CAM software ease of use = CAM flexibility

October 11, 2011 By cjordan 1 Comment

Early CAM systems used to be language based, so the programmer had to type in all the commands for both the geometry and the machining operations, making it a highly skilled task which required long training courses and lots of technical support – great for job security, but bad for profit and efficiency. Thankfully those days are long gone, and only live on in the memory of CNC programmers who have been in the business for more than 20 years.

However, the legacy of those times still survives in specialist programming offices. These can be justified where the product or machining is extremely complicated, but for most applications it is not necessary, and with automated systems it is perfectly practical for many more people in an organization to carry out CNC programming both on the shop floor and in the office.

The advantages for companies are immense. There is always someone available for programming eliminating staffing problems for vacations or sickness, job satisfaction can be improved through increased responsibility and extra job interest, specialist programmers are no longer required except for the most complex applications, companies can make better use of equipment – no waiting for programs, and engineers can use their skills in other areas instead of routine CNC programming.

Programming at Jaguar Land Rover is done by experienced and skilled machinists. Having the software in the workshop enables them to program parts themselves, and optimize CNC toolpaths while the machine tools are cutting. Not only has this enriched their skill set, but it has also empowered them by giving more control over the machining process

Most managers agree that work force flexibility produces major productivity gains without extra cost, so like Jaguar Land Rover ease of use needs to be at the top of the check list for a CAM system.

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Using special form tools in your CAM system

September 27, 2011 By cjordan Leave a Comment

For machining some applications, the easiest way to produce a shape is to use a special form tool. To use this effectively in your CAM system you need to be able to define the cutting portion of the tool, the non-cutting part and the control point.

Using special tools in your CAM system

By specifying the control point, the CAM system should be able to accurately drive the tool along the geometry you have defined for it. With the information about the cutting edge it should also be able to machine the special form and avoid a collision with the holder, the non-cutting part of the tool and the job. If your CAM system has rest modeling, the system will know what is left after you have used the special tool. It will then be able to use that rest model for subsequent operations so that tool loads are kept low and the part is completely and accurately machined without any sudden dig-ins or shock loading.

With this technology, you can combine standard tools with special tools to reduce machining time and get exactly the results you want for the finished part.

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CAM software – Innovation chain

May 23, 2011 By cjordan 1 Comment
innovation dental cadcam

Dental CAM enables innovative prosthesis manufacture at FDZ

It’s surprising how often you see a great product which takes the market by storm, and then the competitors catch up, overtake, and suddenly the original great product is no more.  Being complacent about product performance is definitely a recipe for failure. A continuous policy of innovation will keep products and production systems ahead of the game and provide customers with the best tools to be innovative themselves. The advances in CAM software are a case in point. 

Automatic 5-axis machining takes 3 and 3+2 axis programs and changes them into full 5-axis programs. Collision avoidance  ensures that the machine’s limits are considered and that a safe and reliable toolpath is created. This technology has allowed engineering companies to get the best out of their 5-axis machinery, and break into new markets without huge overheads in reskilling employees. 

CAM software innovation is now reaching dental laboratories, where technicians are not normally skilled in CNC machining. Traditionally the laboratories were served by closed CADCAM systems which had a fixed type of functionality. Open automated CNC programming, designed specifically for dental applications, takes away the need for machining skill and at the same time gives the dental professionals more choice over the equipment they use and also enables them to be innovative over the types of prosthesis they design and manufacture, giving them a distinct competitive edge.  If you are interested in Dental CADCAM read more here.

Filed Under: 5 axis cnc software, CADCAM, CAM software, Dental CADCAM, Medical, NC machining, NC software Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Automation Part 2 – flexibility

April 14, 2011 By cjordan 1 Comment

Continuing on from the last blog about automation, let’s think about flexibility in programming.  CAM systems with little automation often have the advantage of maximum flexibility as the user can produce exactly the toolpath he wants. Taken to an extreme, you are back with manual programming, working out the coordinates for each tool position and adding G codes, speeds and feeds.

Obviously, the tradeoff is how difficult it is to achieve what you want. Where a lot of input is required by the CAM programmer, he (and very occasionally, she…) has to make many decisions as he prepares the CNC code. Results then depend on the skill of the user and also the amount of time available. For 5-axis programming, it is probably safe to say that it is virtually impossible to do this manually. Even for relatively simple 2D and 3D work manual programming can be very time consuming with some CAM software packages, making part manufacture uneconomical. What’s more, all the manual input and decision making is a possible source of error, making on-machine prove out an essential part of the process. Even worse, the CNC code produced may well need editing before it can run on the machine, introducing more potential problems.

For highly automated systems the decision making element is removed, but in some cases the methodology is so simplified that, although it is created quickly, the resulting toolpath misses out on best practice, with problems such as air cutting, overloaded tools, potential collisions and poor cutting conditions which can result in broken cutters or poor surface finishes.

