The basic approach used by ArtCAM is to map the 3D model onto a cylinder which is then 'unwrapped' to create a flat relief within ArtCAM. Toolpaths are then created on this flat relief and sent to a machine tool which has a rotary axis or 'indexer' to cut the 3D model. There are 2 basic types of rotary axis in common use.
True rotary axis - with these machines the control software reads a file which contains instructions to rotate the rotary axis by a specific angle. ArtCAM includes a number of postprocessors which drive a rotary axis in this way. These machines are a little more straightforward to drive compared to the indexer type described below.