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Product category: Software, off-line programming, CAM, for metal cutting machine tools
News Release from: Pathtrace Engineering Systems | Subject: EdgeCAM CAM software
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial Team on 10 March 2006

Powerful CAM makes the most of machining

Machining subcontractor uses powerful CAM software to maximise production from its twin-turret turning centre, integrated turning and machining centre and its 5-axis VMCs.

Sheffield Superturn investment in skills, equipment and EdgeCAM software pays dividends "Implementing CAM software is about more than just cost saving, it is about meeting your customers' needs, at the quality they want, in the timescales they need, at a price they will pay." So said Andrew Taylor, founder and managing director of Sheffield Superturn, Sheffield, UK, and he should know

For through his strategy of investing in skills, in the latest CNC machining centres and in EdgeCAM software from Pathtrace, Andrew and his team have continued to grow their British-based company in today's highly competitive and global business environment.

In fact, for over two years now, Sheffield Superturn has been using EdgeCAM software to maximise production from its Doosan Z290 SMY twin-turret turning centre, from its Mazak Integrex integrated turning and machining centre and from its five-axis Dah Lih vertical machining centres.

* Sheffield Superturn - Sheffield Superturn is an ISO 9002-registered company that manufactures CNC precision-machined parts mainly for the oil and gas industries.

The company machines double block-and-bleed valve bodies, pipeline sealing rings and gaskets and other complex parts from materials such as Inconel 625 and Inconel 718 high strength austenitic nickel-chromium-iron alloys.

Output varies from specially designed 'one-offs' to batches of several hundred parts.

Founded in 1983, the company now employs over twenty staff and recorded a turnover of over GBP 2.5 million in the last financial year.

Targeting all-in-one machining - Tim Heron is the engineering manager at Sheffield Superturn.

He said, "Our objective is to machine complex parts in as few operations as possible, with a target of all-in-one machining.

Using a twin axis twin turret machine such as the Z290 SMY we can reduce the loading frequency and loading times massively, with a corresponding increase in capacity." There are other advantages of this type of machine, too.

Heron again, "Fewer set-ups also mean greater consistency, improved accuracy and a reduction of errors." Elimination of collision risk - however, the use of mill/turn machines brings a risk of expensive collisions because of the confined nature of the machines and the number of moveable items on the machine tool.

Heron said, "The cost of realignment after such a collision would be in the region of GBP 500 to GBP 800, plus the cost of broken tools and the cost of lost production.

We know this for a fact." He continued, "So not only did we need to find a way to program the new machines effectively, we also needed to simulate the machining operation to eliminate the risk of collisions." An impressive EdgeCAM demonstration - Heron pointed out, "Andrew, our MD, has a clear interest in the efficiency of the machining process and as a former CNC programmer, knew what he needed.

He looked at solutions from Pathtrace and two competitors and selected Pathtrace to demonstrate EdgeCAM's mill/turn capability." He continued, "We were impressed.

They showed us that they could control these complex machines and that they could simulate the process so there would be no collisions." Heron adds, "EdgeCAM provides everything we needed for multi-axis milling, twin-axis twin-turret turning and toolpath simulation." Getting the programs right, first time and every time - how does the process work? Heron says, "Customers usually send 2D drawings which I re-enter into EdgeCAM Part ModelerTM, although one customer sends us Solid Edge models that I read in and save as Part Modeler files.

I then create the programs directly from that model and run the simulation." By using Part Modeler, EdgeCAM software is able to manipulate part designs and optimise them for manufacture as well as for the construction and visualisation of work-holding systems, such as turning chucks or milling jigs and fixtures.

Heron continued, "Programming takes up around 40-50% of my time, with the rest spent on improving production, looking at new techniques and so on." He added "Over the last two years.

I have created upwards of 300 programs.

On the five axis Dah Lih they really have been right first time, every time and on everything else, they have come pretty close.

All round, that is an excellent performance." Proving the program before cutting metal - Heron reported: "EdgeCAM has been of great benefit to us.

For example, previously, when working on say roughing out a complex pocket, an operator couldn't afford to spend all day trying out various ways of removing the material only to decide to go back to the drawing board to find a better and quicker way.

He would basically only have the time for one shot at it." He continued, "With EdgeCAM, we work off-line without going anywhere near the machine.

We can quickly test out all the options and choose the best, visualising and proving the program before cutting metal, and with no machine downtime." Complete confidence in EdgeCAM - Heron again: "Thanks also to EdgeCAM, the Integrex really has come into its own in terms of one-hit machining.

It is a twin spindle, single turret machine with an indexable milling head and robot loading.

We can program the jobs with EdgeCAM with complete confidence and we regularly run it three to four hours at night completely unattended.

Those additional hours really make a difference to our figures." Working closely together to get the best out of the machines - as well as supplying the EdgeCAM software, Pathtrace also provided the post-processors.

Heron explained, "This was all about two years ago, when Pathtrace had just introduced their mill/turn software and these machines were new to them.

They wrote the post processors for the Doosan and Integrex in-house and then came to site to prove them out, working closely with us to get the best out of these new machines." Heron did point out, however: "Being a subcontract company, we could only fully prove the posts in a production environment when jobs came in that exercised specific functions." He acknowledged, "This took us longer than we anticipated and the support from Pathtrace over this period was terrific, just as it has been subsequently." Modest investment compared with the benefits.

After two years experience of EdgeCAM, Tim advised, "Do not be afraid of the initial outlay involved in moving to CAM.

It may seem a lot of money but it is modest compared with the benefits and compared with the cost of the machine tool.

Once you have it you will wonder how you ever managed without." He cautioned, "But do not try to do everything at once.

For example, move on to mill-turns only when you have mastered turning.

Implement EdgeCAM one machine at a time and only move on to the next machine when the previous one is right." Could not do it any other way - summing up, Heron said, "We have definitely made the right decision choosing EdgeCAM.

We have taken a job that would have needed seven set-up operations on three machines and reduced it to three set-ups on just one machine." He continued, "Partly because of the increased accuracy we are getting, we have become sole supplier for this particular component.

We are also winning an increasing amount of development work." Tim adds, "We have a positive ambition to operate the Integrex lights-out since it has robot loading.

We may consider this for the Doosan, too." Taylor had the final words, "Yes, definitely - EdgeCAM has been well worth the investment.".

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