Product category:
CAD/CAM systems (not machine tools)
News Release from: Alphacam | Subject: AlphaCAM 5-axis software solution
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 21 November 2002
CADCAM ups productivity and financial
benefits
Acquiring advanced CADCAM system has saved GBP 100,000/year in subcontract work in machining composite radomes and structures used on aircraft and missiles.
In the design, development and production of composite radome's and structures used on aircraft and missiles, Chelton Radomes Witney (CRWL) has introduced Licom's AlphaCAM 5-axis software solution, eliminating 'scrap' and saving sub-contractor costs in excess of GBP 100,000 a year Until comparatively recently, CRWL concentrated largely on only the design, prototyping and testing of radomes, sub-contracting all of it's machining
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 30 Oct 2000 at 8.00am (UK)
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However, the results were not always satisfactory and this prompted the company to change its approach to manufacturing with the introduction of an especially large American contract.
Purchasing a sophisticated 5-axis CMS CNC machining centre, CRWL set it to work, and soon found that it handled the new contract with ease.
The new 5-axis option also offered plenty of spare capacity, but it was felt that further benefits would result from more sophisticated front end CAD/CAM software.
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Apart from increased production speed, improved manufacturing design time and absolute accuracy, Clive Brooks, Manufacturing Manager at CRWL, demanded that any new software should provide significant ease of application for the user, especially when importing CAD data.
With these priorities in mind, Licom Systems was approached and the first use of Licom's AlphaCAM 5-axis software was to test its suitability on the most complex CAD file then available.
"It turned out to be a piece of cake," stated Clive Brooks.
"It was clear that this software would do everything we wanted it to do.
Not only did we discover, by comparing other systems, that the AlphaCAM software was very competitively priced and did not demand an inflated software maintenance fee, but it was also very simple and logical to use - exactly what you want from production software.
Now we are fully into manufacturing and it has been comparatively hassle-free.
In fact, Licom's AlphaCAM offers point-and-click simplicity.
Open any module and all the commands available are shown, ready for use, on the screen".
CRWL now sub-contracts out only low value items, usually metal or aluminium which cannot conveniently be handled at the CRWL, Oxon plant - concerned solely with composites - in view of the risk of cross contamination of machining operations.
The composite materials include reinforcements such as quartz glass, aramid, carbon and polyethylene used with both thermoset and thermoplastic matrices.
The resultant radome's are highly effective components used in aircraft such as the Eurofighter, Tornado, and Harrier, as well as the Apache helicopter, and the Sea Skua and Alarm missiles.
Such technically demanding work has helped to put CRWL at the forefront of machined composite material technology.
It is expressed in the company's ability to tailor such composites to provide an optimum solution and is demonstrated by the kind of service it now offers, including electromagnetic analysis, structural design, materials selection, rain erosion performance, prototyping and its specialist manufacturing techniques.
In other words, a one-stop, high technology shop.
AlphaCAM is playing an increasingly major role.
The application of Licom's software is soon to be extended to a CNC system for cutting pre-preg materials.
AlphaCAM's automatic nesting facility, for instance, will ensure that optimum use is made of materials by maximising cut yield for each and every sheet, again keeping waste to a minimum and significantly speeding throughput.
Clive Brooks reckons that, apart from other attributes, the AlphaCAM 5-axis software has provided savings, compared to the 'scrap level' data provided by previous sub-contractors, in excess of GBP 100,000 a year.
"The introduction of AlphaCAM, together with Licom's user training and technical service have been 'seamless'.
One of the hardest things in ind ustry is to spend money hassle-free.
With AlphaCAM it looks like we've achieved it".
concluded, Clive Brooks. Request a free brochure from Alphacam ...
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