Product category:
Software, off-line programming, CAM, for metal cutting machine tools
News Release from: Open Mind (Learning/HR) | Subject: HyperMILL CAM software
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 28 June 2007
CAD/CAM avoids gouging, collisions in
composites
Tooling collisions and tool gouging when machining compositeswith exisitng software caused a company to switch to another CAD/CAM system for its machining centres.
Carbon Fibre Technologies (CFT) is using four seats of hyperMILL CAM software to help optimise complex five-axis machining cycles on a range of high performance DMG machining centres Based in Norwich, UK, CFT is producing components and tooling for the motorsport, telecommunications and aerospace industries
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 1 May 2007 at 8.00am (UK)
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Carbon fibre composite is not easy to machine, it is very stiff.
The components are complex and require 5-axis machining.
CFT wished to maximise the throughput of its four 5-axis machines (all acquired since 2002) and so evaluated the leading CAM vendors.
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"At the time we already had a well known CAM package in use, but its 5-axis capability was limited - it had a distinct lack of gouge protection," explained CFT's managing director Arthur Woolhouse.
"Selecting a replacement system was crucial.
We were moving towards high specification, high cost, five-axis machining centres and we could not afford collisions." These were the reasons behind CFT's decision to replace its existing CAM package and invest in hyperMILL from Open Mind Technologies.
"We needed toolpath reliability so much," he continued, "And the gouge protection on hyperMILL was the best we saw".
"Also, ease-of-use and speed of processing were impressive.
hyperMILL had a post processor that could cope with the advanced CNCs on our 5-axis machines - after all, wonderful toolpaths are worthless without being able to present them to the machines in a format they can understand.
The other contributing factor was that hyperMILL could be integrated into our existing 'thinkdesign' CAD package." Two and a half years ago CFT bought its first seat of hyperMILL - today it has four.
The number of seats has increased in direct proportion to the amount of 5-axis machining centres on site.
Five trained CFT employees use the software.
CFT uses hyperMILL and 5-axis DMG machining centres to machine just about all of the component parts that make up the composite content of a modern racing car.
Woolhouse was involved with Formula One prior to establishing CFT (he was head of Team Lotus's composites department in the early 1990s).
As well as components, jobs include patterns, manufactured from aluminium, tooling blocks or graphite items.
CFT also makes parts for carbon fibre dishes used in satellite transmission systems.
CFT has invested heavily in the facilities needed to perform all stages of the carbon fibre component manufacturing processes, including large PC-controlled autoclaves and a pre-preg fabric cutter.
The latter guarantees precision and repeatability of material quantities - essential to ensure minimum weight and variation in finished components.
Some Formula One components can feature up to 270 pieces in their lay-up.
"Acquiring hyperMILL has been a good decision for us," said Woolhouse.
"As we have grown, so Open Mind has grown its presence in the UK - we have kind of evolved together.
The hyperMILL CAM software has delivered everything it promised since day one - put it this way, we are not planning on looking around at any other CAM packages".
* About CFT - the company was founded just 13 years ago by current managing director Arthur Woolhouse and financial director Gavin Gilliatt in a single unit on the Ashwellthorpe Industrial Estate near Norwich.
Today, Carbon Fibre Technologies also occupies the four adjacent units and employs 50 people.
In 2008 the company will relocate to a purpose-built facility nearby that will offer a further six-fold increase in floor space.
The company offers a full range of advanced composite design, engineering and manufacturing services, including concept development, detail design, structural analysis, pattern making and production.
The reason for such rapid growth is partly due to the weight/stiffness properties offered by components manufactured from carbon fibre composites, which cannot be attained from more conventional engineering materials.
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