FEATURE ON CNC & CAM

Access to Sinumerik 840D via Data FEED OPC

Softing Industrial Automation is releasing the latest version (V5.35) of its dataFEED OPC
Suite, which offers comprehensive support for machine tools controlled by Sinumerik 840D
CNC systems as well as the integration of web services.

The dataFEED OPC Suite combines software solutions for OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA)
and OPC Classic communication, alongside IoT cloud connection in a single product. With
the new Sinumerik 840D support in the dataFEED OPC Suite V5.35, users can read axis, tool
and program data as well as alarms from the NC section. Furthermore, it is possible to read
status, program sections and alarms from the PLC section. Users can also read the drive
data. Data is recorded without affecting the machine configuration.


The suite enables the provision of production data via the MQTT or REST protocols and their
transfer to IoT cloud or big data applications on platforms such as Microsoft Azure, Amazon
AWS and Siemens MindSphere. The data is subsequently available for various applications
such as condition monitoring, predictive maintenance and evaluation.
Another new feature of version 5.35 is the web services functionality, which enables direct
access to production data via web client applications such as Web Browser, Postman or
Client for URL (cURL) and its integration into IT solutions.


“The new support for Sinumerik 840D CNC systems and the web services feature add two
important features to our dataFEED OPC Suite,” explains Andreas Röck, product manager at
Softing Industrial Automation. “We see great potential to make the suite accessible to a
wider range of users, especially concerning the support of Sinumerik 840D. With this
development, we’ve reached another milestone in fulfilling our claim of providing an all-in-
one solution for secure and robust OPC communication and IoT cloud integration.”
For more information www.bit.ly/451HzBc

Higher AM efficiency and reduced costs

Stratasys, a specialist in polymer 3D printing solutions, is launching two new software
packages, GrabCAD Streamline Pro and a new version of GrabCAD Print Pro for PolyJet.
The first version of GrabCAD Print Pro for FDM and SAF has increased hardware usage
among some customers by 30-50%. Customers can better organise the front and back end
of moving and processing parts, giving them more opportunity to scale up their additive
manufacturing (AM) capabilities. They can also accelerate time-to-market by facilitating
rapid design iterations and reducing dependency on physical prototyping; reduce costs by
eliminating expensive tooling and moulds needed for traditional manufacturing; and
remove geometric complexities that are not feasible with conventional methods.

These new software packages help customers across multiple industries, including
automotive, aerospace and healthcare, take advantage of the complete Stratasys offering of
solutions across hardware, software, and materials.


The new GrabCAD Streamline Pro is a comprehensive workgroup software suite, powered
by GrabCAD Print. Designed to connect people, parts and printers, GrabCAD Streamline Pro
reduces the effort in managing a company’s entire fleet of Stratasys 3D printers from one
platform. It creates the opportunity for secure, centralized software workflows for efficient
part production at any scale, regardless of the number of printers or types of parts printed.
Building off the successful launch of GrabCAD Print Pro for FDM and SAF, Stratasys is
bringing the GrabCAD Print Pro package to its PolyJet technology. With GrabCAD Print Pro,
manufacturers have advanced capabilities to allow for more large-scale AM. GrabCAD Print
Pro also has advanced features that support workflow automation, which leads to more
sustainable repeatability, more consistent part accuracy and reduced prep time.
For more information www.stratasys.com

Vericut takes pole position at F1 team

Long before a racing season concludes, the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 team is
already thinking about improvements to the following year’s car. This complex process sees
the majority of car components redesigned. In production, the team relies heavily on
Vericut verification, simulation and optimisation software from CGTech, a core production
engineering resource at Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 team for over two decades.


Robert Brown, machine shop manager at Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 team, says:
“It’s changed the nature of how we work. Now, as soon as a decision is taken to carry over a
component type, we can use some of our spare ‘summer capacity’ to manufacture the carry
over, meaning we can focus on redesigned performance parts when they start arriving in
time for the following season.”


Production engineer James Peddle explains some of the major benefits: “To ascertain the
time required for the machining element of making a component, we simply use the output
time calculated by Vericut. The machine kinematics in Vericut’s virtual environment are such
that we’re confident the time reported will match the real run time.”

Today, producing complex redesigned components economically and safely is seemingly
unthinkable without the help of Vericut.
“Primarily it would be unsafe and massively labour intensive,” states Brown. “I think the
days are gone when you can just read the X, Y, Z co-ordinates of the G and M codes on the
screen – not with the complexity of parts today. At peak times, one operator will be
responsible for multiple machines, running brand new CNC code. Ensuring the machines run
safely without using Vericut? Forget it.”
For more information www.cgtech.co.uk

Creo 11 delivers better designs in less time

PTC has released the 11th version of its Creo CAD software and the latest version of its Creo+ SaaS CAD solution. The launch enables engineers to deliver their best designs in less time and enjoy a wide range of enhancements for electrification, composites, model-based definition (MBD), simulation-driven design and manufacturing.

“Creo 11 and Creo+ deliver enhancements that design engineers will use every day,” says Brian Thompson, general manager of Creo at PTC. “Improvements to our AI-powered generative design and integrated Ansys-based simulation gives customers the opportunity to employ simulation-driven design earlier in the development process to improve time to market, initial product quality and manufacturing cost. PTC has continued to invest in Creo’s capabilities for MBD, composite designs and advanced manufacturing.”

For instance, optimised additive and subtractive manufacturing tools ensure greater efficiency and versatility in the manufacturing process. Improvements include enhanced lattice structure creation and smoother operations, such as four-axis rotary milling and area turning.

More powerful MBD tools enable teams to organise design data easily in simple tables that can be read by humans and machines with user-defined text, parameter callouts and semantic references.

As a further point of note, Creo 11 introduces new simulation-driven design capabilities for better design ideation, guidance and validation. Its generative design has been enhanced with minimum limits on feature size, bearing load support and constraints for planar symmetry.

In addition to the release of Creo 11, PTC is releasing the latest version of Creo+, which allows users to leverage the power and proven functionality of Creo in a SaaS solution with cloud-enabled collaboration and entitlement tools.

For further information www.ptc.com

Ticking to perfection at MACH 2024 show

SolidCAM UK says the company validated its admission of being one of the most powerful CAM systems in the world at its stand at the recent MACH 2024 exhibition in Birmingham.

Customer Sinclair Harding (UK) kindly displayed one of its refined clocks on SolidCAM UK’s stand throughout the week-long event. At MACH, attendees could see for themselves the result of hard work through studying and preserving original production techniques, blended with the introduction of new modern technology.

“If I’m going to call myself a clockmaker, I decided we’re going to make pretty much all of the parts in-house for each clock,” says Bob Bray, the company’s managing director. “A combination of traditional clockmaking and modern technology allows us to produce a clock with soul and character.”

This maker of fine clocks, based in Emley, West Yorkshire, machines a remarkable 99% of its parts in-house, which the company states would not be possible without its CAM software, training and support. Despite continuing to use the firm’s previous CAM software alongside, owing to the newer SolidCAM simultaneous five-axis capabilities, Sinclair Harding is now producing parts that it could only dream of before.

“Before SolidCAM we didn’t have the control over tool paths and operations like we do now,” says Bray. “SolidCAM allows us to control factors like step overs, lead in and lead out, where we can get the best quality surface finish on something where traditionally we probably wouldn’t be able to achieve a good finish.”

Utilising SolidCAM means that when Sinclair Harding does all of its hand finishing, the company saves a lot of time.

For further information www.solidcam.com