{"id":4891,"date":"2026-10-02T15:10:25","date_gmt":"2026-10-02T13:10:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ellistat.com\/?p=4891"},"modified":"2026-10-02T15:10:25","modified_gmt":"2026-10-02T13:10:25","slug":"topsolid-and-ellistat-when-cam-integration-eliminates-the-need-for-re-entry-in-the-cam-software","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ellistat.com\/en\/topsolid-et-ellistat-quand-lintegration-fao-supprime-la-ressaisie-dans-lapc\/","title":{"rendered":"TOPSOLID and Ellistat: When CAM Integration Eliminates the Need for Re-entry in the APC"},"content":{"rendered":"

One editor comes from production, and another from quality control. TOPSOLID<\/a> Ellistat and [Company Name] operate in the same field\u2014the mechanical engineering industry\u2014but from two different perspectives. Their partnership has a very specific goal: to transfer information about the machining product line directly into the APC<\/a> (Automated Process Control for the automatic adjustment of machine tools), without the need for manual re-entry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the Ellistat Master Class in September 2026, TOPSOLID presented its ecosystem and how it works CAM integration<\/strong> with ELLISTAT.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TOPSOLID at a Glance<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A French publisher, connecting directly with its customers<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

TOPSOLID is a group with over 40 years of history, with deep roots in mechanical engineering. Development takes place in France, and in France, customer relations are handled exclusively by TOPSOLID employees, with no outsourcing. The group has more than 400 employees, a quarter of whom are dedicated to engineering and R&D, and reported consolidated revenue of 72 million euros in 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internationally, TOPSOLID relies on subsidiaries, exclusive partners, and distributors. In France, five sales offices handle sales, technical support, development, and training, supplemented by a purely technical office in Grenoble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond Mechanics<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The group serves several sectors: mechanical engineering, digital engineering (design of parts, assemblies, tooling, molds, and special-purpose machinery), metalworking (sheet metal fabrication, boilermaking, structural metalwork, locksmithing), and woodworking (carpentry, interior fit-outs)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TOPSOLID is also active in the field of education, with one distinctive feature: few general education programs, but many career-oriented training programs, including those at institutions in the Annecy area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An offering focused on technical data<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The TopSolid suite is built around a core: a database that centralizes the company\u2019s technical data. It doesn\u2019t include finance or HR, but it covers everything related to the design office, the production planning department, and the shop floor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Surrounding this core:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • CAD<\/strong> : design of parts, assemblies, and tooling.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • FAO<\/strong> : programming for milling, turning, mill-turn operations, multi-spindle machines, bar turning, electrical discharge machining, and control of machining robots.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Digital Workshop Management<\/strong> : tracking of tools and programs; complete traceability of the manufacturing process, from projects to CNC programs, and from tooling to inventory.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • ISO Simulation<\/strong> machine code.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • MES<\/strong> : real-time data transmission from the machines.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Cost Estimate<\/strong> based on the 3D model, to estimate more accurately than by trial and error.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Metrology<\/strong> : creating inspection reports, generating layout drawings, and importing data from 3D machines.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    TOPSOLID positions itself as a software vendor, not a distributor. In addition to the standard solutions it offers, TOPSOLID provides a custom development service (development of customized features, bidirectional connections with third-party solutions) and is a Qualiopi-certified training organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Why integrate TopSolid and Ellistat?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The problem: re-entering data that has already been entered<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    To function, the Ellistat HMC must know what is happening on the part: which face is being machined, with which tool, in what order, starting from which reference point, and on which fixture. Without a gateway, all this information must be entered manually, even though it already exists in the CAM program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This re-entry process has two drawbacks: it takes time, and it introduces a risk of human error.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The solution: Export the product line with a single click<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Thanks to the ELLICAM plug-in integrated into TopSolid, the manufacturing sequence data is transferred to Ellistat with a single click:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • origins and settings; ;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • tools and their gauges (calibrators); ;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • machining conditions; ;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • the timeline of operations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      The result: no more re-entry, a significantly shorter turnaround time between CAM programming and part setup in the CNC, and a reliable configuration right from the start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Important note: The APC does not require kinematic modeling of the machine or ISO simulation. It inherits the topological data from the product line. As soon as the first part is measured on the 3D machine, Ellistat knows which offsets and tools to apply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      A concrete example: controlling two correctors on the same board<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      Let's consider the machining of a groove using an insert where we want to control both sides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      In TopSolid, you define two control points on the tool, which is necessary in any case since the toolpaths differ. Upon export, ELLICAM transmits the information that there are two tool gauges. When measuring the groove, ELLISTAT automatically knows which flank corresponds to which offset.