Product category:
CAM, CNC and NC software
News Release from: Alphacam | Subject: AlphaCAM software
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 25 October 2004
Alphacam copes with mad panics at asylum
South London-based Asylum Models and Effects make use of 5-axis CNC machining equipment supported by Licom's AlphaCAM software
South London-based Asylum Models and Effects may not be a household name, yet the organisation's capabilities will be familiar to almost everyone Why? Because the 30-strong company is one of the world's leading designers and producers of models and special effects used in films and TV advertising
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 30 Oct 2000 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
CAM software drastically cuts programming times
Licom's experience with high-tech engineering products and its success in the CAD/CAM field will be demonstrated at EuroMold 2000
Sunseeker powers up production with AlphaCAM
Installing Licom AlphaCAM to link its CAD with a CNC wood panel routing and profiling system has resulted in massive factory lead time savings on yacht panel work for Sunseeker International.
Examples of their award-winning work include giant body parts for the Millennium Dome, as well as the pinball machine, lighthouse, animatronic dinosaur and 1/3 scale Formula 1 Ferrari seen in recent advertisements for Ford, Hyundai and Shell.
And while the company can be asked to recreate just about anything from chameleons to spacemen, the one constant is that the finished job will invariably be required on an extremely tight lead time.
To respond to this, Asylum has invested in state of the art 3-axis and, more recently 5-axis CNC machining equipment supported by Licom's AlphaCAM software.
Further reading
Turret punch gets productive with new software
Tanmill Fabrications, having purchased a new CNC turret punch and press brake to satisfy an increase in business, looked to Licom's Advanced Punch as the appropriate CAD/CAM solution
3D off-line programming speeds complex machining
Complex and accurate CNC machining of a variety of features requires a fast off-line programming system, which is why Strachan and Henshaw chose LICOM's AlphaCAM.
LICOM makes one-off machining much easier
LICOM off-line programming systems have made life easier at the Powergen workshops near Birmingham.
According to Asylum's Jason Szukalski, the Licom system "is worth five model makers," not only through its modelling capabilities, but also its accuracy and productivity, when compared to more traditional methods.
"Take the 'perspex' model of a Walther handgun we produced for the James Bond film, 'Die Another Day'.
In effect, it was a hybrid between a Walther PPK and P99, which I designed directly in AlphaCAM as an assembly of prismatic and sculpted parts," he explains.
"Once the concept had been proven, it was a simple task to undertake a dimensional check on the components before seamlessly creating the CNC machining programs.
"Likewise, AlphaCAM's ability to accept Ford's CAD data as an IGES file really streamlined the creation of 5-axis machining programs for the mould used to produce the Fiesta model in their recent 'pinball' advert." Szukalski also finds the Licom software's modelling capabilities enable him to check clearances in assemblies easily, as well as to plan jobs more effectively.
Equally, when it comes to the manufacturing stage, he confirms that AlphaCAM's inherent repeatability and accuracy are far superior to anything even the most skilled modelmaker could achieve.
"It has the flexibility to set tolerances, step-overs, and select the most effective machining regime for each job," he continues.
"Clamps or other constraints can be automatically taken into account and the software's toolpath simulation routines also provide me with accurate cycle times." In some cases - such as the production of a life-size interior of a space craft for a forthcoming feature film - Szukalski uses the software to divide large elements of the model into slices that can be assembled like a giant rapid prototype LOM (Laminate Object Model) for subsequent hand finishing.
"It mirrors the versatility of our machining capabilities and can still prove a faster overall method than cutting a large mould tool using a 5-axis machine," he says.
Szukalski harnesses the Licom system to speed up the production process in other ways too; notably through the software's ability to program symmetrical left and right hand halves of models in moments - safe in the knowledge that the components will fit together perfectly.
"Effectively, AlphaCAM enables us to accurately manufacture parts that just could not be made by hand," he adds.
He is equally impressed by Licom's post-sales support and has found the transition from 3 to 5-axis machining a natural progression.
The fact that he is self-taught on AlphaCAM simply underlines the intuitive nature of the software.
"In our business it's all about speed.
I've tried several other CAD/CAM systems, but found them long-winded by comparison.
I can honestly say that I've never found anything I couldn't do with AlphaCAM," he concludes. Request a free brochure from Alphacam ...
• Alphacam: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Manufacturingtalk email newsletter
• Manufacturingtalk Home Page
