FEATURE ON CNC & CAM

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

Five years of Cloud ERP fromGlobal Shop Solutions

Global Shop Solutions, a provider of ERP software to manufacturers around the globe, is proud to celebrate the 5th year anniversary of its Cloud ERP product. An investment of high importance to customers, the adoption of Cloud ERP greatly surpassed the five-year forecast.

Designed to make technical support easier and reduce the total cost of ownership for manufacturers, Global Shop Solutions says that Cloud ERP simplifies the software through increased speed, improved accessibility, stronger security, automatic data and systems back-ups, and more.

According to George Thuo, director of cloud technology at Global Shop Solutions, Cloud ERP caught the attention of current and prospective customers from the start: “Several years ago, a growing number of prospective ERP buyers began asking if our ERP system was offered in the cloud. Based on demand, I assembled a team to develop the product. Five years later I’m proud to say we have more than doubled our forecasts for the number of Cloud ERP users and made ERP software better for hundreds of manufacturers.”

With Cloud-based ERP, companies can maintain ERP at a reasonable price because the ERP vendor performs these tasks for the customer. Another advantage is the ability for employees to access their company’s ERP system from anywhere, including at-home workstations or in real time at multiple facilities.

At time of launch, about 25% of new Global Shop Solutions customers opted for Cloud-based ERP. Currently, about 65% of new customers choose that route. Thuo expects these numbers will continue to climb, in large part due to the concerns of manufacturers regarding cybersecurity threats.
For further information www.globalshopsolutions.com

Advanced tube simulation software from Unison

New Opt2Sim Tube bending simulation software is now available from Unison Ltd, the inventor of all-electric tube manipulation.

“In developing Opt2Sim Tube, our goal was to offer a tube simulation product that would make it simpler and more straightforward than ever before to create virtual parts ready for uploading bending data to the machine,” says Unison’s joint managing director, Alan Pickering. “In Opt2Sim Tube, we give users the ability to drag and drop STEP files into the software program and extract tube data instantly. In addition, users can draw parts by simply entering XYZ or YBC co-ordinates, viewing them in 3D. Bend data is quickly converted into printable reports and users can also extractindividual tube data.”

Unison’s Opt2Sim Tube software sits within the company’s wider Opt2Sim suite of 3D simulation software programs. Developed for ‘design to manufacture’ production strategies, Opt2Sim tube-bending simulation software uses machine and component data to provide a precise, virtual insight into the tube-bending process before commencing production.

Products within the Opt2Sim software suite include a version where both CAD modelling capability and the control engine combine toprovide accurate simulation and enhanced collision detection. Believed to provide unique capabilities for enhanced batch processing, simulated bending takes place on an exact CAD representation of the Unison Breeze or Synergy machine.

Additional options include advanced AI that will always aim to find a solution to even the most complex tube geometry, or whenever detecting a potential collision between tube and machine. The AI feature is particularly useful with right/left machines and when assisting in the development of highly complex parts, such as those used in the oil and gas industry.
For further information www.unisonltd.com

Rapid growth underpinned by PSL Datatrack

Managers at subcontract specialist ADP Precision Engineering were on the lookout for a new production control system following accelerated growth of the business. The Newcastle-based company had been relying upon its Sage 50 accounting software to control production, supported by the manual input of manufacturing data into Excel spreadsheets and Word documents.

ADP recognised the need for software bespoke to the needs of the subcontract precision engineering industry and therefore selected PSL Datatrack, which would not only improve the administration of the company’s existing production processes, but also create a platform for the future.

Anthony Ingledew, ADP’s managing director, says: “We previously had to create a lot of manual documentation but, after the initial setup of PSL Datatrack, the result was a more centralised, efficient and streamlined system, which massively aids the flow of our the business.”

ADP acquired a number of PSL Datatrack modules covering sales, administration, purchasing, technical functions (including process layouts and work in progress), shop-floor data collection, finance and management. It is now possible to import invoicing data to Sage 50, which is now purely for accounting purposes.

One of the initial advantages for ADP was the time saved raising quotations, which became far more accurate and allowed quick adjustment for repeat business.

“We also found the training to be very clear and easy to implement, moving at a pace that suited us,” says Ingledew.“In addition, after-sales support has been excellent. There were a few things that we wanted to tweak, or add to certain reports, and these requests were dealt with in no time by PSL Datatrack.”
For further information www.psldatatrack.com