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      That's the whole point of automation: to avoid the classic mistake where you correctly sense both edges... but associate them with the wrong control point. The information comes directly from the programming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      From the nominal model to the average-dimension model<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      Most 3D models received from customers are defined using nominal dimensions. However, the programmer must always use a 3D model with average dimensions to ensure that parts fall within their tolerances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      TopSolid allows users to take a so-called \u201cdead\u201d geometry and adapt it to production needs\u2014even without its design history\u2014to bring it back to standard dimensions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      All geometric tolerances are entered directly in TopSolid. The machining paths are then generated on this model using average dimensions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      If the STEP file contains PMI annotations, they are retrieved as information without automatically modifying the geometry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Machine Compatibility: What Are the Limits?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      The gateway works with all types of machines programmed in TopSolid: milling machines, lathes, mill-turn machines, and automatic turning machines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The only real limitation comes from the CNC system: an older CNC system that cannot accept remote corrections cannot be controlled in a closed-loop system. This is not a software issue, but rather a limitation of the machine itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Why It's Important<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      When about a hundred characteristics depend on multiple correction factors, the correction matrix remains simple for a computer to calculate but quickly becomes unmanageable for the human brain. Automating the configuration makes APC viable even when new reference values are constantly being introduced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      For interested companies, TOPSOLID and ELLISTAT are organizing three-way meetings to test the production line in a real-world setting using the customer's parts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      The\u2019CAM integration<\/strong> The integration between TopSolid and Ellistat reflects a shared belief: data already generated during programming should never have to be re-entered. By automatically transferring reference points, setups, tools, and compensators to the CNC controller, the gateway reduces setup time, ensures more reliable parameter settings, and brings the shop floor one step closer to a fully automated closed-loop system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      FAQ<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      What data does the TopSolid-Ellistat interface transfer?<\/strong>
      <\/strong>The origins, setups, tools, tool gauges, machining conditions, and sequence of operations in the CAM program, to automatically configure the CNC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Do you need to model the machine in TopSolid to use APC?<\/strong>
      <\/strong>No. The APC does not use kinematic simulation; it relies on the topological data from the product line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Does the gateway work on all computers?<\/strong>
      <\/strong>For all types of machines programmed in TopSolid (milling, turning, mill-turn, bar turning), provided that the CNC system supports remote adjustment of offsets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Can the APC directly correct CAM paths?<\/strong>
      <\/strong>Not today. The corrections apply to machine and tool correctors. Correcting local geometric defects by modifying toolpaths is not yet possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Un \u00e9diteur issu de la production, un autre issu de la qualit\u00e9. TOPSOLID et Ellistat travaillent sur le m\u00eame terrain, l’industrie m\u00e9canique, mais sous deux angles diff\u00e9rents. Leur rapprochement a un objectif tr\u00e8s concret : faire passer les informations de la gamme d’usinage directement dans l’APC (Automated Process Control pour le r\u00e9glage automatique des machines-outils), […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":4892,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4891","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-apc"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ellistat.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4891","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ellistat.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ellistat.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ellistat.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ellistat.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4891"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ellistat.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4891\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4893,"href":"https:\/\/ellistat.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4891\/revisions\/4893"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ellistat.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4892"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ellistat.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4891"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ellistat.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4891"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ellistat.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4891"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}