Hexagon’s Production Software Division has introduced the latest release of NCSIMUL, strengthening its integrated approach to NC program verification, simulation and optimisation with new ‘Selective Simulation’ capability.
NCSIMUL combines G-code verification, CNC simulation and optimisation within a digital-twin environment, helping manufacturers check NC programs, improve machining efficiency and reduce the need to prove out complex work on valuable machine tools.
Selective Simulation provides programmers with a faster way to navigate long, complex NC programs. The patent-pending capability uses GPU-accelerated ‘Rest Stock Previews’ to generate intermediate stock models during NC decoding, providing earlier visibility of how a part develops throughout the machining process.
The potential time savings were demonstrated in a customer trial involving an American athletic footwear manufacturer and a long-cycle mould application. A program with a 47-hour machine run time previously required 48 minutes of sequential simulation before the programmer could inspect the required operation. Using Selective Simulation, Rest Stock Previews were generated in under two minutes.
Programmers can use these previews to inspect the part at different stages, identify potential issues earlier and move directly to operations requiring closer attention. Full NC code simulation, including complete collision detection and accurate material removal, remains the standard for final verification before releasing a program to the machine.
“Selective Simulation gives programmers a more flexible way to work through complex programs,” says Jasper Sanders, product manager for NCSIMUL at Hexagon’s Production Software Division. “They can gain useful visibility much earlier, focus their attention on the operations that matter most, and still rely on the full NCSIMUL simulation engine for final verification.”
Ultimately, the latest release helps manufacturers make better use of engineering time and machine capacity while maintaining confidence in NC programs before production begins.
More information www.hexagon.com/products/ncsimul
