FEATURE ON CNC & CAM

HyperMILL revs-up productivity at Alcon Precision

As part of the Alcon Group, Alcon Precision Engineering has been at the cutting edge of performance automotive manufacturing since its inception. To manufacture complex components for the automotive and motorsport sectors, the company relies on HyperMILL CAM software from Open Mind Technologies.

Previously known as GE Precision before its acquisition by the Alcon Group, Alcon Precision Engineering has been using HyperMILL since 2008. When the Tamworth-based Alcon Group, a manufacturer of brakes and clutches, recognised the quality and surface finishes of the components manufactured at Alcon Precision Engineering, it also adopted HyperMILL CAM software to improve the quality of its components. For Alcon Precision Engineering, a company that has always had its niche in the high-end manufacture of motorsport engines, gearboxes and critical components, a high-end CAM system has always been of critical importance.

Alcon Precision Engineering’s managing director Garry Edwards says: “I’ve used all the leading CAM systems down the years and they all have their individual quirky features that make them a feasible choice, but HyperMILL has all the same features of all its rivals and lots more besides.”

He continues: “A major benefit that stands out is the tool paths within the surface machining modules. Parts like engine covers need to be aesthetically perfect and with HyperMILL, if the middle component has a distinct contour shape, we can select the contour as a guide for the tool path to replicate. This will ensure the entire tool path follows the contours of the part to blend perfectly the surface. Comparing this and other features, HyperMILL is a world apart from other CAM systems.”

Referring to other key features within HyperMILL, Edwards adds: “Another advantage is the feature recognition option, which creates less reliance on our team having to create geometries, surfaces and guide curves. The system is very efficient in terms of production engineering and programming times. Previously, we invested in a different CAM system that was very clunky, took a long time to process tool paths and offered no feature recognition, so we decided to change. Once I had a demonstration of the capabilities of HyperMILL, I was sold.”
For further information www.openmind-tech.com

PSL Datatrack gets subcontractor off the ground

One of the first, vital tasks for Bradda Engineering was to invest in a production control software system. PSL Datatrack was identified as meeting all of the start-up company’s initial requirements.

“The control that PSL Datatrack would bring to the business was clear,” states Bradda Engineering’s owner Kenneth Oates. “We are primarily engineers and PSL Datatrack takes care of everything so we don’t have to get bogged down in manual administration work.”

Experience told Oates that investment in production control software was essential in order to provide the highest levels of customer service.

“Understanding how to make the most of stock and materials so that we could be as efficient as possible with minimum waste was a prerequisite,” he says.

PSL Datatrack manages the generation of quotations and all the engineering steps required until delivery and final invoice. Upon raising a works order, the system generates a material requirement and the purchase orders module is used to place an order with the supplier. Users can trace the job through the shop floor, with data collected on operational costs, tooling, materials and machining processes.

Oates initially researched a number of production control systems, but few seemed to fit the exact needs of a small engineering company.

“They did not seem flexible enough and were quite complicated to use,” he says. “We also wanted the modularity that would enable us to build up a system as we grew and attracted more customers.”

Having recognised the real potential of PSL Datatrack and how it could help a growing company, the company invested in more modules than originally envisaged. The administration, sales, purchasing, scheduling, shop-floor data collection and financial modules were installed from the outset.
For further information www.psldatatrack.com

ModuleWorks 2022.12 digital manufacturing software

ModuleWorks’ 2022.12 release of its digital manufacturing software components sees the introduction of new and enhanced features across the company’s entire CAD/CAM/CNC portfolio, including a new deburring preview, new cycles for rotary and turn milling, multi-regions for fused deposition modeling, and simulation and post processing for U-Axis turning operations.

For example, for multi-axis subtractive machining, there is a new option to preview the automatically detected deburr edges before calculating the toolpath. Users can also include/exclude drive curves in/from the tool-path calculation to accelerate programming.

Users of ModuleWorks will also find that the rotary machining component now offers a floor finishing cycle to complete the ModuleWorks basic finishing portfolio of wall and floor finishing. In addition, users can use the cusp height to adjust the step-over on rotary and turn-milling operations. It works for all supported tools and incorporates the axis offset to eliminate complex manual calculations.

In the latest version, the ModuleWorks Machine Simulation supports U-axis turning where the part is static and the turning tool is mounted on the spindle and rotates around the workpiece. The Machine Simulation also now includes flexible machine components such as cables or elastic bellows that are used as machine covers. These components are attached to a fixed point and connect to a movable component.

For the cutting simulation, enhanced triangulation algorithms accelerate the generation of the simulation model. This capability also speeds up mesh export, which significantly enhances the performance of stock management where the stock is exported after each operation.
For further information www.moduleworks.com

CADCAM suite adds new tool-making function

In the mould and die industry, Open Mind says that its hyperMILL CADCAM suite is regarded as a completeend-to-end solution as it can cover aspects such as electrode manufacturing and wire EDM. Now, it is the introduction of the five-axis radial machining function that takes centre stage.

The new function is suitable for the process-optimised production of round moulds, where surfaces cannot undergo hand finishing or polishing operations. For components such as blow moulds that are applied in vehicle bumper production or consumer goods bottles, high-quality machined surfaces are critical as secondary hand finishing can introduce optical facets and surface inconsistencies that may appear in downstream processing.

According to Open Mind, improvements to the current version of hyperMILL – combined with five-axis radial machining – are setting standards in blow-mould machining. Thanks to a new radial projection method, it is possible to calculate toolpaths extremely quickly, and the user can apply various machining strategies to respond flexibly to the component conditions.

The new ‘Flow Equidistant’ infeed strategy is the first of its kind that supports the generation of toolpaths with a constant infeed for vertical and challenging surfaces. This capability means that surfaces can integrate into the overall machining sequence, with processing taking place in a single step. Seamless machining with a very high surface quality is guaranteed, reports the company. Every machining sequence needs to produce sharp corners at the junction of the upper and lower halves of the mould to avoid problems during the moulding process. An automatic tangent extension feature eliminates the manual CAD steps needed to extend the numerous surface elements found in complex designs.
For further information www.openmind-tech.com

Making real-time factory analytics a reality

Datanomix, which says it is the maker of the industry’s only automated production intelligence software platform, is partnering with Vallen to offer the Datanomix software solution to its manufacturing customers. Datanomix is known for its ‘no operator input’ approach to production monitoring. The partnership enables Vallen to offer the Datanomix solution to industrial customers seeking improvements as part of Industry 4.0 and industrial automation initiatives.

Says John Joseph, CEO of Datanomix. “It’s clear that selling new technology to manufacturing customers requires a deep and successful history of selling value-added solutions. Vallen is a respected brand in the industrial market. They can now have conversations about adding a new layer of value by introducing our live production intelligence software to the portfolio of solutions.”

As part of the reseller program, Datanomix will train Vallen’s metalworking customer-facing team on selling, installing and supporting its customers, with comprehensive information on the Datanomix platform and its benefits for precision manufacturers.

“Several machine monitoring companies are selling basic utilisation services to manufacturers today,” says Chuck Delph, CEO of Vallen.“We carefully evaluated the contenders and selected Datanomix for its true real-time job insights and ability to translate job performance to business impact. This aligns with Vallen’s mission of creating value for our customers.

He adds: “The information presented by Datanomix accelerates time to information, shortens corrective action cycles and directly impacts decision-making at exactly the right time. As Vallen focuses on innovation and our leadership position in metalworking solutions, we are truly excited to be offering Datanomix to our customers.”
For further information www.datanomix.io