SPRING Technologies has launched NCSIMUL CAM, a new product designed to deliver agile CNC programming to streamline the current CAM process and provide flexibility on the shop floor.
"Fully integrated in the new unified NCSIMUL SOLUTIONS V10 platform (including NCSIMUL MACHINE, NCSIMUL TOOL and NCSIMUL DNC), it embodies SPRING Technologies' response to today's issues in CNC machine programming: removing the typical organizational method of tool path generation (CAM), post-processing, G-code verification and simulation and streamlining the conventional CNC programming process," said a company spokesperson.
According to the company, the primary benefits will be significant cost savings and optimal use of CNC machines due to the flexible programming capability.
NCSIMUL CAM Product Overview
NCSIMUL CAM directly generates verified and optimized CNC programs while factoring in the physical resources available on the shop floor, including tools, cutting conditions, kinematics and machine controllers.
"With this new solution, CAM data (APT neutral file / CL-data) and existing CNC programs can be used to generate a valid new CNC program in just a few clicks for another machine using different kinematics and controller," said the spokesperson. "This will enable manufacturers to quickly adapt existing programs to new resources when retrofitting a machine, buying a new one or when a machining process is repurposed. With a conventional CAM process (CAM, post-processor, machining simulation), this task could take hours, even days. With NCSIMUL CAM, these times are slashed to minutes.
"Likewise, if the target machine initially planned for the CAM program is no longer available for maintenance reasons or is already being used to meet production, it will take just one click with NCSIMUL CAM to switch programming to another machine, whatever its complexity (3X to 5X, 5X to 4X, etc.), the type of kinematics (tilting head to table-on-table, for instance) or the type of controller (FANUC, Siemens, Heidenhain, etc.).
With the integration of NCSIMUL Tool database, NCSIMUL CAM provides a direct access to 3D tool data and cutting conditions and automatically reconfigures the tool magazine. According to the company, this allows manufacturers to rapidly switch scheduled production from one CNC machine to another, making production fully flexible and agile.
The company reported the following key features of NCSIMUL CAM:
- Hybrid programming
- SPRING Technologies calls its approach to programming "hybrid" because the software can generate a program from heterogeneous input data, either from text data in neutral CAD format (APT/CLdata), text files in G-code format (including FANUC, Siemens, Heidenhain and Num) or native 3D CAD format. The three sources can also be combined for flexibility.
- By reusing existing APT or G-code files, users can modify or enrich recycled programs or even optimize a machining process by a simple copy/paste.
- The toolpaths obtained by importing APT/CL-data or G-code files can be partially or completely replaced by toolpaths calculated in NCSIMUL CAM.
- Error-free programming in native NC code
- "Because the language used in CAM is not that of the NC machine, it is rare that users take advantage of changes that can be made to G-code programs on the machine itself (e.g., setting corrections)," said the spokesperson. "In fact, corrections have to be made as far as possible upstream if they are to be re-used in a conventional CAM process. With NCSIMUL CAM, a machining sequence is directly matched to CNC language instructions. If these are changed, the correction is reflected in the NCSIMUL CAM project."
- The machining life of the part and all the resources used are tracked in a single file, with the different machining phases and traceable corrections.
- No more external post-processor
- In NCSIMUL CAM, everything is calculated internally in native CNC format based on the machine and the NC controller logic: optimal linking paths, gradients, polar mode, spatial correction, etc. This delivers solutions to the problems inherent in developing and debugging programs for specific post-processors.
- NCSIMUL CAM cuts out the need for external post-processors, replacing them with an integrated NC processor that generates a program with minimum user customization (program header format, for example).
- One-click re-programming
- With NCSIMUL CAM operators can change the target machine in one click to generate a new G-code program automatically on the fly. The software itself takes care of factoring in the kinematics, the NC controller format and the machine origins.
- The cutting tools in the magazine are also re-configured to be compatible with the new machine and the cutting conditions qualified in the tool base.
- Links between machining sequences are also automatically and optimally recalculated to yield shortest distances and avoid collisions between the different elements in the positioning, tools and machine axes. This means that the new target machine can be brought into play without any tweaking or reprogramming in the original CAM software environment.
- Thus, if the machine for which the part was originally programmed is no longer available (e.g., as a result of failure or for maintenance reasons, is already in use, or because of a production peak), operators can tell NCSIMUL CAM which alternative machine to use so that it can instantly generate a new validated and optimized program. This gives operators complete flexibility in their use of production tools.
- Dynamic management of intermediary rough stocks
- CNC programmers can use a new function to view the ongoing state of the machined rough stock at any time with the NCSIMUL MACHINE material removal simulation software. This evaluates the zones that still have to be machined to produce the final part, even in 5-axis continuous machining.
- Intermediary rough stocks can be saved in the NCSIMUL CAM project and then viewed later, for example by a CNC operator. These rough stocks can also be exported in closed STEP format and then imported into the user's CAD software format.
For more information contact:
Silvre Proisy, General Manager
SPRING Technologies Inc.
One Broadway (14th Floor)
Cambridge, MA 02142
617-401-2197
sproisy@springplm.com
www.springplm.com