Machine tool manufacturer WaldrichSiegen is defined by two words: accuracy and performance. The company specialises in large machine tools and its customers are mainly manufacturers of heavy marine engines, crankshafts and turbine rotors, all of whom are increasingly demanding. That is why WaldrichSiegen has invested in future-oriented technologies such as Vericut simulation, G-code verification and optimisation software.

With the production simulation of NC data, WaldrichSiegen recreates the real machining situation with a “virtual processing machine on the desk”.
The company not only uses Vericut simulation software to streamline its own manufacturing processes, but that of its customers too. Indeed, the company wants to use digital transformation and its integral elements, such as the digital twin in Vericut, to develop new fields of activity and provide customers with real added value.

Timo Hees, application technician at WaldrichSiegen, says: “When a customer orders a machine we often carry out studies upstream so that we can determine and evaluate subsequent machining times at an early stage. It’s well thought out and well done: we simulate the customer’s machining in Vericut to demonstrate the cutting and process times for the parts, even before the actual machine is installed at the customer’s premises. This makes it possible to make valid business decisions at all levels. Vericut is an integral part of the project. The machine is then made available to the customer with the kinematics developed in collaboration and tested by WaldrichSiegen. This is the only way to guarantee that all functions can be performed appropriately, so that the customer can already perform their own simulation and check internally in Vericut if everything is in line with what they had planned.”

For further information
www.cgtech.co.uk

PTC has launched the ninth version of its Creo CAD software with the promise of helping engineers deliver their best product designs in less time. Creo 9 includes core enhancements and advanced features that encourage innovation with emerging features, such as generative design, real-time simulation and additive manufacturing.

Brian Thompson, divisional vice president and general manager of Creo at PTC, says: “We made core improvements like the divide surface capability and stronger design intent management to benefit our users, while also focusing on advanced technologies that transform product design – including simulation, generative design and additive manufacturing. Finally, to better support our users, we’ve strengthened Creo’s ergonomics capabilities.”

Investments across the core modelling environment focus on usability and productivity, including updates to the model tree to make it faster to structure, document and understand design intent. In addition, advanced multi-physics from Ansys have been integrated into the Creo simulation portfolio, while new generative design technology adds important new capabilities that empower engineers to define optimisation studies with designed-in safety factors and natural frequency limits.

There is continued investment in model-based product design, especially in surface finishing and welds, so users can include specialised downstream manufacturing information right on the model, for better efficiency and communication.

Creo 9 also includes expanded ergonomic tools that help designers recognise the uniqueness of users, while helping ensure products comply with health, safety and workplace standards. Using the new vision field analysis capability, engineers can analyse users’ line of sight and field of view when driving or using equipment.

Last but not least, Creo 9 delivers improved control over stochastic and formula-based lattices and user-defined support structures for advanced additive manufacturing use cases.

For further information
www.ptc.com/en/products/creo

Heidenhain says that its new TNC7 CNC supports users from initial design to final machining, from one-off jobs to serial production, and from simple slotting to complex contours. Notably, the control platform lets machine manufacturers adapt the user interface to their machines and offers dynamic development potential for even greater functionality.

The TNC7 will be the basis of future control generations from Heidenhain. Beyond its new look and feel, the control features high-quality hardware components and an individually adaptable user interface. The interface helps users to achieve the best possible result with maximum speed and convenience. Different machining tasks call for individual work environments, which is why users can adapt their screen content through personal favourites, their own home menu for a faster start, and more. As a result, all information and functions are exactly where they need to be.

Based on data entry forms and dialogue guidance, the user interface ensures optimal convenience and navigation aided by a smooth and precise touchscreen. And thanks to its fast operating speed, the control reacts immediately to data input.

The TNC7 enhances familiar Klartext programming with smart functions and newly developed graphical programming. Users are able to draw contours directly on the touchscreen and convert them into dialogue-guided TNC Klartext programming code. Cycles and older contour programs can still be used, including already existing NC programs.

A new, high-performance editor function enables fast and reliable editing of even complex NC programs. Perfect visualisation of the machined part and work envelope make daily work easier, and programs can be simulated at any point without a change in operating mode.

Furthermore, the TNC7 includes the next generation of Dynamic Collision Monitoring (DCM), so users can enjoy complete machine protection thanks to the monitoring of machine elements, tools and clamping devices.

For further information
www.heidenhain.co.uk

Jetcam has released version 3.82 of its Jetcam Orders Controller (JOC) nesting automation software, which includes a raft of new features. Available in two versions – Premium and Premium Automation (PA) – JOC works in conjunction with Jetcam Expert nesting software to streamline and automate the CAD import and nesting process.

When ordering components, customers can now specify a desired sheet size and material stock item on a per-component basis, which will override default settings. This capability gives customers greater control when feeding orders from MRP.

CAD import sees several enhancements. Users can automatically set CAD files queued for import to be the active revision, where a revision is specified. Additional columns are now available to CSV import – order deliver, order priority, allow mirroring and allow common cutting – again shifting control to external systems to affect the nest with minimal user input.

Searching for components on the orders screen is now easier. Where users are using multiple order tabs, perhaps for different machines or shift patterns, they can now enter a component name and immediately see which order tabs include the component.

Component identification within the advanced reports designer has been completely rewritten to handle many more scenarios, such as extremely small components where text could not be easily placed on-screen. Customers also have the capability to modify order IDs on previously created nests – useful when reusing a static nest against a new order and then exporting information back to MRP/ERP.

The batch nest reports generator has also been replaced, vastly improving rendering time for multi-nest, complex reports, resulting in higher resolution nest drawings. A new option allows for components to be coloured on the nest and in tabular data, making part identification much simpler.

For further information
www.jetcam.net

Birmingham-based Cutting Blue was founded five years ago by Piotr Parobczy as a consultancy imbued in the programming of complex high-value components for the Formula One and wider motorsport industries. However, in the past 18 months, the small subcontract company has commenced manufacturing, purchasing Doosan and DMG Mori machine tools supported by CAM software from Open Mind Technologies.

Cutting Blue has rapidly built a customer base in the electric vehicle (EV) and micro-mobility sectors, manufacturing drivetrain components, battery and electronic enclosures, and more, in batches from 100 to 500-off.

Alluding to why the company opted for hyperMILL from Open Mind, Parobczy cuts straight to the point: “I’ve used hyperMILL as well as other CAM systems for more than 10 years and it stands way above any other CAM software. As a business, we are currently only running three-axis machining centres, but hyperMILL is perfect for this type of machining. Open Mind may be known for its five-axis strategies, but as a completely modular system, we can ‘bolt-on’ additional features as and when we need them. This makes hyperMILL not only an extremely cost-effective solution but also the most premium package available for your money. As hyperMILL is not a subscription model, it’s far cheaper than other premium software.”

While hyperMILL is only required for three-axis machining on the shop floor at Cutting Blue, the consultancy division of the company undertakes the programming of complex components for a host of sectors, and it is here where the benefits of hyperMILL are evident.

“We’ve found hyperMILL faster, more productive and easier to use than other packages,” says Parobczy. “When going through the NC Code, hyperMILL is at least 20% faster than rival CAM systems.”

For further information
www.openmind-tech.com