuses on one or more selected surfaces. It is intended for local, surface-led machining rather than applying a strategy across an entire model.

Do I need to create boundaries before selecting the machining area?

SolidCAM HSS supports direct surface selection, so the selected surface or surface group can define the area without separate constraint boundaries. 

Can SolidCAM HSS protect neighbouring surfaces?

Yes. Adjoining surfaces can be selected as check surfaces, and gouge control is available for the holder, arbor and tool. 

Can SolidCAM HSS machine undercuts?

HSS supports localised areas including undercuts. SolidCAM identifies tapered, lollipop and T-slot tools for suitable undercut or difficult geometry. 

Can I control entries, exits and links?

Yes. HSS provides control over lead-ins, lead-outs, extensions, trimming, gap and hole handling, direct links and retract strategies. 

What types of tools can be used?

SolidCAM HSS supports standard, shaped and barrel tools. Tool selection should suit the surface radius, access and undercut condition.

What types of tools can be used?

SolidCAM HSS supports standard, shaped and barrel tools. Tool selection should suit the surface radius, access and undercut condition.

Where does HSS sit alongside HSR and HSM?

SolidCAM HSS is focused on selected local surfaces, HSR and HSM address broader 3D roughing and finishing workflows.

Do Solid Solutions provide HSS training?

Solid Solutions lists a dedicated SolidCAM High-Speed Surfacing machining course, the training develops on the SolidCAM module HSR/HSM basics to add further control of your programming.