IMTS Pavilion: Controls & CAD/CAM
Multitasking machine tools have been at the forefront of CNC programming advances, with new systems taking advantage of minimal setups on these “done-in-one” multi- tasking machines. Taking multitasking programming to a new level, the new GibbsCAM UKM (Universal Kinematic Machine) that will be introduced at IMTS by Gibbs and Associates (Moorpark, CA) capitalizes on a completely reengineered CAM engine, one that takes advantage of newer multitasking machines, yet still offers backward compatibility when used with older machine designs.
Under development for about five years, the UKM engine will enable much more accurate modeling of machine tools, said Bill Gibbs, president of Gibbs and Associates, and it will also help reduce the costs of developing postprocessors and simulation models. “Even though we’ve been doing MTM [multitask machining] longer than anybody, we saw a need in the industry,” Gibbs said. “The machines are evolving in creative ways.”
These innovative MTM architectures have posed problems for software developers, said Gibbs, noting that CAM systems were originally designed either to be used with a lathe or with a mill. “There’s no limit to how creative machine-tool design- ers can be,” said Gibbs. With the new UKM system, kinematic models are used more effectively, offering dramatically improved rendering of simulations that are able to more precisely simulate these highly complex MTM systems. “It is very, very flexible in how we can assign axes and alignments,” Gibbs added.
“There’s no limit to how creative machine-tool designers can be.”
In addition to the UKM, GibbsCAM 2015 adds many new tool types including Barrel, Dovetail, Convex Tip, E-style ISO insert, and tools defined by solids. The software also features dynamic 3D viewing of tools and toolholders in the tool dialog, allowing users to accurately visualize the tools they are select- ing for the job. GibbsCAM 2015 will include the new Adveon tool management system licensed from Sandvik Coromant (Fair Lawn, NJ), Gibbs said, which is also available to other CAM software developers.
Smarter Toolpaths
Another trend in CAD/CAM is the use of a new class of smarter toolpaths, said Ben Mund, marketing manager, CNC
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Software Inc. (Tolland, CT), developer of Mastercam. “You see this across a variety of CAD/CAM companies where toolpaths are taking advantage of new algorithms and increased com- puter processing in order to have a lot more intelligence about tool load and tool motion,” Mund said. “These new types of smarter toolpaths yield a number of benefits including extend- ing tool life, reducing cycle time, and reducing machine wear. They can also make traditional projects, like cutting hard materials, easier.”
At the CNC Software booth, visitors will see the latest Mas- tercam release which offers improved usability and workflow, Mund said. “The other thing we are showing is our Dynamic Motion technology,” he said. “This is a machining technique that we’ve had for a number of years, and it is slowly expanding across the suite of Mastercam products. It powers many of our most commonly-used toolpaths. In a nutshell, Dynamic Motion toolpaths can take full-depth cuts while maintaining optimal cutter load and smooth motion. We have field tested this for about half a decade, and the results we see are remarkable.” At IMTS, Mund said he’s interested in seeing all the new developments in machine tools and cutter technologies, as well as 3D printing advances. “We have a lot of gear heads here—one thing that is a big draw for us is checking out the advances in multiaxis machines and mill-turn machines,” Mund said. “We are also interested to see first-hand any of the new cutters that are being rolled out. Although we stay in contact with cutter manufacturers, seeing them first-hand helps us to know what we can incorporate into our software. Lastly, we’re interested in the advancements of 3D printing— in particular the hybrid machines that do both additive and subtractive machining.”
High-Speed, High-Efficiency Machining At Delcam’s booth, visitors can see the application of the company’s Vortex high-efficiency clearance strategy, which debuted in PowerMill but has now been added across Delcam’s software line with the addition into its FeatureCAM, PartMaker and Delcam for SolidWorks CAM systems. “High- efficiency and five-axis machining have been important to our users for some time and will continue to trend,” said Mary Shaw, Delcam North American marketing manager. “Visitors will discover how they can gain unprecedented speed and ac- curacy with the 2015 CAM software releases. Delcam contin- ues to spend more on development than anyone in the CAM industry. In staying with the overall theme of speed, Delcam
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