Automated CAM software which is based on years of experience and R&D considers all these factors, checking for interference, avoiding over engagement of the tool, using climb milling where possible, and optimizing cutting speeds. It is like having your own expert programmer in a box, making it easy to get the benefit of the years of experience with one mouse click. Even better, systems like this give engineers tools to interactively edit the automated toolpath, so if they want to optimize it even more, they have the power to do so, giving users the best of both worlds.

Automation part 3 will look at the challenge of getting enough skilled people and how automation can help.

Filed Under: CADCAM, CAM software, CAM tips & tricks, Mold, die and tool, NC machining, NC software Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Automation Part 1 – risk analysis

March 29, 2011 By cjordan Leave a Comment

Why do manufacturing companies look at automating processes? There can be any number of reasons: cost reduction, lack of skilled personnel, consistency of products, predictable manufacturing cycles, quality etc.

Changing an existing manufacturing process is a risk, as the current process probably does appear to work reasonably well, albeit with some downsides such as higher scrap rates than desired, higher costs or longer delivery times than the customer wants.

To automate a process, the solution needs to have intelligence built in.  This can come from the R&D efforts of the solution supplier, but can also include knowledge and experience collected from the user, so that the solution can be customized to the individual needs of the manufacturer.

In CADCAM automation, existing processes such as manual CNC programming or on-machine programming carry a high element of risk. These rely substantially on the skill of the operator, and if he has a bad day or is off sick, the resulting loss in production can be very costly.

Even if CADCAM software is being used, the number and complexity of decisions a programmer has to make can be excessive, again leading to potential errors.

The aim of automation is to closely define the task and minimize operator intervention. As long as the system has sufficient intelligence and has been designed correctly for the job in hand, the risk levels of using it are greatly reduced.

This is not the whole story however as “flexibility” can be an issue with automation. I’ll examine some of the issues in future blog postings. In the meantime, let us know your experiences with automation and how it has worked for you.

Filed Under: CADCAM, CAM software, CAM tips & tricks, Dental CADCAM, NC machining, NC software Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Micro molding – some useful hints

March 4, 2011 By cjordan Leave a Comment

A growing area of interest for mold manufacturers is the production of molds for nano size components or for parts which have nano size features. That is to say, features which are less than 500 microns in size, or components less than 1mm in size. The applications include medical devices, such as bioresorbale components which can be permanently implanted in a patient, and electromechanical parts such as extremely small hinges.

The production of molds for these applications presents some very special problems as factors such as heat distortion and the accuracy of the CNC code and the machine itself can make the difference between success and failure.

Japanese company, Shinkoh Mold solved some of the practical problems associated with the technology.  According to Shinkoh, “We run the spindle for 30 minutes before we start cutting to ensure an even temperature and to avoid problems with heat induced expansion. We also use spindle speeds of 13,000 rpm to keep the temperature constant, and we reduce approach angles to 1 degree to minimize cutter loading.” The company has also developed some standard CAM strategies based on a combination of WorkNCs re-machining and finishing toolpaths to go with its distortion avoidance methods.

Fine tuning of this technology has enabled the Shinkoh Mold to successfully machine with 0.2mm diameter tools 10.5 mm long, which is a length to diameter ratio of 26 and a remarkable achievement. If you have some experience of micro machining we’d like to hear it…..

Filed Under: CADCAM, CAM software, CAM tips & tricks, Medical, Mold, die and tool, NC machining, NC software Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Skilled engineers cut some amazing parts in Japan

February 24, 2011 By cjordan Leave a Comment

Silver jacket CNC machining by WorkNCJapanese engineers compete in some very intensive competitions to demonstrate their NC machining skills. The famous ‘Silver Jacket’ which won the Gold prize in the Die and Mold Machining section of Mori Seiki’s Cutting Dream Competition Awards 2007, is a prime example. Engineers from the Kawanami Ironworks Inc. based in Kyoto, Japan, machined the jacket from solid 5052 aluminum.

The engineer responsible at Kawanami Ironworks explained the process. “The model was entirely made up of free form surfaces, so the most difficult task was planning the sequence of operations and positioning the job datum.” The ultimate aim was to produce a finished product which properly represented the look and feel of the jacket. He continued, “The majority of the part was cut with the WorkNC CADCAM software’s machining between two curves strategy. We found that this gave the best result for expressing the softness of the fabric.” Kawanami Ironworks’ engineers also used many of the CNC software’s other finishing toolpaths these enabled it to pick out the fine detail and access confined areas without tool or holder collisions.

Another example of Japanese skill is the scale model of the Samurai Kabuto helmet CNC manufactured by the Japanese company, TOMCO. By using WorkNC’s Auto 5 automated 5-axis toolpaths, TOMCO engineers could make the CNC machine reach deep into the helmet while using the shortest possible cutters for rigidity, and yet avoid collisions between the machine and the job.

If you have any showcase parts that demonstrate your machining skills, whether programmed with WorkNC or not, we’d like to see them.

Filed Under: 5 axis cnc software, CADCAM, CAM software, NC machining, NC software Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,