80% of F1 car parts are 5-axis machined under CAM

CAM software vendor claimed that over 80% of the F1 cars on the 'starting grid' have 5-axis machined components produced under its CAM software.

CAM software vendor Open Mind claimed that over 80% of the F1 'starting grid' has 5-axis parts in them programmed with hyperMILL CAD/CAM package.

Formula one's market leading CAM software provider believed that its success in the F1 sector isa owing to its CAM's collision avoidance and its post processors, which have exceptional ease of use.

Open Mind's managing director, Richard Nolan, told manufacturingtalk.com: "The F1 sector is our biggest market and always has been, with aerospace close behind".

"The two sectors have a synergy when you consider the similar machining techniques, material types, part complexities and skill levels.

Our ability to enhance customers' turnaround times beyond comprehension is a major reason for our phenomenal success in the extremely demanding rapid turnaround F1 market".

He added: "We have held a dominant position in the F1 sector since long before pole position F1 teams were purchasing 20 plus seats of our software.

A large percentage of our customer base is F1 subcontractors with up to 50 employees and very highly experienced staff.

These are companies that are pushing the limits of their current CAM systems and need a CAM system that enables highly skilled programmers to go beyond the limits of their current system".

Open Mind said that its hyperMILL CAM package is ideal for almost every machining operation, including the following.

* Hole and pocket milling.

* Feature based solid machining.

* Freeform surface machining.

* Deep cavity, dome and tube machining.

* Additional common operations carried out in demanding motorsport components.

The success of hyperMILL and the recently launched millTURN for increasingly commonplace mill-turn centres is credit to the high performance geometry oriented CAM software that offers 2.5D, prismatic, 3D and revolutionary 5-axis machining strategies under one uniform interface, said Open Mind.

It is these attributes combined with the 40 dedicated 5-axis cycles (11 of which are 5-axis drilling cycles) that enables manufacturers to select the operation best suited to the job in hand.

This ensures the user does not have to rely on the five or six generic 5-axis operations typically offered by other CAM vendors.

Nolan concluded: "We have ambitions of taking our F1 market share to a new level in 2008 and one step towards this is our increasing collaboration with machine tool vendors.

The way we perceive the market is that no matter what market you are in, business is like F1 - always a race to be ahead of the competition and demonstrate innovation beyond that of your competitors.

After all it's no good entering an F1 race with an everyday road car".

* Open Mind at MACH 2008, NEC, Birmingham, UK, April 21-25, Hall 5, Stand 5556.

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