Mastercam 2025 introduces the new A-axis contour turning toolpath. It complements the B-axis contour toolpath introduced in Mastercam 2023 and extends Mastercam’s support for rotary contour turning. The new toolpath is very similar to the B-axis contour toolpath except that it uses Y-axis tools. The ability to rotate the tool while in the cut lets Mastercam users reach difficult-to-machine areas while taking advantage of the latest advances in Y-axis tool technology.
Mastercam automatically selects the proper Y-axis tool plane when you select the Y-axis tool and contour. You can also click the [+] button to create a new plane.
One difference between the A-axis and B-axis contour toolpaths is that the Tool Orientation on Machine options are not present. Since the A axis can rotate to any position and the B axis is fixed to 90 degrees, there is no need for the tool orientation controls. The Tool Angle Limits on the Basic Motion Control page have been modified to allow any A-axis angle.
In order for A-axis contour toolpaths to be available, the A-axis component in your machine definition must be set to Signed continuous mode:
