Product category:
Software, off-line programming, CAM, for metal cutting machine tools
News Release from: DP Technology | Subject: ESPRIT 2008 CAM software
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 27 August 2007
CAM has improved 3D machining
performance
CAM system for CNC programming of CNC milling machines, lathes and wire EDM machines now features open pocket milling and expanded CAD to CAM feature exchange.
DP Technology has released its latest ESPRIT 2008 CAM software, which includes new productivity enhancing technology for CNC programmers of milling machines, lathes and wire EDM machines Advancements available within this latest release include the following
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 12 Aug 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
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* Turning stock automation for lathes.
* EDM machine specific machining technology.
* Improved 3D machining performance.
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* Open pocket milling.
* Expanded CAD to CAM feature exchange (FX).
* Enhanced KnowledgeBase machining (KBM) functionality.
* B-axis turning for 5-axis mill-turn centres.
ESPRIT 2008 is designed to run on the Microsoft Windows XP and Microsoft Vista operating systems.
** Increased Performance for CNC milling - the open pocket feature and open pocket machining cycles in ESPRIT 2008 offer greater machining flexibility and improved cycle times when machining pockets with a combination of open edges and closed walls.
These new machining cycles will allow the tool to hang partially over the open edge to improve the edge finish and provide a more constant cutter load throughout the cutting cycle.
Numerous other additions and enhancements were made to ESPRIT in support of improving the productivity of the milling programmer and milling machine tool.
They include the following.
* Faster calculation times for building 3D toolpath.
* Adaptive facing machining cycles offering dramatically improved cycle times.
* An operation manager that simplifies the CNC programmers' job of organising machining processes and cutting tools.
* Feature groups that allow the programmer to more easily manage the machining conditions for a collection of similar part features.
** Improved productivity for turning - the new 2008 stock automation technology allows ESPRIT to maintain awareness of the state of lathe stock at all times during the machining process.
After each turning operation is created, ESPRIT will update the stock to reflect the actual remaining material based on the machining cycles and cutting tools used.
This stock automation capability allows ESPRIT to automatically manage lead-in and lead-out distances and moves, and eliminates the possibility of gouging material or crashing tools.
The result is improved quality of the part program and significantly reduced programming time and effort.
Increased performance and productivity for the lathe programmer are available with the new features in ESPRIT 2008, include the following.
* Threading cycles with a database of standard thread dimensions.
* Cutting-off cycle with greater tool control.
* Flexibility for a larger variety of cutting tools.
* Improved material removal and machine simulation for more realistic computer based dry-runs.
* The ability to handle an even larger variety of machine configurations (spindles and turrets) in support of today's advanced multi-tasking and mill-turn machine tools.
** New B-axis turning cutting cycle - the new B-Axis contouring cycle in ESPRIT 2008 is designed specifically to achieve higher performance levels from multitasking machines by fully utilising the rotational capabilities of the B-axis.
While traditional lathe contouring cycles rotate the B-axis once at the start of the cut, the innovative B-Axis contouring cycle allows for dynamic, continuous rotation of the B-axis throughout the cut as the tool follows inner and outer contours without stopping for tool changes.
This allows a single tool to reach areas that would otherwise be inaccessible due to the tool's geometry.
Utilizing the new B-axis finishing cycle reduces the number of cutting tools required, and the number of tool changes, resulting in a smooth and stepless surface and, ultimately, a significant savings in both time and money.
** Expanded control for wire EDM - ESPRIT 2008 has been updated to support the latest machines and cutting technology for Charmilles, Fanuc, Mitsubishi, ONA and Sodick wire EDMs.
This includes new 'technology pages' (dialogue boxes) for 2-axis and 4-axis cutting for each manufacturer.
Each machine-specific technology page includes the machine-specific terminology and technology settings for the given EDM machine manufacturer, and a direct interface into the machine's technology database.
Among new key functionalities in 2008 is a new rotate entry point strategy for EDM operations, which gives the user the option to alternate the start point on profiles that have multiple cutting passes.
This option is designed to be used when cutting a die on which the programmer wants to avoid having the wire start at the same position on each cut, thus diminishing the 'witness' entrance line.
** KnowledgeBase machining in ESPRIT 2008 - ESPRIT FX, feature exchange, has been enhanced in 2008 to improve the direct exchange of the part geometry and the CAD feature tree.
Using the CAD feature tree inside the ESPRIT CAM system makes the programming process faster and more accurate because the CNC programmer has a more accurate description of the work piece to be machined.
For 2008 the ESPRIT KnowledgeBase manager has been simplified to provide greater ease of use.
The KnowledgeBase user interfaces have been centralised in one location to make it easier to manage all of the data in the database.
The single, consistent user interface allows users to access all the data from one central location, such as the processes, materials and cutting tools, and context-sensitive commands are available with a right-click of the mouse.
With this new version of ESPRIT, DP Technology celebrates the 10th anniversary of the current generation of the ESPRIT CAM system, which was originally introduced to the market in 1986.
This continuous evolution of ESPRIT has offered users significant advancements every year since its introduction.
** About ESPRIT - ESPRIT is a high-performance computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) system for a full range of machine tool applications.
ESPRIT delivers powerful full-spectrum programming for 2 - to 5-axis milling, 2 to 22-axis turning, 2 - to 5-axis wire EDM, multitasking mill-turn machining and B-axis machine tools, and high-speed 3- and 5-axis machining.
ESPRIT's high-performance capabilities include machining any part geometry (solid, surface, or wireframe), universal post processing to format G-code for virtually any machine tool, and solid simulation and verification with dry runs rendered in dynamic solids for optimal part quality and consistency.
ESPRIT is 100% 'pure' Windows, and provides a comfortable and familiar user interface for maximum productivity.
** About DP Technology - DP Technology is a computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software market leader with a mission to provide CNC programmers with the most powerful CAM software ever.
DP Technology's flagship product, ESPRIT, captures the company's vision of technology's potential and its passion for excellence.
DP Technology maintains its worldwide headquarters in Camarillo, California, USA and product development teams in California and Florence, Italy.
Sales and support operations are located in Europe, Asia, and North and South America.
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