CAD/CAM provider adds mill-turn centre

To prove out its new programs on real jobs with real deadlines, Dlcam has added a WFL mill-turn machine with a 3m working capacity to its Tooling Services Division plant.

Delcam has added a WFL mill-turn machine with a 3m working capacity to the range of equipment in its Tooling Services Division.

The company said no other global CAD/CAM company operates an equivalent manufacturing operation to prove out its new programs on real jobs with real deadlines.

"The Tooling Services Division has always had a dual role within Delcam," explained division director, Brian Hawkshaw.

"While we provide a real-world testing environment for our CAM software during its development, we are also required to operate as a profitable business in our own right".

Hawkshaw continued: "Until recently, we have concentrated on 5-axis machining, both because that was the main focus for our PowerMILL development team and because 5-axis operation increased our ability to take on more complex jobs and complete them more efficiently." He added: "The move into mill-turn has had similar motives.

Firstly, Delcam has expanded its product range with the acquisition of FeatureCAM and PartMaker, both of which offer mill-turn functionality, so we needed equipment with the ability to test new developments in these programs.

Secondly, we have received more enquiries for large-scale projects that would only be possible to undertake efficiently with a mill-turn machine.

We were taking orders for work even before we acquired the machine and its capacity is already booked for most of this year".

Hawkshaw said that the Tooling Services Division also duplicated the diversification into other industries that has been seen in Delcam's software business in recent years.

The aerospace sector now provides the Tooling Services' biggest source of work, rather than the toolmaking industry.

He added: "The new WFL machine will offer us even more aerospace opportunities".

Hawkshaw said: "As well as helping our development teams, the experience we gain is passed on to our support staff.

They can use this knowledge to give our software users advice on all areas of their work, including aspects like the best choice of machining strategy and cutter selection, as well as the operation of the software".

Being able to test such developments on-site obviously gives Delcam a major advantage in proving out its software.

"Many CAM programs generate data that is mathematically correct but that is often impossible to machine in practice," explained Hawkshaw.

"The toolroom has played its part in establishing PowerMILL's leading position for high-speed machining and shop-floor programming.

With the addition of the mill-turn equipment, we can also help Delcam reinforce its strength in multi-function machining".

Hawkshaw concluded: "When potential software customers first hear about Delcam, they often ask why we operate the toolroom.

Once they have seen our facilities and we have explained the benefits, both in the reliability of the software and in the quality of our support, they find it difficult to understand how other CAM developers expect to develop and sell software without a similar resource.".

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