FEATURE ON CNC & CAM

HyperMILL sparks productivity gains

With a growing machine shop boasting over 40 machine tools, subcontractor Future Advanced Manufacture (FutureAM) soon found its existing CADCAM system lacking capability in several areas. The Cheltenham-based business subsequently turned to Open Mind Technologies and its hyperMILL CADCAM system.

The shop floor at FutureAM has a diverse mix of machine tools that include three- and five-axis machining centres, and multi-axis turning technology from brands such as Doosan, Mazak, DMG Mori, XYZ, Colchester, Hardinge, Correa and many more.

Oliver Allen, head of R&D at FutureAM, says: “With our previous CADCAM supplier, five-axis machining was more a bolt on to their CAD system whereas with hyperMILL, the five-axis suite is incorporated in the system and Open Mind provide full support. Our previous supplier could not offer that.”

And there are many more benefits, as Justin Talboys-Cotton, a sales manager at Open Mind Technologies, reveals: “Previously, FutureAM had no graphical simulation and they were running programs to the best of their knowledge on the machines. By adopting hyperMILL Virtual Machining, the company now has a full digital twin of the machines running NC code simulation. It doesn’t stop there: FutureAM have also invested in the Optimizer module, which will automatically work out the best and most optimal solution to fit the required tool path within the machine envelope. With their previous supplier, the business was limited to just milling only. HyperMILL has now also given this customer turning capability – all in one supply.”

Adds Allen: “Now that everyone here is using hyperMILL, it’s very apparent that our productivity levels are increasing and efficiency is improving, with the company subsequently making more money.”

For more information www.openmind-tech.com

PTC becomes strategic supplier to VW Group

PTC has established a strategic supplier relationship with Volkswagen Group. The arrangement focuses on the adoption of PTC’s Codebeamer application lifecycle management (ALM) solution to support the software development for the next generation of electric vehicles (EVs) from the Volkswagen Group and its brands. Codebeamer will enable greater efficiencies in Volkswagen Group’s engineering practices for software requirements management, test management and release management as part of new EV development.

“Our close collaboration with Volkswagen Group will advance PTC’s efforts to make Codebeamer the leading ALM solution for the automotive industry,” says Jim Heppelmann, chairman and CEO, PTC. “We look forward to working with Volkswagen Group on the successful adoption of Codebeamer to enable more efficient EV engineering practices.”

An ALM solution like Codebeamer is an important tool for enabling the efficient development of software and to help ensure the planning, testing and releasing of software components. PTC will work collaboratively with Volkswagen Group on the transition to Codebeamer from pre-existing ALM tools and on the definition and implementation of software best practices for the automotive industry. Volkswagen Group’s use of Codebeamer will inform future Codebeamer roadmap priorities and requirements to enable PTC to gain ALM market share in the automotive industry.

“Software and electrification represent the future of the automotive industry, and Volkswagen Group is harnessing the two together to meet the expectations of customers and provide a superior driving experience,” says Klaus Blüm, head of Volkswagen Group IT products andarchitecture. “Volkswagen Group views PTC as a strategic supplier for our group-wide product development strategy, and we look forward to our work together to make Codebeamer a successful tool for our software development and vehicle engineering teams.”
For further information www.ptc.com

FourJaw enhances job-tracking capabilities

FourJaw Manufacturing Analytics has launched FourJaw 2.2. The latest update includes major upgrades to work booking, FourJaw’s job tracking feature, as well as enhancements to features that will provide a more intuitive and unified real-time and over-time view of the factory floor.

New work booking tools enable managers to import, filter, track and export job data on the FourJaw platform. It is now faster and easier to load new jobs, update existing jobs and track job status, and use data from FourJaw to inform production planning, pricing/quoting and factory improvement projects. 

Enhanced work-booking also makes life easier for machine operators. It is now quicker and easier for operators to review work lists, access job notes, assess progress and provide feedback to managers. FourJaw 2.2 also makes it easier to switch allocated jobs between machines and operators, enabling greater flexibility and agility on the factory floor. 

