Solids Machining and CAM | CAM Software Trends

CAM Software helps mill-turn, solids machining

Richards, Paul

SOFTWARE

Manufacturing Engineering: What are some of the hottest trends currently in CAM software?

Ricard: The hottest trend in CAM software is full programming support for multifunction mill-turn machines. While the machine tool market as a whole is in a recession, the number of shops investing in single setup mill-- turn machines appears to have picked up rapidly in the last couple of years. Mill-turn machines combine the functionality of milling and turning machines and make them both fully available on one machine. These multifunction machines provide the ability to mill and turn both the front and back of a part, completing the required machining in one setup. What once involved two machines and four setups, now requires one machine and one setup.

Shops have been hesitant to invest in these machines because the programming task has been quite complex. Recently, an increasing number of CAM vendors are offering a user-- friendly programming environment for mill-turn machines, enabling shops to achieve the dramatic productivity gains for which these machines are designed. CAM systems that provide one programming environment where users can do milling and turning operations in any combination on a single workpiece, while providing complete synchronization, optimization, and 3-D solid simulation are on the cutting edge of this trend.

ME: How has machining directly from 3-D models helped manufacturers?

Ricard: 3-D solid models minimize the need for the programmer to manually input part information, such as the height and depth of a feature, draft angles, hole characteristics, and feature type (slot, boss, or pocket). Using 3-D solid models, manufacturers significantly reduce the errors associated with manual input, as well as decrease the time it takes to program parts.

A 3-D solid model provides the additional information needed to increase automation, letting the software automatically recognize features and adapt machining processes to the new part geometry. For example, machining a hole versus a hole with a chamfer requires a process change to machine the new feature correctly.

ME: What impact has 3-D solids machining had on the 2-D market?

Ricard: In the 2-D market, the impact of 3-D solids machining is most significant because 3-D solid part representation offers a dramatic improvement over a 2-D drawing. When all machining is performed directly on the solid model, this assures that the on-screen "asmachined" part exactly matches the original "as-designed" version. 3-D solid modeling has contributed to the 80% reduction in programming time achieved by one of our customers supplying intricate parts for the medical industry, as well as enabling a leading pharmaceutical manufacturer to greatly increase the complexity of parts it produces internally.

ME: What can be done about moldmaking going overseas, with US moldmakers losing business to Asian competitors?

Ricard: US moldmakers need to narrow the cost-factor gap; production costs will have less of an effect if US manufacturers invest in state-ofthe-art equipment and software. There is a misconception that Asian manufacturers are not sophisticated-- in fact, Chinese manufacturers often hold advanced degrees in engineering and utilize top-notch machine tools and programming software in their shops. The United States needs to invest more in the training and emphasize higher education for future manufacturers. To ensure equipment and software is in tip-top shape, shops can hire consulting services and evaluate machining techniques to see if their programming methods can be further automated. For example, a CAM system that captures knowledge is able to adapt proven machining processes to future jobs and provide consistent quality for repetitive tasks, so the wheel doesn't have to be reinvented every time.

ME: How can CAM manufacturers protect their intellectual property rights in markets like China and India, where software suppliers have had problems?

Ricard: The best way to deter pirating is for CAM vendors to offer a quality software maintenance program that delivers regular and substantial improvements with each new version. In reality, the cost of software is insignificant compared to the cost of training and the productivity lost if users do not have the current version of the software. Piracy can be kept in check if companies educate the marketplace about the value of a software maintenance program, emphasizing the benefits of regular software upgrades at no additional cost, the included training and 24-hour support, and the productivity gains which compound year after year.

ME: What's the immediate impact of the STEP standard on CAM software, and how will STEP help manufacturers long-term?

Ricard: STEP is a data format-- just one of several available in use today. The immediate impact of STEP on CAM software is negligible. Where STEP differentiates itself is in the long-term; because STEP is neutral and modern, it has the most potential for survival over the long term. For CAM vendors, the job of maintaining the various proprietary file formats is expensive and time-consuming. Standardization on a single neutral file format, such as STEP, would benefit CAM developers and their customers, because the R&D investment currently utilized to support the numerous proprietary file formats could be redirected into features that have significantly more value and impact on productivity.

Paul Ricard is president and cofounder of DP Technology Corp. (Camarillo, CA), developers of Esprit CAM software.

Copyright Society of Manufacturing Engineers May 2003
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