Fastool project makes good progress on all fronts

Several new members have joined the three year EU-funded GTMA-led Fastool project that aims to create practical solutions to toolroom automation and reduce throughput times by at least 50%.

The news from the latest GTMA-led Fastool project meeting shows good progress being made on all fronts.

This three year EU-funded project aims to create practical solutions to toolroom automation, enabling European SME toolmakers to reduce throughput times by a minimum of 50% and so compete more effectively against their overseas competitors.

Several new members were welcomed, including Miracle Engineering and CG Tech from the UK.

John Reed, MD CG Tech, believes that his company's expertise will provide significant input to the project, which is why he was keen to participate, "CNC simulation and optimisation both have a vital role to play in shortening the lead time for mould and die manufacture.

Virtual machining allows users to test alternative machining strategies without using valuable machine time, while optimising machining feed rates decreases machining cycle times and improve tool life and surface finish." One of the SME toolmakers at the meeting expressed the probable view of many others when he said that if the automation resulting from Fastool extended working hours by as little as 10 hours/week for each of his machines the whole project would have been worthwhile.

Information was given by each of the principal participating organisations regarding progress on the major work-packages.

Work on NC toolpath software, led by Dutch research establishment, TNO, is advancing well, including the conceptual design of automated Knowledge Based CAD for electrodes and the development of decision-making strategies to choose between milling and EDM operations.

Work on a catalogue of characteristic geometries of cavities appropriate to moulds for HSM and EDM automation is being led by Fraunhofer-IPT, based on technical issues such as the cutting characteristics of different metals influence the selection of machining strategy.

A geometrical analysis of tool steel cavities was also presented to the meeting, including feature-types and the different geometrical characteristics of roughing, pre-finishing and finishing.

Process automation software development is being led by CRDM which has employed two additional specialists onto the project.

The overall concept of the automation facility at CRDM was described, together with an initial specification for its control software.

Existing routing software is being investigated and the System 3R Workshop Manager system has been installed at CRDM for evaluation.

Hardware development, led by Spanish academic institution, Fatronik, employs System 3R palettes, which are moved around the workshop by an overhead gantry monorail.

The monorail at the CRDM demonstration facility will link a High-Speed Milling machine a Vertical Machining Centre and an EDM die sinking machine.

A robotic manipulator being designed by Fatronik will service the EDM machine.

The GTMA has invited representatives of TNO and Fatronik to give presentations on their Fastool activities to GTMA members and other UK toolmakers at a conference it is organised in early 2004.

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