In addition, FourJaw 2.2 provides a custom asset hierarchy that allows production managers to create a bespoke digital map of their factory and processes. Particularly valuable for larger manufacturers with extensive machine monitoring needs, this capability shows how different machining cells, production lines, assembly areas and business units interact, helping managers to identify the root cause of production issues and new opportunities to improve throughput.

Robin Hartley-Willows, CTO at FourJaw Manufacturing Analytics, says: “FourJaw 2.2 is a major step forward for our manufacturing software platform. The new updates, as a result of customer feedback, support more efficient, productive and responsive manufacturing environments. We are changing the game by offering new and improved insight to production managers and machine operators, streamlining data management, and enabling better collaboration across the factory.” 

For further information www.fourjaw.com

Empowering machine shop operational excellence

Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division has released HxGN Production Machining, a new suite of software that empowers machine shops to achieve operational excellence in the manufacturing of discrete parts, tools and components with machine tools at any scale, from one-off prototypes to volume production.

Capabilities of the suite include: CAD for manufacturing and design review; CAM for CNC machine tool programming; process simulation and G-code verification and optimisation; shop-floor production intelligence; and automation and collaboration powered by Nexus, Hexagon’s digital-reality platform. The suite includes significant automation and technologies that help manufacturers achieve efficient utilisation of material, cutting tools and CNC equipment, and capture and consistently apply a machine shop’s best practices.

The HxGN Production Machining suite will integrate common workflows to help teams reduce error and eliminate redundant tasks at every stage, from job quotation and design review through production, quality assurance and product delivery. By offering a suite of connected products from the Hexagon ecosystem, manufacturers benefit from simplified procurement, implementation and support.

“Our HxGN Production Machining suite helps shops of all sizes run their businesses more productively by providing a robust software tool set within a connected and intelligent digital workflow that helps teams get it first-time right,” says Chuck Mathews, general manager – production software at Hexagon.“Using the principles of model-based manufacturing and the automation benefits of AI, we’re helping our customers achieve greater operational excellence.

“Innovations within the suite include our new CAM system, Esprit Edge, which combines the DNA of Hexagon’s Edgecam and Esprit software with powerful digital twin and AI technology.”

Parth Joshi, chief product & technology officer at Hexagon, adds: “Through our suites we refocus innovation on what matters most to customers, be that in single product or leveraging data across workflows.”

For further information www.hexagonmi.com

Boost sales and cash flow with PSL Datatrack

In an ever-changing manufacturing industry, three prevalent pain points among subcontract precision engineers are a lack of time, management of sales, and maintenance of steady cash flow. The latest version of PSL Datatrack production control software focusses heavily on tackling these challenges.

Utilisation of PSL Datatrack means users no longer need to calculate costs manually or consult various Excel spreadsheets or Word documents. Instead, the software generates accurate quotations aided by automatic calculations, quote templates and/or historical data. With faster and more accurate quotations, subcontractors can respond to customer enquiries quickly, reducing the time spent on administration.

The latest version of PSL Datatrack enables users to manage and report on a sales pipeline to provide a forecast for quotations that they believe will be successful. It is also possible to display this information on status boards around a factory.

PSL Datatrack helps to automate the production planning process by optimising resource allocation, prioritising works orders and creating efficient production schedules. Implementation of the system’s sequential scheduler module eliminates the need for manual planning methods, reducing the time and effort taken to create and amend production plans.

A recent sequential scheduler enhancement allows the classification of machine setters as resources, making it possible to efficiently manage the order of work through the machine shop.

PSL Datatrack also provides real-time visibility into the status of customer orders. Subcontractors can track the progress of each works order from initial confirmation to production and delivery.This development ties in with the software’s newest module, ‘Contract Review’, which ensures that all required contract review elements have been checked and approved for a specific job or project.

For further information www.psldatatrack.com