$97 million in cash. Last year, CAD giant Autodesk Inc. (San Rafael, CA) fi nalized its $286-million purchase of CAM-centric developer Delcam Ltd. (Birmingham, UK).
Rethinking Multitasking With the complexity of today’s multitasking
machines (MTM) rising, programmers of these sys- tems need the best solutions available for handling multiple spindles and multiple turrets machining simultaneously. MTM operations necessitate precise timing of machining operations, and optimal simula- tion of machining operations to prove out processes before ever cutting metal. CAM developer Gibbs and Associates (Moorpark, CA) has taken a new approach to supporting these machines with its new Universal Kinematic Machines (UKM) shown last fall at IMTS. “Some of the most important
trends in CAM software today are the necessity of supporting the evolution of advanced CNC machines, and cre- ating a single programming environ- ment for end users that encompasses programming of all types, including integration with 3D printing,” said Bill Gibbs, president, Gibbs and Associates. “No longer are CNC machines simply a mill or a lathe. Instead, the variation of confi gura- tion of MTM machines continues to expand and blossom in pursuit of ever-greater manufacturing effi ciency. “The challenges include unlimit- ed axes in unlimited confi gurations,” Gibbs said, “combining fi ve-axis milling, multiaxis turning, multiple tools cutting at the same time, mul- tiple part stations—all in pursuit of material in and fi nished parts out.” GibbsCAM 2015 UKM is a
highest level of user interface consistency,” Gibbs said. “It’s easy for a programmer to support a variety of machines, as he only has to learn a single CAM software to do it all.”
Virtual Machining More realism in simulations is key for any shops
tackling advanced manufacturing processes, par- ticularly with multitasking machines and simultane- ous fi ve-axis machining operations. Many choices proliferate in CAD/CAM, with improved simulation components in nearly every CAM system, ranging up to high-end, very detailed simulations offered by NC simulation, verifi cation and optimization software like Vericut from CGTech (Irvine, CA).
The Universal Kinematic Machines (UKM) in GibbsCAM 2015 is a
next-generation architecture for supporting programming and simulation of highly complex multitasking machines.
Image courtesy Gibbs and Associates
next-generation architecture that aims to dramati- cally increase support of program generation and simulation of such machines. UKM offers “support of the simplest to the most complex CNC machines in the same integrated CAM environment, with advanced postprocessing capabilities, and machine simulation, providing a rich environment with the
“Simulation is being used more and more as a pro-
cess validation tool, not just a tool to check for cata- strophic errors such as machine collisions and gouges in the workpiece,” said Bill Hasenjaeger, CGTech product marketing manager. The latest Vericut 7.3 ver- sion features an updated desktop layout for improving customer experiences, and the software adds an en-
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